Mount Virtus

For those still wondering how third-party conservative gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo is more likely to govern — at least when the choice is between showing support and loyalty to a highly qualified and credible Republican or an American Constitution Party spoiler — it was encouraging to see today’s release: (more…)

Update, 10/25: Casting further doubt on the Denver Post / SurveyUSA poll is today’s release from the Democrat-leaning Public Policy Polling, which finds Hickenlooper up 47-44 over Tancredo, with only 5 percent in the Maes camp. This poll was conducted after both Magellan and SurveyUSA — from Thursday, October 21, to Saturday, October 23. (H/T Curtis Hubbard, The Spot)

On Friday conservatives were treated to the release of poll results from Magellan Strategies showing Tom Tancredo narrowly trailing John Hickenlooper 44-43 in the governor’s race. This morning readers opened up the Denver Post to see its SurveyUSA poll showing Hickenlooper with a 49-39 lead over Tancredo. In both polls Dan Maes is stuck at 9 percent.

The Magellan poll was conducted on Wednesday and has a margin of error plus/minus 3 points (1,067 likely voters). The SurveyUSA poll was conducted between Tuesday and Thursday with a margin of error plus/minus 4 points (621 likely voters). So we’re looking at the same time frame, but the margins of error don’t overlap. The rules of logic dictate that one of the two polls has to be wrong. In my estimation the Magellan results are closer to reality, not because they comport with my own wishes but for the following reasons: (more…)

Last night retiring Republican state senator Dave Schultheis — one of the conservative stalwarts under the Golden Dome — announced that he is withdrawing support from Dan Maes and backing Tom Tancredo for governor:

Much is at stake in this election, including the appointment of Supreme Court justices who will honor the law, decennial redistricting of State legislative boundaries, stopping the union takeover of state jobs, reducing the serious and negative effect of illegal immigration, the potential of modifying state statutes to allow the Republican Party to regain its majority status should it get less than 10% of the total gubernatorial votes, and much, much more. Furthermore, should Hickenlooper win, Colorado will become a far more progressive state than it has already become over the past decade. That must not be allowed that to happen.

I realize that by removing my endorsement from Dan Maes that I am also disappointing many strong conservative supporters who have applauded me for standing not just for Dan, but for the election process which I hold dear. Those who have worked so diligently for the conservative cause under the Republican banner will have the most trouble with my decision, as I have always advocated that the process must be honored because in the long-run, lack of adhering to process causes confusion, lack of commitment and frustration. Unfortunately, that process has been trashed in this election cycle. That saddens me greatly.

That said…the choice is now between Hickenlooper and Tancredo. Hickenlooper must be defeated. Therefore, I will be voting for Tom Tancredo as Colorado’s next Governor.

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Editor’s note: This post is a guest contribution authored by U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R – CA).

Every two years Americans hold their members of Congress accountable. If they have done a good job representing them they send them back to Washington, but if they fail to lead they can be replaced.

The last few years, we’ve seen the effects of failed Democratic policies. Unemployment is too high, businesses are uncertain about the future and are holding back from hiring and investing, and we’re trillions of dollars deeper in debt.

Americans want fresh, new, conservative leaders to find solutions to these problems. Today in Colorado, I campaigned with one of those new leaders, Young Gun candidate Ryan Frazier.

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With less than two weeks to Election Day, the question lingers: Can liberal Democrat gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper really avoid all controversy until the election is over? National Review’s Michael Sandoval uncovers one controversy Hickenlooper might be unable to avoid, and it came straight from the mayor’s own lips in a 2009 interview:

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper: I think a couple things, I mean, you know, the tragic death of Matthew Shepard occurred in Wyoming. Colorado and Wyoming are very similar. We have some of the same, you know, backwards thinking in the kind of rural Western areas you see in, you know, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico.

People in rural areas might find reason to be a little incensed at Hickenlooper (Glenn Reynolds labels it the mayor’s “bitter clinger moment”). Meanwhile, as Who Said You Said points out, the small crowds and lack of enthusiasm at Hickenlooper events certainly aren’t limited to rural areas: (more…)

In this weird political season, the Los Angeles Times political blog compiles the Top 10 weirdest moments of the 2010 political campaign. Coming in at number 10, from my own backyard:

Only two of the top 10 moments came from U.S. House races, and my own Colorado 7th CD made the list. I’m not sure whether to be astounded or proud or embarrassed… or maybe just amused. I’ll save the satisfaction until Election Night.

Of course, it was the prolific National Review Colorado blogger Michael Sandoval who first brought attention to Ed Perlmutter’s slaphappy moment that well may go down as part of the closing chapter of the liberal Democrat’s Congressional career. Can you see the political wave a-comin’?

Update / Clarification: Michael Sandoval wasn’t the first to mention the slapping incident online. Lynn Bartels mentioned it at the end of her Denver Post story on the debate, but Sandoval was the first to post the video and feature the incident as a headline story. (Adam Schrager of 9News probably wrote about it, too, in the hours after the debate, but I can’t find a link.)

With the depths of election season upon us, most of the political advertising on TV and radio has us gasping for fresh air and a hot shower. Not so Michael Fallon, whose new attack ad on liberal incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette makes a sharp point effectively without being obnoxious or offensive:

The ad follows a clever 30-second spot that aired in September, introducing Fallon to voters in the largely Democratic Denver First Congressional District. I know he has rejected any longer-term aspirations for political office, but the grassroots and leadership of the GOP ought to be able to come together on recruiting Dr. Fallon for a future bid. He is doing the Party and the cause of limited, fiscally responsible government a real service.

Why exactly is minor party-Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes and his dwindling cadre of political backers trying to foist on Colorado a story that he bravely resisted efforts to buy him out of the race? It sure looks like the victim card is being played, unfortunately without the truth to back it up. The bottom line is that any proposed deal came from Maes and his allies, and that at all points Tom Tancredo and his closest advisers have communicated clearly that no job will be given to 10-point Dan Maes to buy him out of the race.

What started out as an innuendo-laden note from Dan Maes insider Joe Harrington’s Facebook page (and echoed on Maes’ own page) was effectively disinfected by the sunlight of Rossputin’s clarifying blog post this morning:

Joe’s story, however, is at best misleading and I cannot stand by – even without being overtly named – and let claims go unchallenged.

The implication of Joe’s story is that I and others contacted him trying to solicit a deal for Dan Maes. This is turning the true story on its head…and I can and will prove it here.

Now the story has received the treatment of Lynn Bartels and the Denver Post.

You can read on from the source to see that the claims Rossputin was involved in an attempt to buy Maes out of the race are utterly without merit. Rossputin wasn’t the only one Harrington tried to pursue about getting a deal for Dan Maes. (more…)

Over the past couple days the editors of the Denver Post have issued their endorsements for 10 key state house and 5 key state senate races. If we presumed these were the only races to change hands and that all went the way favored by the Post, we’d end up with a deadlocked state house (32-32-1) and a preserved Democrat majority in the state senate (19-16).

In summary, here is what the Denver Post supports as the state legislature’s new Republican freshman class:

• Libby Szabo (HD 27)
• Robert Ramirez (HD 29)
• Karen Cullen (HD 18)
• Mark Barker (HD 17)
• Keith Swerdfeger (HD 47)
• Ellen Roberts (SD 6)
• Bob Rankin (SD 5)

From the races they weighed in on, here are a few other Republican freshman state legislators we very well could see, even though the Post didn’t back them: (more…)

Complete Colorado’s Real Gubernatorial Genius is back with the third and final edition in the series, highlighting Republican candidate Dan Maes — Mr. I’m-Gonna-Be-Somebody-Someday. In my opinion, it will give you the purest laugh-out-loud experience of the trio:

In case you missed them, watch the earlier lampoons of Tom Tancredo and John Hickenlooper. Put together, the three minute-long Real Gubernatorial Genius clips will provide some needed Friday election season humorous relief.

This is a great piece of news to read today from my next Congressman Ryan Frazier, and it comes not a moment too soon:

Former 7th CD Rep. Bob Beauprez Backs Ryan Frazier, Declares Perlmutter Corrupt

More evidence Washington has changed Ed Perlmutter

Aurora, CO – Ryan Frazier, candidate for the 7th Congressional District, today announced the endorsement of former 7th Congressional District Rep. Bob Beauprez. Beauprez honorably served in the seat for 4 years before running for governor.

Incumbent Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s (D-Golden) desperate campaign has consistently tried to use Beauprez’s comments in the primary election against Frazier, rather than defend a 98.3% voting record with Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” Beauprez said. “Ed Perlmutter voted for a health care bill a majority of people didn’t want, a stimulus that didn’t work, bailouts to companies that padded his own campaign funds, and he inserted a sweetheart deal into legislation that benefited a bank in which he owns stock.”

Beauprez is referring to a Washington Times article that reported Perlmutter’s abuse of Congressional power to sneak in an amendment to the Cap-and-Trade bill that would’ve benefited a large bank which he partially owns.

“Perlmutter is not only wrong, he’s corrupt,” Beauprez concluded. “That’s why I’m supporting Ryan Frazier – someone who actually knows what the people of the 7th District want and need.” [link added]

Public forums for political candidates can provide some elucidating moments. Take yesterday’s Windsor Gardens event with House District 6 rivals: incumbent Democrat Rep. Lois Court and Republican challenger Joshua Sharf. Joshua recounts some of the event on his blog:

…what struck me most was my opponent’s claim that she votes how her constituents would vote on a given issue. In fact, her priorities seem to be far more arcane and abstruse than the concerns I’ve heard people talking about, and had she held more than three town hall meetings in the last two years, Rep. Court might have known that. When I knock on people’s doors, we talk about the budget, the economy, jobs, and education. Rep. Court’s priorities are public financing of campaigns.

Why public financing of campaigns? Well, watch this 90-second clip from the forum where Rep. Court provided an eye-opening remark: (more…)

First it was Tom Tancredo. Today, Complete Colorado releases the second in its creative Real Gubernatorial Genius series, featuring John Hickenlooper — “Mr. Avoid All Controversy Until the Election’s Over.” Another minute well spent that is sure to crack a smile:

The third and final edition featuring Dan Maes is due out on Friday.

Yesterday it was the 30-second Amendment 63 animation of Obamacare-inspired jailhouse fear. Today, one of my Independence Institute colleagues did it again. Compliments of Mothers Against Debt, sit back and enjoy two minutes worth of educational programming you won’t see on PBS:

Not on PBS, but it does have a little bit of that Schoolhouse Rock flavor — minus the funky 70s music. Regardless, the important message is one we all need to latch onto.

Update, 10/13: I know I gave Bennet too much credit for his mealy-mouthed opposition to “the language in that bill,” but couldn’t resist the opportunit for snark. Writing at Denver Business Journal, Ed Sealover expounds further.

While it may be true that all good things must come to an end, that’s not necessarily the case for things that have been trapped in a state of crystallized indecision for many, many months. In the case of Michael Bennet and card-check, though, it was. On February 10, 2009, I first wrote about the appointed Colorado Senator’s Big Labor-sponsored legislative dilemma. Lo, these more than 600 days later, the Denver Post reports Bennet had an epiphany:

After more than a year of equivocating on the Employee Free Choice Act, which would greatly ease union organizing, Bennet said: “I would not support the language in that bill.” Business leaders who have been demanding opposition from Bennet immediately jumped on the words as great encouragement.

“With jobs and the economy being the top issue on the minds of Colorado voters, it’s great news for Colorado small business and individual workers that both candidates said in tonight’s debate that they oppose EFCA,” said Sandra Hagen Solin, state director of the Coalition for Colorado Jobs. “We are very pleased to hear Sen. Bennet, after months of silence, tell Colorado voters that he opposes the bill.”

I never thought I’d see the day. You know, some might chalk it up to election season convenience, but do we really need to be so cynical about the political process? Senator Bennet, thank you for seeing the light on card-check in the final months of your term in office.