One of Colorado’s best and hardest-working people in new media has gone pro. Michael Sandoval, originally an innovative and successful blogger at Slapstick Politics and more recently managing editor of People’s Press Collective, is now on the Colorado 2010 election beat for National Review Online.
His first posting helps to get a national audience up to speed on our state’s U.S. Senate race. (By the way, thanks to Michael, for the incoming link.) Here’s guessing he’s not itching to provide similar treatment of Colorado’s roller-coaster gubernatorial campaign.
Anyway, over the next few months I look forward to good original reporting and more insightful analysis from NRO’s home-grown Colorado correspondent. And I encourage my readers to bookmark his page for important updates.
Colorado needs a candidate for governor who fits all of the above:
- Grounded in, and committed to, conservative principles
- Understands state issues and how state government works
- Has demonstrated leadership
- Has experience in business
- Can garner funds and sufficient broad-based support to wage an effective late campaign
- Isn’t tainted by ethics scandals
- Is more likely to attract independent voters rather than repel them with wild, off-the-cuff remarks
- Can unite the Republican banner under conservative, limited government principles
Given the circumstances, I have had a difficult time coming up with any really great options. But here’s an idea: What about state senator (and assistant minority leader) Greg Brophy? (more…)
For what it’s worth, if you want a glimpse of the public mindset concerning 16 major institutions in American society, you should check out the new Gallup survey (H/T Mike Antonucci). The following are some salient observations on how favorably Americans view the 16 major institutions: (more…)
Last night I decided the mail-in ballot had been sitting too long on my counter, so I went ahead and filled in the bubbles. Time to drop it off now, and contribute my two cents to Colorado’s Republican primary election 2010. Without further ado, here are the decisions I arrived at personally, with some explanation as needed, followed by my predictions: (more…)
Editor’s note: The following are the views of my co-blogger Randy Ketner, aka Night Twister, from Larimer County, and do not necessarily reflect my own views.
Like most registered voters in Colorado, I received my Primary Election ballot in the mail last week. Ballots are due by August 10, but I’ve already made my decisions so I’ll be mailing it in tomorrow. There are only 4 competitive races on my primary ballot. I’ll start with the only Federal race, and move to State and Local races afterwards: (more…)
The Scott McInnis campaign a few minutes ago sent out a formal statement in response to Tom Tancredo’s ultimatum and announcement today that he will run as the American Constitution Party candidate for governor.
The McInnis statement goes like this: (more…)
On Saturday night I watched in dread as Magglio Ordonez slid into home plate, was tagged out… but never got up. Quickly confirmed to have a fractured ankle, he had to be aided off the field. The number three hitter in my Detroit Tigers lineup, swinging the bat well again after a forgettable 2009, gone for 6 to 8 weeks (2B Carlos Guillen landed on the 15-day disabled list after the same game). A mere matter of days before the non-waiver trade deadline. A season that on the cusp of the All-Star break looked like it could be promising… you can just about write it off now.
A month ago relief pitching sensation Joel Zumaya broke his arm and finished his season while pitching against Minnesota. Less than a week ago third baseman Brandon Inge broke his hand on an inside pitch. With some key rookies providing unexpected contributions, it looked like the Tigers could weather the storm enough with a trade deadline pick-up to make the final piece. Hard to see how that can happen now, at least not without mortgaging away a much more promising future.
Dare I say it, but my Colorado Rockies haven’t looked much better of late. Ubaldo is off his game, the effect of Troy Tulowitzki being out of the lineup for weeks now taking its toll, and the post-break road trip couldn’t end soon enough. Too many holes in the lineup. Inconsistency from the bullpen. Can they catch enough fire to make up lost ground in the NL West race come September? I’m beginning to have my doubts.
For the Tigers and Rockies, if things continue to falter, there is always 2011. But need I go into the trainwreck-like spectacle that is the governor’s race in Colorado? “There’s always 2014….” (more…)
Lu Busse, Chair of the 9.12 Project Colorado Coalition, this evening dispatched an open letter to Tom Tancredo in response to the former Congressman’s serious threat to run as a 3rd party candidate for governor if Scott McInnis and Dan Maes don’t announce they will drop out of the race by tomorrow at noon. The letter is copied in full below the fold: (more…)
Americans for Tax Reform is out with its annual Index of Worker Freedom this week. The idea is to look on a state-by-state basis to determine the extent of employee individual rights and freedoms in workplaces based on the laws and policies of their respective states.
ATR looks at whether a state has Right-to-Work laws, paycheck protection, what the share of public and private sector union membership is, etc. In December 2007, when the Index was first released, Colorado received an A-minus (MP3).
This year? (more…)
The Ken Buck for U.S. Senate campaign has released a new poll conducted by Magellan Strategies that shows little has changed in his race since June. The top line result indicates voter preference for Buck over Jane Norton by the margin of 46-37.
Last month Buck led Norton 42-32. As expected, the share of undecided GOP primary voters has shrunk over the past six weeks. Interestingly, the Weld County DA has a 20-plus point lead among voters ages 18 to 44, but his edge is in single digits among older voters.
The only other change of note is a slightly better move in favorable ratings for Jane Norton. In June, the former lieutenant governor had a 37 favorable / 31 unfavorable rating. In the new poll her respective ratings are 45 / 34. Norton has gone from a +6 to a +11 in favorability, a small positive bump. Buck still has the true advantage in image among voters at 52 / 23 (up from 39 / 13). (more…)
From National Review Online today:
Carole Jean Badertscher was a California nurse who just wanted to go to work and take care of her patients — but the SEIU was determined not to let that happen. The union’s contract with Badertscher’s employer, the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, had expired, and the union had called a strike in response. Badertscher and other nurses, unwilling to abandon their patients for the sake of a stronger SEIU hand in contract negotiations, resigned from the union and went to work. In turn, she was threatened by the union bosses, who promised to have her prosecuted under California’s antique professional-strikebreaker statute, which was long ago pre-empted by federal law. Badertscher and other nurses were told that they would be fined and could be thrown in jail for months.
But there was more at stake in the case for the SEIU than the right to bully nurses in the Pomona Valley. The SEIU local had also informed hospital employees that they were legally required to keep paying union dues…. (more…)
Next weekend is the annual Right Online conference, sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Specifically, it will be held Friday and Saturday, July 23-24, in Las Vegas. This is a great opportunity for conservatives who want to learn how they can help neutralize the advantage the Left has accrued in new media and online tools.
A lineup of great speakers is on tap — including members of Congress Mike Pence and Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, John Fund, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and more. Registration is still open.
I’m not able to make the trip (family reasons), which depending on your perspective might be all the more reason to go. But definitely give it a close look and find a great excuse to make a summertime visit to Vegas and learn how to make a difference at the same time.
Update, 12:30 PM: Scott McInnis provides an official response to Hasan Family Foundation. Scroll down to the bottom of this post.
As promised, the survey on what Scott McInnis should do closed at 9:00 this morning. In all, there were 177 participants — including 173 registered voters, 93 percent of whom identify as Republicans and 7 percent of whom identify either as unaffiliated or third party (no Democrats participated). A brief summary of the survey results: (more…)
A couple days ago I reported to you about a strange tactic by the shadowy Left-leaning group Colorado Outlook attacking conservative Republican candidate Dean Boehler. Conventional wisdom would consider Boehler an underdog in the primary to moderate Republican, state representative Ellen Roberts. But the actions of Colorado Outlook sure suggest otherwise.
This morning the Boehler campaign released a statement, which I’ve posted in full below the fold: (more…)
On Tuesday I shared an update of the state senate rankings and concluded that Republicans still have a good shot at recapturing the majority (at least before the Scott McInnis fiasco unfolded, the effect of which on down-ticket races remains to be seen). It’s time to update the state house rankings, and there are a few changes to report.
All 65 seats are up for election this fall, but only about 20 to 30 of the seats have a competitive challenger. Most of those seats currently belong to Democrats, and the Republicans — needing a net gain of six seats to hold a true majority — are poised to take advantage. Will the GOP win the majority? Possibly. As it stands now, the numbers suggest Republicans will pick up between 5 and 8 seats. Without further ado, here are the latest rankings of contested races, based on the likelihood of switching party control: (more…)
