Zvonek to seek May's HD-44 seat

Dustin Zvonek, U.S. Rep.-elect Mike Coffman’s (R-Aurora) campaign manager, will seek House Minority Leader Mike May’s House District 44 seat, Zvonek said Sunday.

And Zvonek already has some heavy hitters on his side: Coffman, outgoing U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton), and Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry have already endorsed him, he said. Zvonek is a former Tancredo staffer.

Former Colorado Mortgage Leaders Association President Chris Holbert is also in the running for the seat, Zvonek said.

Zvonek said while HD-44 bylaws were unclear, he believed a vacancy committee would be convened after May resigns from the Colorado House. May announced Friday that he’s retiring at the end of the year.

The vacancy committee would likely be composed of about 120 elected officials, district captains and precinct leaders, he said.

Zvonek, a Lone Tree resident, said he was already mulling a shot at House District 44 in 2010, when May would have to step down because of term limits. When he heard May was resigning, though, he said he had to jump in.

“I didn’t want to waste any time when I think I could offer something to this district and this state,” Zvonek said. “If get you somebody (on the vacancy committee) first, they might commit to you.”

Zvonek said he wants to help bring new blood into a state Republican Party reeling from a string of electoral losses over the past few years.

As for his agenda, Zvonek said, “At this point, it’s jobs, jobs, jobs, energy, education, and health care.”

CORRECTION: Holbert is no longer the president of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association.