Theater shooting prosecutor to run for governor of Colorado

The district attorney who prosecuted the Aurora theater shooter, and was assigned as special prosecutor in the Terry Maketa case, wants to be Colorado’s next governor.

George Brauchler will announce his gubernatorial campaign on Wednesday. Brauchler will run as a Republican. He’ll have stiff competition for the party’s nomination. State treasurer Walker Stapleton and Attorney General Cynthia Coffman are also thinking about competing for the GOP nomination. Many Democrats are also lining up to seek their party’s nod.

The current governor, Democrat John Hickenlooper, is termed out in 2018.

Brauchler is district attorney of the 18th Judicial District, which includes Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties. He unsuccessfully sought the death penalty against James Holmes. Brauchler first gained prominence in 2013 when he criticized Hickenlooper for refusing to execute a multiple murderer on death row.