Casiano fourth candidate to seek May's HD-44 seat

Parker Mayor David Casiano has entered the race to succeed House Minority Leader Mike May (R-Parker) in Colorado House District 44, according to Douglas County GOP Chair Kelsey Alexander.

Casiano is the fourth candidate to seek the seat: former Colorado Mortgage Leaders Association President Chris Holbert, U.S. Rep.-elect Mike Coffman manager Dustin Zvonek, and businesswoman Polly Lawrence are also seeking to be appointed by a vacancy committee.

Alexander said a fifth person was considering entering the race, but she didn't want to release that person's name until he or she had made a decision.

The HD-44 vacancy committee, composed of about 120 elected officials, district captains and precinct leaders, was tentatively scheduled to convene Jan. 6. But that schedule is up in the air as May temporarily withdrew his resignation on Tuesday, saying in a statement “that outside influences may have attempted to interfere with the leadership election” to succeed him.

Casiano, 59, has been mayor of Parker since 2004. He also teaches business and drama at Lutheran High School of Parker.

Casiano did not return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday evening.

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Holbert a formidable opponent for HD-44 seat

Chris Holbert is “the odds-on favorite” to be appointed to succeed House Minority Leader Mike May (R-Parker) in House District 44, according to state Sen. Ted Harvey (R-Highlands Ranch).

Certainly the former president of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association has some very prominent backers – the most prominent being May himself.

Holbert said he’s also picked up endorsements from Harvey, former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong (R-Colo.), outgoing U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan), 2008 CD-6 GOP candidate Wil Armstrong, state Sen.-elect Mark Scheffel (R-Parker), and state Reps. Frank McNulty (R-Highlands Ranch) and David Balmer (R-Centennial).

Dustin Zvonek, U.S. Rep-elect Mike Coffman’s (R-Aurora) manager, is also in the running, as is small businesswoman Polly Lawrence.

Zvonek has big-name support from Coffman, U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton), and Colorado Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction). Lawrence, a relative unknown who announced her candidacy during last weekend's DougCo GOP executive meeting, described herself to the Denver Post’s Jessica Fender as "a longshot."

Kendall Unruh, a 2008 Republican National Convention delegate from Castle Rock, considered running, but she decided against it in order to support Holbert, according to Holbert. Former state Republican Party finance committee chair Mark Baisley and GOP activist John Ransom have also decided against running, they each said.

Holbert, now a consultant who lives near Parker, said though freshman legislator orientation has already concluded, he's familiar with how the state legislature operates from his days spent at the Capitol as CMLA president.

I know the people there, I know the process, and I had experience in moving bills from start to finish and the hearing process. So I've got an idea what I'm getting into," Holbert said. "I'm not sure if the others have that experience."

Holbert said he also may have a leg up on the other candidates because he scouted out potentially running for May's seat earlier this year after hearing rumors that May might go for Harvey's state Senate seat if Harvey was elected to Congress. Harvey lost the CD-6 Republican nomination to Secretary of State Mike Coffman in August, though, so Harvey, May, and Holbert all stayed put.

A vacancy committee of about 120 elected officials, district captains and precinct leaders is tentatively scheduled to meet Jan. 6 to pick May’s successor, Douglas County GOP Chairwoman Kelsey Alexander told the Post.

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