I was taken aback yesterday when I read this Grand Junction Sentinel column that sure made it sound like Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes favored a lack of transparency in public utilities rate disclosure. Both a Rocky Mountain Right diarist and fellow RMA/PPC blogger Don Johnson jumped over the comments to assail Maes' views. I called Dan Maes this morning to get some important clarification. Below are my three questions and his brief answers: … [Read more...]
Mistakes and Attacks Real, But Not Fatal Cause for Dan Maes Campaign
You rise out of nowhere and make a name for yourself running for the state's highest office, and some (near) certainties will follow: You will make some mistakes that set back your campaign ... or maybe prove its demise; and Others will go out of their way to try to bring you down, too. I'm writing particularly of GOP candidate Dan Maes, whose longshot run for governor of Colorado has all but crashed on the rocks a month before primary election day. Maes would disagree with me vehemently, and I admire his persistence. But the longer his race with front-runner and fellow conservative Scott McInnis drags on, the more voters expect something beyond the "insider" vs. "outsider" paradigm to make up their minds. And we know Maes is way … [Read more...]
John McCain to Host D.C. Fundraiser for 7th CD Candidate Lang Sias
A lot of hullabaloo has been made of late about U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton's D.C. fundraisers. Less well known are the plans of 7th Congressional candidate Lang Sias. Four days after the 7th CD Assembly -- in which Sias will struggle against the strong grassroots base of support for conservative Ryan Frazier to secure 30 percent and get a place on the ballot -- Sias is planning a D.C. fundraiser at the Capitol Hill Club with John McCain. The following is the email from Lang Sias:As many of you know, I'm running for Congress in Colorado's 7th Congressional district. We're making some very good progress on the ground; we picked up a bunch of endorsements over the last week, and are charging into the Congressional district … [Read more...]
Colorado State House Breakdown: Majority Up for Grabs, Tiny GOP Edge
On Thursday I updated the rankings of Colorado's competitive state senate seats. After 15 weeks it's also time to update the Colorado state house rankings. A quick overview: There are 65 seats in the Colorado state house, and all of them are up for re-election every two years. State representatives are limited to four two-year terms of service. Currently, the Democratic majority holds 37 seats and Republicans 27, with one seat belonging to unaffiliated (and former Democrat) Kathleen Curry. Fifty-two incumbents are running to retain their seats: 30 Democrats (including 2 vacancy appointments), 21 Republicans (including 2 vacancy appointments) and Curry. That leaves 7 open Democrat and 6 Republican seats. Interestingly, Colorado … [Read more...]
Teflon John Hickenlooper Backs “Crash Tax” for Non-Resident Denver Wrecks
7News reporter Russell Haythorn has a great story today about a Denver proposal backed by Mayor John Hickenlooper to institute a "crash tax" on non-residents who cause traffic accidents on highways inside city limits:Some say it would raise revenue, others say it's a double-tax that would scare visitors away. "It would seem to me to be a little bit stupid," said Dan Trippie who was visiting from New York and rented a car to get around. "I think that's outrageous since I already pay taxes to work in Denver," said Ellen Warp, who lives in Wheat Ridge and works in downtown Denver. Go here to watch the video of the report. Kudos to my Independence Institute colleague Todd Shepherd for cracking the lid on this story. One of his … [Read more...]
Bob Beauprez Backs Lang Sias, Raises Questions about Relevance, Judgment
In one of Colorado's most head-scratching political moves of the year, former GOP Congressman and wildly unsuccessful 2006 gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez announced his endorsement of 7th Congressional candidate and Republican newcomer Lang Sias. The first reaction I and many of my politically aware friends had pretty much boiled down to: Huh??? When Tom Tancredo and Jimmy Lakey threw their support behind Sias, they carefully avoided trying to draw distinctions among the Republican field. Not so Beauprez: … [Read more...]
Ernie Harwell, David Benke, and Appomattox: Making Today Memorable
Today -- April 9, 2010 -- will go down as a memorable day. First, my native state of Michigan officially declared it Ernie Harwell Day in honor of what looks very much like the legendary Hall-of-Fame baseball broadcaster's last Detroit home opener with us (and bless the Tigers, they beat Cleveland 5-2). Can't say it enough: Thank YOU, Ernie Harwell. I've also learned that lawmakers from my adopted home state of Colorado have declared today David Benke Day, in honor of the selfless, heroic teacher at Deer Creek Middle School who doubtless helped save student lives from a deranged gunman. I'm honored to have met both of these fine, humble men, and am glad to know they share the same commemorative day. They are both most deserving, each in … [Read more...]
State Employee Suffers Under Union Executive Order: Where’s Hick?
Coming off this weekend's big Republican State Assembly, we have heard both leading Republican candidates for governor -- Dan Maes and Scott McInnis -- declare the repeal of Bill Ritter's union executive order. I think we all get the point of how the policy is a raw deal for Colorado taxpayers. But what about state employees themselves? Enter Dave Ohmart, with his latest report:In a recent incident in Pueblo, Colorado WINS prevented Sgt. Jeff Hotchkiss, of the Department of Corrections, from participating in a vote that would have affected his work schedule. A few union members, very few, voted to make the correction officers’ work schedule 12 hours per day. The sergeant, and pretty much all other officers, were not allowed to … [Read more...]
Nip Bad Elections Bill in the Bud
How many truly bad ideas can come up in the course of one Colorado legislative session? More than you may think (or maybe not). The latest hasn't even been formally introduced yet, but the backlash has grown strong. Fox31 News reports on a proposal that would open up Colorado's election system to fraud and abuse:The 68-page draft bill, likely to be sponsored by House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D- Denver, and introduced later this week, would allow Colorado voters to register just three days before the 2010 election. Currently, Coloradans must register to vote up until 29 days before an election. Carroll says allowing a longer registration period will open the door to greater voter turnout. But Republicans see it as a blatant attempt to … [Read more...]
Redesigned April Survey of Colorado’s Political Temperature Coming Soon
For the two or three of you who might be wondering, a quick update on the Survey of Colorado's Political Temperature. Yes, the original plan was to launch the April edition today. But I and others have been busy, and -- more importantly -- the survey is undergoing a formal re-design to make it sleeker, quicker and easier to take, and more accessible to a wider audience, while retaining its basic substance. Look for the survey to be available all next week in a brand new venue. Thanks for your interest in Colorado politics. … [Read more...]
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