Update: El Presidente has posted a video recap of the different speakers at yesterday's rally. Earlier today was the kickoff rally for Colorado's new Gadsden Society. About 70 to 80 people showed up on a Sunday afternoon at the State Capitol. Tell your friends to come out and join us for the next one. Check back for updates. Pictures of today's gathering below the fold (more pictures and video of the event should be available soon at Slapstick Politics and the People's Press Collective): … [Read more...]
Ryan Frazier Ekes Out Straw Poll Win, Weighs In on Marie Morrow Case
The Rocky Mountain Right straw poll for the Colorado GOP's 2010 U.S. Senate primary has concluded, and Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier came out of nowhere to notch a narrow victory over former state legislative leader and current national committeeman Mark Hillman. (Bob Beauprez finished a distant third.) Either Frazier or Hillman would be an excellent candidate to represent the Republican Party next November. Speaking of Frazier, fellow RMA blogger Joshua Sharf reports on (and reprints) a letter the councilman wrote to Cherry Creek Schools superintendent Mary Chesley today, arguing for more lenient (and reasonable) treatment of Cherokee Trail High School senior Marie Morrow over the recent "zero-tolerance" expulsion outrage. … [Read more...]
Rocky Mtn Alliance Blog Talk Radio at 8:30: Cory Gardner, Leondray Gholston
Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the sure-to-be-lucky 13th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. Tonight's scheduled guests are state representative Cory Gardner, a rising legislative star to talk about transportation and other issues at the State Capitol, and Leondray Gholston, Republican activist and candidate for Colorado state GOP vice-chair perhaps most well-known for his stirring speech at last year's State Assembly. Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, you can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]
Dick Wadhams Talks Up Ryan Frazier and Mark Hillman for U.S. Senate Race
Colorado Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams recently sat down with the Colorado Statesman for an extended interview. There isn't much in the way of new information, but there is one passage worthy of comment. Namely, it's interesting to see whom Wadhams is talking up for the U.S. Senate race to challenge the newly-selected Michael Bennet: … [Read more...]
Cast Your Non-Binding Vote for 2010 U.S. Senate GOP Candidate
Rocky Mountain Right has posted a great straw poll that's just begging your participation. You have until noon on Wednesday, February 11, to vote for your favorite potential GOP candidate to challenge the newly-selected Michael Bennet for Colorado's U.S. Senate seat in 2010. As of this posting, Mark Hillman and Ryan Frazier are deadlocked at 42 percent each. Bob Beauprez lags the pack at 12 percent, while Bentley Rayburn barely registers at 4 percent. … [Read more...]
Democrat Pollsters Hedge Bets on Ritter Re-Election…Wouldn’t You Right Now?
Democrat pollsters are hedging their bets over the re-election chances of Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. The well known, respected local election analyst Floyd Ciruli says:Although Bill Ritter works hard and cares about Colorado, he fails to inspire confidence among the most attentive publics. Of course, Colorado governors tend to be re-elected, and the Republicans are still on the defense after a half a decade of election losses, but Ritter faces a difficult re-election.... Ritter and his party know he is vulnerable. Expect a strong effort to survive. [emphasis added] On the other hand, the Democrat survey firm Public Policy Polling (PPP) observes something different from its new survey results: … [Read more...]
Intriguing… A Ryan Frazier Run for U.S. Senate Might Not Be a Bad Idea
Update, 1/23: Slapstick Politics has great analysis on the speculation and ideas for the GOP to seize these sorts of unique opportunities that 2010 provides. Face The State went deep into the rumor mill today:The U.S. Senate race recently made its way on to Republican radar after Ritter appointed the little known Michael Bennet, who at the time was serving as DPS superintendent, to the seat. Bennet’s biggest weakness right now is that he’s part of the East Coast political aristocracy. Republicans need a fresh face and a down to earth candidate to challenge him, which is why we were so excited to hear that Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier may be considering a run for the seat. “It’s fair to say that right now I’m considering … [Read more...]
Less than Independent Michael Bennet Invites Fresh, Articulate GOP Opponent
In his Rocky Mountain News column today, Vince Carroll points out that Bill Ritter's new U.S. Senate designate Michael Bennet hasn't shown much in the way of original, independent thought thus far:I've listened to Bennet speak about education issues often enough to appreciate his intelligence and what I sense is an independent mind. And I really didn't expect to see evidence of the latter in these early days. But if he's going to make a case across Colorado for his election in 2010, he'll have to prove he's his own man. And what better way to achieve this than for him to trample on a few of his own party's shibboleths? Once he's been safely sworn in, of course. Looking ahead, Colorado Republicans in 2010 need to rally around a fresh, … [Read more...]
Debt-Free GOP Can Thank Wadhams; Now to Focus on Grassroots Rebuilding
From this morning's Denver Post, the best case for keeping Dick Wadhams as the state GOP chairman:For the first time since 2002, the Colorado Republican Party can say it's debt-free. Covering the party's $580,000 in debts is a testament to Dick Wadhams' hard work, commitment, and connections. In the absence of any more viable alternatives, a pledge from Wadhams to focus his energy on the 2010 statehouse races ought to make him the frontrunner to keep the job. That being said, for all our sakes, I hope that Wadhams and the state GOP staff are attuned to the debate going on at The Next Right and prepared to plug into the growing coalition at Rebuild the Party. Not to mention the good advice of thoughtful folks like hard-working … [Read more...]
Sarah Palin is Cleared in Troopergate
Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin's reputation is salvaged from scurrilous charges in a faux scandal (H/T Fort Hard Knox). Given its 11th hour release, you can just about guarantee the media establishment will bury her exoneration. … [Read more...]