Some of you may have noticed a prominent change on the sidebar, in the way of candidate support. Here's the story... Bob Beauprez and his campaign made a statement today, and Colorado's Republican delegates responded in force. As reported by the Denver Post's Dan Haley, Beauprez won the delegate vote 72.2 percent to 27.8 percent. Haley also has reported that the Holtzman campaign has refused to sign off on the results. I'm not sure what the Holtzman team's specific complaint is, since as one who attended today's Assembly, I saw it as apparent that the State Party bent over backwards to accommodate their requests. It was also apparent from the reactions of the crowd that Holtzman would have a hard time reaching the crucial 30 … [Read more...]

As the Denver Post highlights this morning, tomorrow is the big "showdown" in Colorado Springs, also known as the State GOP Assembly. I along with several other center-right Colorado bloggers will be on hand for various official duties and will give you updates as possible. There are a couple salient points I wanted to bring forward about the Assembly, as raised in the article. First, both Republican gubernatorial candidates have focused an extraordinary amount of effort in seeking to persuade delegates from across the state to give their support. Neither candidate has been shortchanged in opportunities to control and direct their messages to this important audience, to make their best case for why their respective candidate should be … [Read more...]

The Denver Post's Dan Haley is coming around to my view on the importance of the race in Colorado's House District 29. Go, Affie! … [Read more...]

Last fall Colorado Democrats supporting Referendum C poo-poohed the notion that they were attempting to grow the size of state government, just restore some pre-recession cuts. Yet as April Washington reports in today's Rocky Mountain News, with Democrats in charge in both houses at the State Capitol, state government payroll has added more than 1,000 jobs since the beginning of 2006. Both Republican candidates for governor have the right idea: hold Ref C supporters to their word and refund any additional revenue raised above the amount forecasted to be raised by the voter-approved mandate. For Marc Holtzman, it's the $3.1 billion figure originally released by the Legislative Council in 2005. For Bob Beauprez, it's the revised $3.7 … [Read more...]

Courtesy of Real Clear Politics, the latest Rasmussen numbers in Colorado's race for governor show that none of the 3 candidates has gained any traction in the past month. The narrow teeter-totter between Republican Bob Beauprez and Democrat Bill Ritter has tipped slightly in Beauprez's favor (essentially because Ritter's numbers dropped), but still within the margin of error. Ritter's lead over Holtzman remains steady at 5 points. Here were the rolling averages of head-to-head matchups for March: Bill Ritter (D) 41% Bob Beauprez (R) 40% Bill Ritter (D) 41% Marc Holtzman (R) 36% Rasmussen released the April averages today: Bob Beauprez (R) 39% Bill Ritter (D) 37% Bill Ritter (D) 41% Marc Holtzman (R) 36% Perhaps … [Read more...]

Last week I highlighted the burgeoning campaign of Affie Ellis for State House District 29 in north Jeffco, as she prepares to challenge vulnerable Democrat incumbent Debbie Benefield. Another Republican woman who is changing the dynamics of the fall elections for the state legislature is Aimee Rathburn in Denver's House District 1, a seat being vacated by term-limited Democrat Representative Fran Coleman. While it's hard for the GOP to capture any seat in Denver, HD 1 is easily the best shot. And Rathburn, a candidate with gumption and good ideas, is set to make her mark, as this press release correctly indicates: Aimee Rathburn, the GOP’s House District One candidate, is sending shockwaves through the Colorado political community … [Read more...]

The Rocky Mountain News sheds light on yesterday's radio ads. According to the report, the ads were produced by "Coloradans for Freedom and Opportunity," or the political henchmen of the pro-tax increase power brokers in the state Republican party. Last year Marc Holtzman challenged their stand on Referendum C, and they throw buckets of mud back - mostly innuendo. I wonder where the preponderance of the GOP's grassroots - who are scheduled to convene in Colorado Springs on May 20 - stood on Ref C. Well, let me tell you: with Holtzman, not with Katy Atkinson and Bruce Benson. I have a hard time explaining the timing of the release of these ads, except that the anti-Holtzman crowd are attempting to curb a defeat at the State Assembly, … [Read more...]

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 … [Read more...]