July 31, 2010 10:22 AM UTC

Conflicted

• 0 Comments
• by: CastleMan

For quite awhile, I thought my choice in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate was fairly straightforward. When I got my mail-in ballot a week or so ago, I set it aside and figured I’d mark the bubble I had basically settled on some time ago.

Unfortunately, things have not turned out to be that easy.

On the one hand, I admire Andrew Romanoff’s work as a state legislator. He was exceptionally even-handed, good-humored and fair in his leadership role while also skillfully advancing a progressive Democratic agenda as speaker. I especially respect his achievement in getting the school construction and renovation bill enacted into law.

On the other hand, I have not been happy to see some of the things that have happened in his current campaign. We’re talking his hiring of Caddell and subsequent denial that he was aware of Caddell’s controversial statements and ideas, his attack ads against Bennet and the role Andrea Merida has played in the campaign. I also have yet to see Romanoff make a convincing case that he differs from Bennet much on the issues.

As for Bennet, I think he has basically done a good job as a U.S. senator. He pushed for the public option, even if a little late in the game, and he has played a constructive role in the financial reform debate. I also respect his views on education reform, which I think is absolutely essential, and believe he has staked out a thoughtful view on the filibuster and how to deal with the country’s deficit problem.

But I am troubled by the financial burden placed on the Denver Public Schools Retirement System while he was DPS superintendent and I don’t think he actually did much to change the culture of low academic expectations and tolerance of teacher mediocrity that plagues that district.

Maybe I don’t have a clear understanding of those issues. And maybe the DPSRS deal was a good thing, at bottom, for beneficiaries and taxpayers. But something about it strikes me as being just a little bit too clever.

Romanoff and Bennet are both smart and, to my mind, honest. They strike me as men who can get things done and who would do good things for Colorado in the U.S. Senate. Of course, there is no doubt at all that either is a vastly superior choice than is Jane Norton or Ken Buck.

Nevertheless, I don’t know how to vote in this one. Honestly, what is the sense of the community in this race? What should I be thinking about most? Why should I vote for Romanoff when Bennet has done a pretty good job and, on the other hand, why should I vote for Bennet when Romanoff has proven his skill as a legislator and legislative leader and, really, probably deserved the appointment to replace Ken Salazar more than did Bennet?

Thanks for your advice.