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April 19, 2010 07:06 PM UTC

Roberts Faces 'RINO' Backlash, Tough Primary?

  • 43 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

A noteworthy turn of events reported in the Montrose Daily Press this weekend–as our readers know, one of the GOP’s best pickup opportunities in the Colorado Senate this year is considered to be the sprawling southwest Senate District 6 seat, occupied by Jim Isgar until last year. Now held by Democrat Bruce Whitehead, Republicans across the state are eagerly looking at this seat as state Rep. Ellen Roberts’ next upwardly-mobile career stop.

Except, as the Daily Press reports, there’s a bit of a problem:

Area Republicans held their district assembly in Ridgway Saturday, and one race for sure will be on the Aug. 10 primary ballot.

Republican 6th Senate District candidates Dean Boehler and state Rep. Ellen Roberts move on to the primaries.

At the assembly, 110 of 148 delegates from the Senate district were in attendance, including all of Montrose Countys 42 Republican delegates.

Boehler is the top name on the primary ballot, with 66.4 percent of the delegates votes. Roberts had 33.6 percent. [Pols emphasis]

And just so there’s no questioning who’s taking credit for this, from the conservative blog Rocky Mountain Right:

Boehler attributes his large margin of victory to a grassroots effort of conservative Republicans, including members of the Tea Party and 9-12 Project.

That’s right, folks, the sitting state representative considered the Colorado Republican Party’s #1 state senate pickup opportunity…barely managed to get 30% at assembly. Now that doesn’t mean Roberts won’t ultimately win the SD-6 primary election in August, of course, put it’s hard not to interpret such a dismal performance at the assembly as anything but a vote of no confidence in Roberts by local conservative activists.

And why, do you ask? Well, despite attempts by Roberts to shore up conservative credentials this year–witness her failed legislation to turn legislative debates over local health care policy into a politicized brouhaha about “Obamacare”–she has a reputation as one of the more moderate Republicans in the General Assembly. She has a history of working with Democrats on energy and education issues, casting a key vote in favor of the new oil and gas drilling protections.

We’d say that willingness to reach across the aisle, though sullied by her highly regrettable ‘moratorium’ bill, is what makes Roberts such a formidable candidate for higher office: the “Tea Party” apparently sees it differently. At the very least, Roberts is going to have to run to the right to placate them now. And she’s forced to do so at her own risk, necessarily drawing fire from one side or the other instead of the centrist course she would rather plot; while Democrats salivate at the prospect of getting this lucky.

Comments

43 thoughts on “Roberts Faces ‘RINO’ Backlash, Tough Primary?

  1. Despite Senator Whitehead’s vast (I mean vast) knowledge of waterlaw I saw long odds in this race against Rep. Roberts.

    Rep. Roberts is smart and a skilled politician, I pay close attention to her thinking on issues, it tells me whether something is going to to be easy or a dog fight, even when she disagrees with the position I support (frequently).

    If she is pulled toward a more ideological position or worse yet for the GOP, loses, Senator Whitehead’s pragmatism and knowledge of water and land use issues make the comparison tilt his direction.

  2. I left the Republican Party.  Folks like Rep. Roberts can’t get elected anymore.  Rational Repbulicans are a dying breed.  How many can you name in the legislature?  Roberts, White, Spence (on some issues)and Kester, Gerou, Balmer and Tipton (on an occasional issue) and that’s about it.

    The three Senators are on their way out, undoubtedly to be replaced by a much more conservative Republican or a Democrat.  The House contingent is a very small bunch, and getting smaller with the replacement of Roberts and Tipton.  As for Balmer and Gerou, well, their districts aren’t what they used to be, both looking more “swingy” by the year. Redistricting could also get rid of some of these folks earlier.

    My guess, two or three elections from now there will be no more rational Republicans left, and fewer Republicans overall.

    1. He’s reasonably moderate on some issues and there are some very conservative members who seek out common ground (I’m thinking Mark Waller), but in general I agree.

  3. …Roberts is one of the last of a formerly numerous, now endangered species: the pro-choice Republican woman.

    It would be nice to cultivate pro-choice republicans, so we could have someone to support in the primaries (there’s rumours of one pro-choice R running in the springs), but it looks like they’re going the way of the Dodo bird.

  4. Having referred to Senator Bruce Whitehead as Senator “One Year” Shawn Mitchell better get ready to eat those words.  Boehler will win the primary and Whitehead will win in November.  

  5. I fit my district and the senate district, too. There is lemonade to be made from the lemons. I look forward to campaigning hard against, and beating, both of my opponents. I’ve never had an easy time of it, but I get to be me and not someone else’s version of who I should be.  

    1. That’s not what your constituents appear to be telling you, Rep. Roberts. Around the nation, politicians are being called to account. This is a Republican wave year, and we can choose better Republicans too. It may be better to do so now while we have the momentum.

      I’m not saying that is what will happen to you, but you must understand that your conservative base has core values and expectations. If you don’t, you may learn the hard way.

        1. Please help purge anyone who might disagree with the ever shifting definition of true ‘conservatism,’ an imagined Founding Father’s intent, a faulty interpretations of the Constitution, and general wingnuttery.  It will serve the nation well this November.  

          1. If we replace a few with truer conservatives, that’s fine.

            If backsliding Republicans smarten up and return to the values that made us a majority party and America a conservative nation, I welcome that too.

            Either outcome is possible in the SD-6 race.

            1. that adhered to what you consider core conservative values?  Date please.

              It certainly couldn’t have been during the DeLay/McInnis corporate whoremongering days.

              Ronald Reagan raised taxes and admonished Republicans not to attack their own.  SO that’s out too.

              Eisenhower–now there’s a socialist for you!  Built the damn interstate highway system (mentioned nowhere in the US Constitituion I might add).

              Your esteemed founder Abe Lincoln?  Well, he also suspended some key parts of the Constitution and gave massive subsidies to railroads on the backs of US taxpayers.

              Taft? Harding?  W? Bush Sr.?

              Hoover?  

              1. Have been fighting for core values for years. Are the Democrats perfect?

                But we have effected more change than you and you know it. The hypertaxation of the rich ended, and then Clinton enjoyed the greatest economic expansion since World War II. Republicans set the groundwork for growth, Democrats take credit for Republican policies and then choke them out, then we repeat the cycle. Oh, and we won the Cold War too because we are not daisy in the rifle barrel pussies.

                1. Not that it’s difficult to do or anything.  You posted:

                  If backsliding Republicans smarten up and return to the values that made us a majority party

                  And I asked for a specific date.

                  1. Elected Reagan and Bush. Majority took back Congress in 2006. Majority expanded in 2002. Bush re elected in 2004.

                    Every time we made promises. We didn’t always keep them, and that was wrong, but the people knew what they wanted. And it wasn’t Dhimmicrats!

                    1. you don’t have an answer.

                      During which date(s) did the GOP majority reflect the true conservative values you espouse.  You are saying GW Bush was a fiscal conservative?  Bush ‘Read My Lips’ Sr. didn’t raise taxes (or Reagan didn’t either)?  That Nixon didn’t sign into law the US EPA?  

                      Again, while I may give some credit for your attempt to dodge my specific question, overall the grade is still F.

                      Care to try again?

                    2. Actually Bush was NOT elected by a majority of Americans in 2000…he lost the popular vote.  He was selected by the Supremes, by a activist court majority of 1.  

                    3. People elected Republicans and got fucked, we didn’t keep our promises, too bad, so sad.

                      If I am getting your point, you should probably get a different one.

                2. Are you even allowed to be up this late?  Or are you merely a mental 8th grader?

                  Anyone who has to put ‘warrior’ in their name is suspect when doubting others toughness.  

                  Over compensate much?  

                    1. Please don’t post huge pictures that break the whole blog post, though–we had to delete the one you posted for this reason. Nothing personal.

                      Also, meant for everybody, if we could please keep the banter slightly above the level of 7th grade gym class when the teacher’s not looking, that would be great. We’re all adults and allowed to swear, but we’ve found that one’s point is much more persuasive if it’s articulated in a way that wouldn’t make your mother blush, or if you must make her blush, at least doing so for a good reason. A suggestion.

                      In some cases, your mother is upstairs and you can ask her if unsure about something.

                  1. Of our feminized bastardized culture you are! Grow up, you have to be an adult to vote and this is a site about politics. You think Barack Obama has never called anyone a pussy?

                    1. I mean that in a nice way.  You are getting so big and grown up basementwarrior!  Pretty soon you’ll be able to go on the big rides!

        1. We Republicans are both respectful and candid, and we do have values, something genuflecting Dhimmicrats on bended knee in the Temple of Obama may not understand.

          1. But did you not insinuate that Rep. Roberts either had no values, or needed to develop some?

            At any rate, I’m glad that you can, at the very least, be condescendingly, passive aggressively polite to a Republican elected official. It’s more respect than you extend to everyone else you troll.  

            1. Like I say, Obamabots find disagreement with Democratic elected heretical. Until Rahm declares them Enemies, that is, then they’ve been trying to buttfuck their staff from day one!

              1. Democratic, Republican…the latter more its true, hence my own personal voting pattern.

                However I understand your dilemma basementwarrior.  How to argue when so ill-prepared?  Why invent a fictional caricature of course!

  6. Your unwavering 100% support for the insurance industry will be used against you in the primary.  It would also be used against you in the general election but you won’t get that far.  

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