Photo: Colorado gubernatorial candidate Victor Marx.
As a person with an interest in politics, I’ve been following the primary election campaigns here in Colorado. Especially, the campaign for Governor.
The ballots were mailed out a couple of weeks ago, and the primary election concludes next Tuesday.
The Democrats fielded Michael Bennet and Phil Weiser, two seasoned politicians who probably agree on 99% of everything except which of them should be elected Governor. Only one of them can appear on the November ballot. We’ll find out on June 30 who came out on top, to face the Republican and Libertarian candidates.
The Libertarian Party doesn’t typically hold a primary election in Colorado, because there’s usually only one candidate willing to be humiliated in November. But this year, two guys filed as Libertarian Party candidates for Governor: Alex Astley, a professional engineer from Holyoke, and Sean Vadney, a pianist from Highlands Ranch.
In other words, these are not seasoned politicians. Maybe that’s a good thing?
I mean, just look at where the seasoned politicians have taken us.
The Republican candidates for Governor are Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, Rep. Scott Bottoms, and Victor Marx, vying for a spot on the November ballot. Two of them are seasoned Colorado politicians, and as Republican legislators in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, they are accustomed to accomplishing very little in the legislature.
Why they think they could accomplish anything as Governor is not entirely clear.
But Victor Marx — who runs a Christian non-profit called ‘All Things Possible’ — has raised an estimated $2.5 million in campaign contributions, much more than both of his opponents combined.
Plus, he has people praying for him. Mostly, Republicans, probably. But you take what you can get.
He would like even more prayers, if possible.
He recently sent out an email to supporters:
Election Day is next week — and today I’m not writing to ask for a donation.
I’m asking for your prayers.
Eileen and I have given everything we have to this mission. The miles traveled, the conversations, the early mornings and late nights, the moments of doubt and the moments of absolute certainty that Colorado is worth fighting for. We have held nothing back.
But we have always known that ultimately, this is not in our hands. It’s in God’s.
So today, would you take a moment to pray for this campaign?…
This is an interesting perspective. That the outcome of the June primary election is in God’s hands.
I didn’t think God normally got Himself involved in primary elections.
Obviously, corporate billionaires and millionaires get themselves involved, especially on behalf of establishment Democrats like Michael Bennet. And maybe they’ve also contributed to Victor Marx’ campaign.
When you have enough money to throw away, it’s a smart move to support both sides of the political spectrum, because you never know who might win.
But Victor Marx is a minister, so he likely understands a lot more about the mysterious ways in which God works, than I do. And he obviously understands how corporate campaign donors work, as well.
From that email to supporters:
Prayer has carried this campaign further than any dollar ever could. And I believe with everything in me that it will carry us across the finish line on June 30th.
Victor Marx is not a career politician, so he can be forgiven for mistakenly believing that June 30 is “the finish line”.
June 30 is actually “the starting line”.
Mr. Marx was unknown to many within the Colorado Republican Party when he announced his run for Governor.
“So it was really my bride that said, ‘Babe, either you have to get into some aspect of politics, run for a position to help change the state for better, or leave,’” Mr. Marx said in an interview from his studio on his property in Black Forest.
“We love Colorado, we love the people, but the affordability became a real issue. And safety. Safety has affected us,” he said. “Someone tried to, I know, tried to kill me right on our property.”
If someone had tried to kill me right on my own property, I suppose I would also want to run for Governor.
But maybe not, if they tried to kill me in the grocery store. It would depend. There’s lots of places to hide in a grocery store.
In Victor Marx’ case, the person who tried to kill him was his brother-in-law.
My ex-wife Darlene didn’t have any brothers, so I never had to go through that kind of trauma.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.