The Denver Business Journal reports on endorsements released today by the pro-business Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry–with a very few perennial exceptions like pro-business Sen. Cheri Jahn, this is an organization well known for supporting Republican candidates over Democrats in the vast majority of cases.
But as Ed Sealover reports, not this year in a couple of key Jefferson County races:
Often known as a Republican-leaning organization, CACI, for example, endorsed Republicans in three of the seven most competitive Senate races, endorsed Democrats in two of them and declined to endorse anyone in two others…
CACI endorsed incumbent Democratic Sens. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada and Cheri Jahn of Wheat Ridge, who sit in two of the six seats that Republicans feel they can win, and that they need to take control of a Senate that Democrats now hold by an 18-17 margin. Two is the minimum target because most observers believe the GOP will lose a Pueblo-area seat that they won in a recall election last year, but that sits in a heavily Democratic area.
…CACI members were closely divided in the Senate District 16 race, with many liking GOP challenger and former state Sen. Tim Neville, but just enough feeling they could work with Nicholson that Neville’s support fell below the two-thirds level needed for endorsement, [CACI vice president Loren] Furman said.
And in the Senate District 22 race, where Kerr has been known to clash with business groups, there just wasn’t support to endorse Tony Sanchez, a gun-rights supporter who beat more mainstream Republican Mario Nicolais in the primary, she said.
Like we said, Sen. Jahn winning CACI's endorsement isn't a big surprise, since she's one of the more centrist pro-business members of the Democratic majority in the Colorado Senate. But in three other vital Senate races with Democratic incumbents on the defensive–Rachel Zenzinger in SD-19, Jeanne Nicholson in SD-16, and Andy Kerr in SD-22–it certainly appears that the victory of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners-endorsed Republican candidates directly affected CACI's decision to either endorse the Democrat, as with Sen. Zenzinger, or in Sens. Kerr and Nicholson's cases, at least remain neutral in the race. In the House, we see a similar flight to moderation in the endorsement of Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp over far-right movie theater owner Susan Kochevar in HD-29. Surely CACI has their key votes to gauge support for their agenda, but beyond that, as the decision to stay out of SD-22 shows especially, this is a tacit acknowledgement of the major disaster the primary defeats of more mainstream Republican challengers represents for the Colorado Republican Party.
Because frankly, if you're a Republican, it takes a lot to alienate these people.
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Who needs CACI's endorsements and $$$ when the Jeffco GOP candidates have all they need: Dudley Brown and the Personhood movement.
Dudley's jumped his shark (h/t Jared Wright, a bushel of County Sheriffs, a peck of Nevilles, and Special mention to Dave Kopel) . . . he's now losing them on both ends.
RMGOpers are beginning to figure out that Dudley's nothing but a fundraiser 24/7/365 . . . and the politicians have begun to figure out what a poison he is!
i say it's time for another Dudley initiated parade at the Capitol, and another "members alert" — CACI's nothing but another costume of the gun grabbers!!!'
It doesn't matter what RMGO cost the GOP. What matters is the GOTV in November. RMGO backed candidates may have a better ground game than dems, particularly with Woods and Sanchez. Both are getting heavy play on talk radio as is RMGO. Time will tell if that matters. Consolidating the base and energizes them to vote is what will be important.