Well, it's official - no surprises, really. As I indicated earlier, inside sources knew that Kathleen "Kiki" Traylor would win the vacancy committee's nod to replace resigning State Senator Norma Anderson in south Jefferson County's District 22. The response from my friend and favored SD 22 candidate Justin Everett shows strength, confidence, and savvy - and I've reprinted it here in full: The Power Brokers have hoodwinked average citizens like you and me once again. Our outgoing State Senator was a key architect and top campaigner for Referendum C. During this important upcoming legislative session, she has left citizens of our District and the State of Colorado in a lurch by resigning and leaving us with an untested successor. This … [Read more...]
In Rep. Larson’s Own Words
Yesterday, in a larger post about the attempt of moderates within the Colorado GOP to flex their political muscle, I highlighted a caustic reaction from State Representative Mark Larson ("Colorado is not a right-wing, neo-con state," he said). Today The Durango Herald has more on the intraparty debacle surrounding Larson's sudden withdrawal from the state senate race, which includes a harsh email exchange with a local GOP leader. The battle brews over Larson's alleged refusal to make amends for his 2004 endorsement of U.S. Senator Ken Salazar. As he weighed a decision to run for the State Senate back in May, Larson sought to explain himself in a local Cortez Journal news story: "I imagine I would get some Democratic votes and Jim … [Read more...]
Weaker GOP Bends to the “Moderate” Faction
The Rocky Mountain News follows up on yesterday's published announcement of senior Republican State Senator Norma Anderson's announced resignation in advance of her scheduled final legislative session. Term limits were set to end her nearly 20-year legislative career, but we also can get a little better picture why she decided to step down early. Four GOP candidates had already filed to take her place in the heavily Republican district in southern Jefferson County, but insiders know that one is the handpicked, surefire winner. The vacancy committee meets within the week to decide on the replacement among the following: Justin Everett: a native of the district, a credentialed & principled conservative with strong political skills, a 2004 … [Read more...]
The Post and Democrat Candidate Recruitment
The Denver Post might want to make a second attempt to get to the bottom of this story: Forti's counterparts at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee are not actively recruiting military veterans, spokeswoman Sarah Steinberg said. "They absolutely serve a very good contrast against Republicans," she said. "But in every district, our goal is to recruit the best possible candidate we can." To read Jim Hughes' article in today's Post is to get the impression that military veterans are spontaneously coming forward as Democratic Congressional candidates - as opposed to what has been documented as really happening: a purposeful national strategy to shore up the Donkey's Achilles' heels of national security and military … [Read more...]
Legislation for the Birds
Does the Colorado General Assembly have any serious issues to tackle during the upcoming legislative session, or do our state lawmakers need to take their lead from the Michigan legislature and find something to crow about? Only a little more than two weeks to go before debates reopen in Denver's statehouse. Incidentally, as a native of the Great Lakes State, my vote is to stick with the robin. No need to swap state birds mid-flight. Do you think anyone out here in my adopted home state is that attached to the prairie lark finch? … [Read more...]
The Heights of Blogging
The RMA's own Joshua Sharf has developed into a reliable source for the local mainstream media on issues related to blogging. Kudos to the Denver Post for acknowledging the credibility and value of this burgeoning alternative media - specifically, Jim Hughes' article today on PirateBallerina's persistent pressure on Ward Churchill and the University of Colorado. Most significant in the story is the contrast between an academic's warped, myopic view (notably from a professor of journalism) and a blogger's insightful comments from a clear and lofty perspective. First: Johansen, who teaches journalism, said in an e-mail that Paine's gotchas are baseless and that he walked away from the committee because of what he saw as a nasty media … [Read more...]
Letting You Know Where I Sit
Now that I am beginning regular (hopefully) contributions to the new Holtzman v Beauprez Web site, I wanted to let you know where I sit so you can filter my comments and observations on the governor's race appropriately. Today seems like a good a time as any to announce my personal support for the gubernatorial candidacy of Marc Holtzman. About a month ago a couple other RMA bloggers and I sat down with Marc for an informal Q & A session. After that meeting I reported my many positive impressions. I also had positive impressions of Congressman Bob Beauprez during our earlier meeting. Recognizing that honest people of good faith and like principles can disagree in such matters, I wanted to make clear that I do not support Holtzman out of … [Read more...]
Ritter and Abortion: More Questions Than Answers
We know Colorado's Democrats have been straining to find a gubernatorial candidate. With each passing week of press and fundraising for former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, it gets a little harder for a primary opponent to nudge into the race. Like a row of performers at the end of a play, most all of the Democrats' big hopes to run have bowed out: Ken Salazar, John Hickenlooper, Mark Udall, Joan Fitz-Gerald. Ritter has posed a problem for his party's base with his open admission of his personal pro-life stance. Well, you know the prospects for another viable Democrat candidate must be fading into the twilight when you read an opinion piece like this in today's Denver Post. Authored by three prominent liberal Democrat women of … [Read more...]
Political Gold
There's a winning political issue waiting out there for Colorado's 2006 elections. Supporters of First Class Education have released the results of a nationwide survey by Harris Interactive, Inc., showing broad and deep support for their proposal to increase the percentage of K-12 education dollars spent in the classroom. The "65 percent solution" is headed for the ballot in Colorado in 2006. Candidates running for office might consider the following poll results: 79% of respondents would vote in favor of the "65 percent solution," including 56% responding "definitely for" and 23% "probably for," with only 17% against Support cut evenly in a few interesting demographics: Political party (81% for Democrats, 78% for Republicans, 77% … [Read more...]
Governor’s Race Chatter and the RMA
Who knew our meeting with Marc Holtzman would create such a stir among political insiders? First, the honest observations of Mike, Joshua, and myself get quoted in the latest release from the Holtzman campaign. Then the Dead Governors feature us as the leading topic of weekend chatter. (I haven't always seen eye to eye with the anonymous, center-left proprietors of ColoradoPols, but I am grateful to them for providing a link to my site.) As for my comments? They're all real, folks. Take them for what they're worth. No detriment to Congressman Beauprez, just my genuinely positive impressions of his opponent's campaign. The three of us who met with Holtzman don't speak for the entire Rocky Mountain Alliance, but we represent a … [Read more...]
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