Public forums for political candidates can provide some elucidating moments. Take yesterday's Windsor Gardens event with House District 6 rivals: incumbent Democrat Rep. Lois Court and Republican challenger Joshua Sharf. Joshua recounts some of the event on his blog:...what struck me most was my opponent’s claim that she votes how her constituents would vote on a given issue. In fact, her priorities seem to be far more arcane and abstruse than the concerns I’ve heard people talking about, and had she held more than three town hall meetings in the last two years, Rep. Court might have known that. When I knock on people’s doors, we talk about the budget, the economy, jobs, and education. Rep. Court’s priorities are public financing of … [Read more...]

Clear the Bench Colorado today reports the results of a statewide poll that carries some good and bad news. Because the Magellan Strategies survey tests public opinion on the low-exposure issue of judicial retention, to some extent the results would have to be interesting. We're not talking about the popularity of candidates vying in well-publicized elections, which often feature a significant undecided vote. What do you do when 65 percent of likely voters confess they don't even know three Colorado Supreme Court justices are up for retention? You've got to get the message out. Well, for the 894 voters tested from all around Colorado, learning a little basic information makes a difference: … [Read more...]

News this afternoon from the Dan Maes for Governor camp brings news of the Party core growing more united around his candidacy, with a couple of giant endorsements reported on Facebook: But all the speculation now is around tomorrow's deadline for Maes to announce who his running mate will be. As Amy Oliver ably speculates, one of the two finalists almost certainly is Tambor Williams of Greeley. While she won't wow anyone with big name recognition, she would balance Maes' weaknesses with her experience as a four-term state legislator, head of the Department of Regulatory Agencies and appointed service on the state's Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, in addition to her private legal practice. In 2002 Williams signed the … [Read more...]