John Dendahl

John Dendahl skiied for the University of Colorado, helping them win the 1959 NCAA skiing team title. In 1960 Dendahl won the NCAA nordic combined championship and was named skimeister. He eventually settled in New Mexico, where he became a syndicated columnist and politician. From 1988-90, Dendahl was Secretary of Economic Development and Tourism for New Mexico. In 1994 he ran unsuccessfully for governor of New Mexico, but later that year was named chairman of the New Mexico Republication Party, a post he held until 2003. In 2006, Dendahl again ran for New Mexico governor, losing decisively to incumbent Gov. Bill Richardson. Dendahl then retired from public service and moved back to Colorado, where he went back to writing political columns.