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Bernie Buescher
Bernie Buescher (born 1949 in Grand Junction, Colorado) is a former Democratic Colorado Secretary of State. He was appointed to the office by Governor of Colorado Bill Ritter in 2009 and served until January 2011 to fill the vacancy left behind by Mike Coffman (Colorado), who resigned following his election to the United States House of Representatives.[1]
Education
- Bachelor's degree, University of Notre Dame (1971) in accounting
- Juris Doctorate degree, University of Colorado (1974)
Professional experience
Prior to holding public office, Buescher was named to reorganize the Colorado State Fair by Governor Roy Romer. Romer again tapped him to serve as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Finance where he was responsible for implementing the Children's Basic Health Plan. In the private sector, Buescher was President of West Star Aviation for ten years and practiced laws as an attorney at Williams, Turner, and Holmes, P.C. from 1975 to 1986.
Noteworthy events
Campaign finance complaint
Denver attorney and Republican activist Robert McGuire filed a campaign finance complaint against Buescher claiming his executive assistant, Heidi Hamilton, helped manage campaign appearances while on state time. The complaint was referred to State Attorney General John W. Suthers for investigation.[2] No action was reported as a result.
Endorsements
Secretary of State Project
- See also: Secretary of State Project
In 2010, Buescher received the endorsement of the Secretary of State Project (SoS), a 527 political organization whose purpose as described by its founder, Becky Bond, was "wrestling control of the country from the Republican Party" through the process of "removing their political operatives from deciding who can vote and whose votes will count," often including the office of Secretary of State.[3][4] SoS receives its funding from the George Soros-backed Democracy Alliance.[5]
Other roles
- Organizer, Colorado State Fair (1996)
- Past Board Member, American Cancer Society Local Chapter
- Past Board Member, Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation
- Past Board Member, Colorado County Economic Development Council
- Past Board Member, Colorado Health and Hospital Association
- Past Board Member, Colorado Public Radio
- Past Board Member, Mesa County Economic Development Council
- Past Board Member, Riverview Technology Corporation
- Past Chair, Saint Mary's Hospital Board
- Past Board Member, Western Colorado Center for the Arts
- Past Member, Colorado Transportation Commission
- Past Member, Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Transportation
- Past Member/Past Chair, Mesa County Board of Adjustment
Elections
2010
- 2010 Race for Secretary of State - Democratic Primary[6]
- Bernie Buescher ran unopposed in this contest
| 2010 Race for Secretary of State - General Election[7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Republican Party |  Scott Gessler
|
49.5% | |
| Democratic Party | Bernie Buescher | 43.9% | |
| Constitution Party | Amanda Campbell | 6.6% | |
| Total Votes | 1,722,096 | ||
Campaign contributions
2010
According to Follow the Money, Buescher has raised $28,941 in 2010 for his secretary of state campaign as of September 27, 2010.[8]
Listed below are the top five contributors:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Committee to Elect Bernie Buescher HD 55 | $11,411 |
| American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees | $2,000 |
| Susan Stumbaugh | $525 |
| E. Blanche Buescher | $525 |
| Brandon Stumbaugh | $525 |
2008
According to Follow the Money, Buescher has raised $270,148 in 2008 for his state house campaign.[9]
Listed below are the top five contributors:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Colorado AFL-CIO | $4,250 |
| Colorado Association of Realtors | $4,250 |
| Colorado Education Association | $4,250 |
| Mesa Valley Education Association | $4,125 |
| American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees | $4,000 |
2006
According to Follow the Money, Buescher has raised $192,174 in 2006 for his state house campaign.[10]
Listed below are the top five contributors:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Colorado House Majority Project | $12,000 |
| Colorado Education Association | $4,400 |
| Colorado Professional Fire Fighters | $4,000 |
| American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees | $4,000 |
| Food & Commercial Workers - Local 7 | $4,000 |
2004
According to Follow the Money, Buescher has raised $139,892 in 2004 for his state house campaign.[11]
Listed below are the top five contributors:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bernie Buescher | $20,000 |
| Colorado Democratic Party | $4,000 |
| Colorado Education Association | $4,000 |
| Mesa Valley Education Association | $2,400 |
| Colorado Professional Fire Fighters | $2,000 |
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Bernie Buescher currently resides in Grand Junction, Colorado with his wife, Mary Beth. The couple has four children together - Michael, Elizabeth, Marcia, and Susan.
Awards
- Citizen of the Year Award (2004) from the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce
See also
External links
- Bernie Buescher's Facebook profile
- Project Vote Smart - Bernie Buescher biography
- Berniebuescher.com 2010 Campaign website
The Internet Archive's Wayback Machine was used to recall this version of the website from October 20, 2010.
Footnotes
- ↑ The Colorado Statesman, "Buescher wins secretary of state nod" 26 Dec. 2008
- ↑ Aurora Sentinel, "Campaign finance complaint filed against Buescher" 29 Sept. 2010
- ↑ American Spectator, "Soros Vote Counters" November 2, 2010
- ↑ The Secretary of State Project - 2010 Races
- ↑ Discover the Networks - Democracy Alliance
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State - 2010 Democratic Primary Election Results
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State - 2010 General Election Results
- ↑ Follow the Money - Campaign Contributions for Bernie Buescher, 2010
- ↑ Follow the Money - Campaign Contributions for Bernie Buescher, 2008
- ↑ Follow the Money - Campaign Contributions for Bernie Buescher, 2006
- ↑ Follow the Money - Campaign Contributions for Bernie Buescher, 2004
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mike Coffman (Colorado) |
Colorado Secretary of State 2009–2010 |
Succeeded by Scott Gessler (R) |
| |||||||||||||||||||
