CO-04 (Special Election)
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(R) Greg Lopez
(R) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
President (To Win Colorado)
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(D) Joe Biden*
(R) Donald Trump
80%
20%↓
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
90%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
90%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(D) Adam Frisch
(R) Jeff Hurd
(R) Ron Hanks
40%
30%
20%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert
(R) Deborah Flora
(R) J. Sonnenberg
30%↑
15%↑
10%↓
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Dave Williams
(R) Jeff Crank
50%↓
50%↑
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
90%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) Brittany Pettersen
85%↑
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
(R) Janak Joshi
60%↑
35%↓
30%↑
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
July 07, 2006 08:00 AM UTC
27 Comments
Kenny boy is NOT a true dem but sadly he is all we got.
I don’t agree with Salazar on this–I would support whomever the Democratic Nominee is. But this will not affect my continued support of Salazar.
Salazar is showing his independence with this move. We knew he had an independent streak when we elected him.
I should point out that he is also showing loyalty to Lieberman. Lieberman was a big supporter of Salazar’s senate run and he is paying him back.
I’m no fan of blind party loyalty. Salazar and every other voter should stand behind who they believe in, not just the “D” or “R” after their name.
I personally think that Lieberman is a big idiot. I would really like to see him get replaced to send a message to some incumbants that their position should never be taken for granted.
That being said, I have been very impressed with Salazar and cannot understand why “bobaloo” would say that he is not a “true democrat”. Perhaps you could elaborate on that?
Salazar is politically wise to support old Joe. Who knows, he may be the next target of the hard left.
Agreed Trent. Loyalty to a person is more important than loyalty to a party. Salazar’s stock just went up in my book. I will now try to forget that flag burning vote.
I don’t mind Salazar supporting a non-Dem in a race, but I do mind that he’s supporting someone who is simultaneously trying to win a Democratic Party endorsement and at the same time telling Democrats to go screw themselves if he doesn’t win the primary.
If Lieberman wants to run as an Independent, fine. He’s got the petitions, let him go fill ’em up, and let Salazar stand with him. But Lieberman has made some promises to the DSCC that it doesn’t sound like he intends to keep should he lose the primary, and that’s not so okay in my book.
Last night’s Lieberman/Lamont debate went relatively poorly for Lieberman; the press wasn’t terribly kind to him considering it was probably a draw. Lamont wasn’t polished, but he had answers; Lieberman was characterized as angry and always attacking. E.g. Lieberman challenged Lamont for voting with his former Republican councilmen 80% of the time; Lamont responded that there was a difference between agreeing on pothole repair and street signs and supporting a war which had no planning.
Salazar owes Joe, but it doesn’t make me any happier with my Junior Senator.
Good for Ken Salazar!!!!! Instead of voting with party line of the Rush Limbaughs or the Al Frankens, Salazar stands up for the people in the center of the liberal/conservative debate/conflict.
Loyalty to beliefs is much more important than loyalty to the D or the R.
I continue to support Ken Salazar.
The bottom line is that Salazar needs to make up his mind on principal and not on party lines. However, on principal, I think that any true democrat would find it hard to support the strange brand of conservatisim Lieberman sells.
mushy centrism.
There is playing it safe, and playing it safe to the abandonment of everything you believe.
My objection to Salazar’s support for Lieberman is not that he is supporting Lieberman based on loyalty over party affiliation; it is because of the way Lieberman has conducted himself with the present administration.
I admire Ken Salazar’s independent attitude. I do not always agree with his positions, but he is a man of his convictions.
Respectfully, Lauren, I don’t agree here. The Lieberman crowd want Ned Lamont to go away. He has grass and netroots support and is basically taking on the old school network in running against Joe.
This race reminds me very much of how the Republican party decided to play kingmaker with BB and sell out Holtzman.
I don’t mind if Ken supports Lieberman. I mind very much that he potentially thumbs his nose in the face of primary voters and will back someone who, running as an Independent candidate, may very well split the Democrats’ vote and give this seat to a Republican.
Bad, bad politics and a slap in the face to voters who will decide who they want to send to the ballot in Novembe.
Just because Lieberman has had this seat for 20 years doesn’t mean it belongs to him. It belongs to the people and I find his actions to be ego-maniacal and selfish.
I don’t see Ned Lamont suggesting that if he loses the primary, he’ll run as an Independent candidate against Joe in the general election. He’s already said he will back whoever the voters choose. Too bad Joe isn’t man enough to do the same.
If Joe loses the primary and has his way, apparently he’s not all that interested in the idea of “the people have spoken.” I guess it only counts when they speak for him.
Bravo, Middle. I was feeling conflicted about this whole deal but your blog really puts it in the proper perspective. I understand personal loyalty and think Salazar deserves credit for it. But Lieberman is being bratty and selfish about this and should just bow out like a man if he loses the primary.
While I despise Lieberman I don’t think Salazar should be bound by any party loyalty to support Lamont. In fact I’d go so far as to say he should support whatever candidate he feels is best – even if (god forbid) that candidate was a Republican.
Hmmm. Makes me wonder. I’ve always thought Lieberman should just be honest with voters and switch parties. Do you think Salazar would support him still if he did?
No thinking about it. He’s already said he will support Lieberman if JL runs as an Independent in the general election.
This isn’t about who Salazar is supporting pre-primary. I could care less. This is about the lengths he is willing to go POST-primary. And that’s where I have a big problem with him and to a much greater extent, Lieberman. If Lamont wins the primary and Lieberman then runs as an Independent, as he has stated he will do, by their actions, they are basically spitting in the face of every voter that cast a ballot in the primary.
For me, this issue isn’t about allegiances or loyalties to your friends. This is about respecting the voters and who they choose or in this case, telling the voters to go f**k themselves because their votes only count when they vote the way Lieberman wants–for him.
I believe that when a primary takes place and the people make the decision it is more than inappropriate for the loser to run as an independent. Why? Because it splits the votes of those in the final election between three candidates and perhaps the winner is the individual from the other party. I don’t know enough about Connecticut politics but if this happened in our state (Colorado) the outcome would be certain – the other candidate from the opposition party would win.
I watched the debate on C-Span last evening and it appears that Lieberman is running a rather nasty campaign. He used to be a gentleman and this shows, to me, that he clearly believes he is vulnerable.
I am disappointed with Senator Salazar’s decision as I think it is more about friendship and less about whether the Democrats can “take back” the Senate. For those who have a short memory, we had another Democrat who was elected to the Senate and shortly after he arrived, he became a Republican. There is concern by some that this may happen again. I certainly hope not.
I get your point Middle, and if Lieberman runs as an Independent and an R gets in due to the D vote split, the D’s would be understandably angry. However; if Lieberman wins as an Independent because a majority of Connecticut voters, conservative D’s, Moderate I’s, and maybe some R’s want him to stay in office, then the people have spoken. The people of Connecticut should have the right to vote him back in, even if the majority of D’s want someone else. As for Salazar, if he and Lieberman have formed a bond working together and are like-minded politically, then I can see why he would want to support a colleague and a friend. As I said previously, I admire people who choose people over politics and if that is what Salazar is doing, then I admire him.
Lauren, I don’t dispute that Salazar may be doing this out of geniune friendship. I just have a huge problem with folks on either side of the aisle that don’t respect primary voters, their votes, the petitioning process and prefer to be kingmakers.
You have a good point about him being in the general election and having the chance for all voters to vote for him. I’m wondering how many Rs’ voted for him in his last election. And if conservative Ds’ want him in office, all they gotta do is vote in August like the rest of us.
My opinion today isn’t going to affect my status in the Publicrats is it? 🙂
I forgot to add, in my haste to solidify my Publicrat membership, something that really bothers me about Lieberman in all of this. If he is so loyal to the Party and its principles as he claims, then how, in all good conscience, can he justify possibly losing this seat to the Republicans? Does he really think he’s the only guy that can properly represent CT? I can’t help but see ego and self-interest written all over his actions.
He claims he loves the party, would be running as an “Independent Democrat” (which isn’t even possible legally since he can’t use the word Democrat, just Independent) and yet he’s willing to sell his fellow Dems down the river and risk it all just to retain his cushy job.
Middle: Your Publicrat status is intact. You see, we Publicrats allow for civil discourse and disagreements, especially after the cocktail hour. I do understand your position and respect the primary process, but as a former Unaffiliated voter who often felt left out of the process, I’m not allergic to Independents or Publicrats who buck the two party system. Not being beholden to either party could have its advantages.
You, you, you…you fricking Publicrat, you. I should probably have myself a cocktail and calm down.
A real debate based on well articulated philosophical positions on how our political party system should operated? good god, what is this blog coming to? what has ken Salazar wrought?
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It’s the Publicrat way, Dwyer. Remember, there’s a two drink minimum.
I believe, it was the Miles campaign who predicted that a successful election of Salazar was a strengthening of conservative-Lieberman type Democrat blocks. For better or worse, take it as not a suprise.