The Denver Post's Dan Haley has one of the sharpest eyes on Colorado politics of any blog out there right now. Yesterday he scouted the 10 most significant state legislative races of the 2006 season - 5 each from the House and from the Senate - as the Republicans fight to regain majority status. (HT: Dead Governors) Admittedly, Haley had to stretch to come up with 5 Senate races, as only 3 (and more likely 2) have a legitimate shot of changing hands: a potential pickup for the Dems in SD 11 in Colorado Springs and a potential pickup for the GOP in SD 21 in Jefferson County (the special election necessitated by Lakewood Democrat Sen. Deanna Hanna's resignation following attempted extortion). You can make a case for my district - SD … [Read more...]

Have you stopped and thought about this irony? The survival of the Republican primary campaign of gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman - steeped in the claim that he is the only credible candidate in strong opposition to illegal immigration - now appears to hinge on the same hopes that have removed the anti-illegal immigration initiative from the ballot: attorney Marc Grueskin and a new interpretation of the law from the activist Colorado Supreme Court. Read that again. Let it sink in. You'd have to think it was a comic parody, but it's sadly all too real. This was the only bright spot for the underdog: While that decision was a blow to Holtzman, Hyatt also rejected a challenge to the qualifications of many of the paid … [Read more...]

There's an interesting new Web site on the Colorado political scene - MaddenMess.com. No, it has nothing to do with Monday Night Football broadcasts. If you want to sign an online petition to investigate a serious potential conflict of interest on the part of Colorado House Majority Leader Alice Madden (D - Boulder), however, then what are you waiting for? Accountability in government demands nothing less. Oh, and have we mentioned "office accounts" lately? … [Read more...]

Once in awhile I read Rocky Mountain News editor Vince Carroll's "On Point" column and just have to say "Ditto." Today is such a day: No one who runs for governor is unambitious, and everyone who runs is a risk-taker willing to throw the dice. But in Holtzman's case, ambition and risk-taking seem to have been on steroids the past few months. They've propelled him into scorched-earth tactics that now conclude with a clever legal argument for why the high court should ignore the plain language of the law. Ronald Reagan, Holtzman's hero, believed "it was the role of the judge to interpret the law, not to pre-empt the rights of the people and their legislatures by making the law" (October 1987). Holtzman no doubt believed this, too - … [Read more...]

Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman will be a featured speaker at an immigration reform rally, sponsored by Defend Colorado Now, on the west steps of the State Capitol. Date: Thursday, April 27 Time: 11 AM Check it out! The only remaining question to see is whether the Denver Public Schools will dismiss kids for the rally and send buses to pick them up afterward, like they did at last week's anti-reform parade. … [Read more...]

Marc Holtzman deserves a round applause for choosing the high road today. He has poured a lot of his life and energy and resources into this race, and things certainly did not proceed as he had hoped. No doubt, when he really started pushing his candidacy a couple years ago, this is not how he foresaw it all coming to an end. To do what he did today was difficult, but honorable: "Let’s have no tears," he said at his campaign headquarters, "only memories of great experiences together." Holtzman said he called Congressman Bob Beauprez, his GOP rival, this morning after learning of the supreme court’s decision. Holtzman said he is endorsing Beauprez. Give Marc some time to get away, get some R & R, get married, etc. Then let's … [Read more...]

The notable Rocky Mountain News center-left political columnist Mike Littwin has joined the chorus of those calling for disgraced Democrat State Senator (and alleged extortion artist) Deanna Hanna to resign from her Lakewood seat: She can resign now. Or she can resign later. But, one way or the other, she has to go. The typewriting is on the wall - and it's as clear as an extortion note written in bright red crayon. It's one thing to survive a political embarrassment. I mean, it could have been worse: She could have shot someone. But it's another to survive when you've become a major political liability for your party. The Senate Democrats I've talked to are more than prepared to dump her. The question is whether Hanna is … [Read more...]