A glimpse into Dan Maes' campaign staff

By Leslie Jorgensen
THE COLORADO STATESMAN

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes, who bills himself as “the people’s candidate,” has crisscrossed the state multiple times, courted the “Tea Party” movement, and maintained a “grassroots” campaign on a shoestring budget.

His campaign headquarters, located in a storefront near Hampden and Broadway, is staffed by friends and family — mostly volunteers.

On this chilly morning, the aroma of fresh-baked treats fills the small lobby shared with the next door bakery. Sunlight spills through the spacious plate-glass windows and brightens the campaign office, an open space with work tables, a couple of desks, several chairs and numerous Maes campaign placards.

Walls are decorated with posters of soothing natural vistas — each print features a single inspirational word.

“The two that best sum up my candidacy are ‘Determination’ and ‘Integrity,’” says Maes, an Evergreen businessman.

Sheryl Fernandez, left, campaign volunteer coordinator; Jordan Maes, the candidate’s daughter, executive aide and scheduler; Chuck O’Reilly, field coordinator; Judy Anderson, campaign aide, “cheerleader and angel;” GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes; Karen Maes, the candidate’s wife and campaign treasurer.

Photo by Chloe Silliman

The candidate and campaign field coordinator Chuck O’Reilly are reviewing the progress of enlisting county campaign coordinators and updating their Web site database.

Their goal is to enlist about 70 volunteers to assist the campaign at the May 22 state GOP Assembly in Loveland. The volunteer assignments range from waving campaign signs outside the Budweiser Event Center to staffing the campaign’s hospitality room in the adjacent Embassy Suites Hotel.

O’Reilly has put out a call for help through the campaign’s e-mail database and the Web sites of several “Tea Party” organizations, such as Bears Ears Patriots.

Before the campaign could effectively organize volunteers, O’Reilly said that he had to update the database of nearly 2,000 volunteers to identify each person’s home county and add contact phone numbers.

“It was a huge undertaking, and worth it,” declares O’Reilly, who joined the campaign in late April.

Campaign field coordinator Chuck O’Reilly reports good news to Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes — signing up volunteer coordinators in nearly 30 counties.

Photo by Chloe Silliman

The duo feels confident that Maes will win at least 30 percent of the state GOP delegate vote, the threshold to be placed on the primary ballot. A few polls have predicted that Maes will win 40 percent of the votes in his battle against Republican candidate Scott McInnis, former 3rd District Congressman.

Maes introduces several campaign volunteers who are busily rolling up patriotic-color striped streamers, taking inventory of the campaign signs and planning events leading up to the state party assembly.

For example, Maes is scheduled to attend a luncheon and the Bears Ears Patriots’ picnic in Craig, to speak at the “1773 Club” in Steamboat Springs, and to do an interview on a country music radio show.

The candidate’s wife, Karen Maes, serves as campaign treasurer and the couple’s daughter, Jordan Maes, is scheduler and executive aide – one of the few paid campaign staffers. The campaign’s volunteer coordinator, Sheryl Fernandez works closely with O’Reilly. Sherrie Hillman, who manages the office on a part-time basis, is away today.

“This is Judy Anderson, a campaign aide, cheerleader and angel,” says Maes.

Dan Maes for governor campaign volunteer Jacqueline Bokelman and Karen Maes, the candidate’s wife and campaign treasurer, roll up the patriotic striped streamers to recycle for the next event.

Photo by Chloe Silliman

Days before the assembly, Maes announced he’s hired Bill Tucker of Tucker & Associates, a political consultant in McLean, Virginia, to help the candidate amass 71 percent of the delegate votes to avoid a primary. Tucker will be on hand this weekend to meet with delegates who have identified themselves as “undecided” and convince them to support Maes.

A former Colorado Assistant Attorney General, Tucker has 30 years of experience in politics and public affairs. Tucker developed national GOP delegate strategy for President Jerry Ford in 1976, served on President Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1980, and President George Bush’s campaign in 1988, and earned recognition as “one of the top twelve lobbyists” by Congressional Quarterly.

The Republican has boasted of having driven more than 70,000 miles to promote his candidacy. If he had a flat tire on one of those blacktop roads, who would be the best campaign staffer to change a tire?

“Anyone but Judy!” says Maes.

Racing from one event to another can be challenging — and require pedal-to-the metal action. Who is the most likely to get a speeding ticket?

“Jordan,” declares her Dad.

In our quest for “insider info,” The Colorado Statesman posed the following questions to Maes, who good-naturedly answered:

1) Who on the campaign staff eats the most fast food?
“Jordan and I.”

2) What is the one thing that you never forget to bring on your travels?
“Never forget? Ha! Ha! Something is always forgotten.”

3) On the campaign trail, what is the one thing you’d feel naked without?
“Cell phone!”

4) What is the strangest thing you brought home after a campaign event?
“A University of Wisconsin beer mug.” Maes graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he played football.

5) What book are you reading, now?
“Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto” by Mark R. Levin.

6) What music revs your energy or soothes your soul?
“Country.”

7) What’s the first thing you do when you return home from traveling the campaign trail?
“Raid the fridge!”

— Leslie@coloradostatesman.com