Rocky: Turning Around the State House

This year, Colorado Republicans’ best chance at success will come at retaking the State House. Despite all the money of liberal 527s and rich guys being poured into the campaign, the off-presidential election year, Republican voter demographics, all 65 seats up for grabs, a strategy motivated by 2004’s humiliating defeat, and a reasonably good slate of candidates all add up to a good chance for the GOP to retake the State House.

Today the editors of the Rocky Mountain News endorsed their slate of State House candidates from the metro Denver area, including the following Republicans in currently held Democrat seats:

Aimee Rathburn (HD 1)

Ramey Johnson (HD 23)

Affie Ellis (HD 29)

Rex Pierce (HD 31)

Even counting the mistaken endorsement of Democrat Joe Rice in HD 38 to replace the outgoing Rep. Joe Stengel (Mr. Rice is a fine fellow, but his Republican opponent Matt Dunn has the better ideas to put the state on the right track), the News‘ endorsements would add up to a net Republican gain of 3 seats. If the rest of the state played out evenly, this would result in the GOP regaining majority status in the lower chamber.

Simply put, on a race-by-race basis, the Republican Party has more strong candidates than the Democrats to recommend them to a seat in the statehouse, regardless of the opinions of the Rocky Mountain News or any other media outlet. We just need to help get them across the finish line. Republican donors in Colorado looking for key races to fund down the stretch would do well to support the five candidates linked in this post.