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:
Recently, a little-known outside political organization has begun attacking me, as well as the Colorado Tea Party movement.
Just this week, voters in Colorado’s Sixth Senate District began receiving large, color mail pieces accusing myself, and the Tea Party, of being “too conservative for Colorado,” and “dangerous for Colorado.”
First, I want to make it clear that I do not believe my opponent, Representative Ellen Roberts, had any knowledge or participation in this negative attack. Simply put, I know that Ellen Roberts would not condone this type of “below-the-belt” politics.
Secondly, I want all the voters of the district to know that I am proud to count many members of the Tea Party and 9/12 Project among my supporters.
Just today, another attack piece was received by some voters in Montrose. This new mailer accuses the Tea Party, and myself, of trying to stop President Obama from fixing America’s economic problems.
The group, Colorado Outlook, seems to be following the game plan of a similar organization in Iowa that targets Republican front runners during the primary process. Both pieces identify Colorado Outlook as the group paying for the mailer. Colorado Outlook is incorporated in Colorado, with a registered mailing address in Denver.
A recent report on Fox News detailed the strategy of the Iowa group that targeted conservative gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad. Branstad was locked in a primary race with a moderate Republican opponent.
When the Democratic group discovered Branstad was leading by double-digits in the polls, it is alleged that they targeted the front runner with a $750,000 negative ad campaign. The purported purpose of the attack was to defeat Branstad, and allow his moderate Republican opponent to face incumbent Democratic Governor Chet Culver.
It appears the 527 group, Iowans for Responsible Government, felt they had a better chance of defeating the moderate Republican candidate in this year of the Tea Party. Branstad went on to win the Republican primary, indicating the group’s strategy may have backfired.
I believe that Colorado Outlook’s strategy will have a similar effect, backfiring against them in the primary. It is obvious to many observers that this particular group does not want a true conservative candidate running against incumbent Senator Bruce Whitehead in November. It will be my pleasure to disappoint them.
I ask that Representative Roberts join me in condemning these Denver-based outsiders, and in letting Colorado Outlook know that the voters of State Senate District 6 do not want them interfering in our local elections.
Iowans for Responsible Government was bankrolled by the Democratic Governors Association. As for Colorado Outlook? I’ve looked on both the Colorado Secretary of State and IRS databases. No electioneering reports of any kind. It only appears on the Secretary of State business database as registered under liberal Colorado bookkeeper Julie Wells, with no disclosure of revenues or expenditures.
Besides it being somewhat bizarre for this liberal Democrat apparatus to embroil itself in a Republican primary, is it even legal for Colorado Outlook to send out electioneering communications less than 30 days before an election? Or to engage in electioneering activities without any disclosure of its funding?
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