A Campaign of Ideas

Update, 4:53 PM: I just received a recorded phone call from Lola Spradley calling on Republicans to denounce a nasty attack ad the Beauprez campaign apparently has aired against Marc Holtzman on KOA today. I haven’t been tuned into KOA today … anyone who has heard said ad, please comment or send me an email. What timing that I should publish this post this morning! My statement regarding “how few of us there are actually paying attention” may be moot at this point.

Leaving aside the nature of the attacks (though judging from recent output, it could be as bad as the recorded message made it sound), does anyone want to offer their insights why Beauprez is pulling out heavy artillery against Holtzman so early … more than two weeks before the State Assembly? Not good, my GOP friends, not good….

Primary campaigns do tend to get ugly. A sure sign that the assumed frontrunner senses his rival gaining ground is the significant amount of mud being slung back. Such is the case in Colorado’s Republican gubernatorial showdown, as Bob Beauprez’s campaign manager John Marshall recently has sent around an email with a list of claims to demonstrate a trend of dishonesty by Holtzman. Some of them don’t even merit responses, but of the few that do, the Holtzman team has fired back on one. Says Marshall:

Marc Holtzman claimed President Ronald Reagan appointed him executive director of Citizens for America, but the truth is President Reagan did not.

Holtzman’s camp has staked its honesty on hard evidence by producing an actual copy of a letter from well-respected former Attorney General Ed Meese that they claim refutes Marshall’s assertion.

I hope that Holtzman responds to some more of the charges with such evidence, but for now, he and running mate Lola Spradley should stick to a more positive message than their opponent.

We’ve also seen a Beauprez supporter file an election complaint against Holtzman attempting to quell his free speech. Is that what Republicans stand for? For some, when it’s convenient, yes … unfortunately. Don’t think the other side isn’t paying close attention to the hypocrisy:

Bob Beauprez’s gubernatorial campaign is going after Marc Holtzman’s campaign manager for making false statements to the press, and the statute they are citing is the same one that Democrats have complained has been violated by The Trailhead Group in robocalls designed to hurt targeted Democrats. If Beauprez gets his way, does that put new scrutiny back on The Trailhead Group? Two of Trailhead’s founders, Gov. Bill Owens and oilman Bruce Benson, are two of Beauprez’s biggest backers.

The bright side at this point is how few of us there are actually paying attention. Maybe a campaign of ideas is too much for this amateur pundit to hope for, but could we save just a little bit of mud for the other side… please?

Cross posted at Holtzman v Beauprez