October 31, 2010 11:08 PM UTC

Principals, Principles, Corn Syrup, Taxes & Watermelons - a Diary of the SD1 Senate Race

• 3 Comments
• by: Bowman for Senate

As a courtesy warning, if you have no interest in what happens east of Greeley, Limon or Pueblo, this diary is long and not likely for you.  On Friday, October 29 Pols front-paged an article posing the question of whether the Republican’s will take the majority in the Senate.  Absent was any mention of the race between Senator Greg Brophy, Assistant Minority Leader and myself.  For anyone interested in this race, and with all due respect to David whom I’ve successfully ignored for nine months (and he would add, “to my peril”), here is my story:

I’m one of two men from Wray, Colorado vying for the honor to serve Senate District 1 for the next four years.  This diary is my observation of the landscape and its inhabitants that occupy the twelve eastern counties that make up SD1; a landscape twice the size of the state of Massachusetts, home to 42 of the state’s 178 public school districts and three community colleges; 13 hospital districts, two state-owned correction facilities and one privately-owned correctional facility. Agricultural production, water, wind and natural gas are the mainstays to this land of pioneer’s descendants. Four large-scale wind farms dot the landscape; two  major ethanol plants turn a portion of the regional corn supply into fuel.  Cattle outnumber the residents 6:1

It’s a place my family has called home for five generations.

Nearly nine months ago I began my journey as the Democratic candidate for SD1; my first run at an elected office in a district that has a 51R/27U/22D voter profile.  A lifelong Republican who at the age of 50 left my party – or to be more precise, came to the conclusion my party had left me.  It was a death of a thousand cuts.  

I have no regrets about leaving the GOP.  I’m a centrist and there was no longer room at their table for people like me.  I’m old enough to remember Ronald Reagan.  Even he couldn’t pass the sniff test of today’s party leaders.  My maternal grandparents were Minnesota dairy farmers in the lake region of west central Minnesota; salt-of-the-earth members of their community, raising 13 children on a small farm by today’s standards.  They were unapologetic members of the DFL party.  In today’s political climate, my grandfather would be seen as expendable by my opponent; someone who should either “get big or get out”; he would be considered a liberal who didn’t understand the forces of globalization or free markets. God bless him, my grandmother and all they stood for.  It’s my memory of their role in their rural community and their church that made my journey to the other side of the political fence a comfortable one. Their ideals are still worth fighting for today.  

At some point in early summer this race became intensely personal to me, even though I have always had a deep affection for eastern Plains residents.  Perhaps it was the combination of a daily barrage of Tweets by my opponent that were at times, bizarre.  Perhaps it was being exposed to the unjust actions by the State against Arkansas Valley farmers and ranchers who are spending their life savings defending themselves against capricious, unilateral actions by state employees and an unengaged and seemingly disinterested State Senator. Perhaps it was the pervasive childhood poverty in the region; or the local county social services department who has no money to deal with the mentally ill.  I’m not sure exactly when the tipping point occurred – but it happened, and I was forever changed.    

This diary isn’t just about what I perceive as the failings of the Colorado Republican Party.  I’ve never understood the historical disconnect between rural and urban constituents, other than the fact that my opponent subscribes to the party philosophy of “divide”.  He can’t complete a candidate forum without describing anyone on the Front Range as a “liberal”, people who “don’t understand”, people who “don’t care about us.”.  It is the “us” v. “them” attitude that I have little tolerance for.   We are in interdependent state – rural Colorado cannot live as an island.

I’m also frustrated – yet I understand the political calculation – that SD1 is a district the Democrats have been willing to cede.  The calculation is that no Democrat could ever win. At some point it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Some of the best public policy in the last decade has served to benefit the eastern Plains has come from the leadership of my party.  Amendment 37, setting the stage for a proliferation of wind farms on the eastern plains and solar in the San Luis Valley was bitterly fought by rural constituents and their local organizations, namely the rural electric coops.  The irony of the local coop, fighting an initiative because it is a mandate, is hard to miss:  the coops themselves wouldn’t exist had it not been for FDR making it a part of The New Deal.  

The BEST initiative, crafted by leaders like Andrew Romanoff and Senator Gail Schwartz are making new schools and educational opportunities possible in towns like Julesburg, Akron and Holly.  And, even though my opponent has resisted the attempts to make this program more widely available, without the foundational legislation there would be little hope that rural communities could address their crumbling infrastructure.  

In August we broke ground on the sixth major wind farm in SD1 – something made possible because of the core passage of Amendment 37 and it’s subsequent enhancements under the Ritter administration.  This latest development, located in Lincoln County, will be an investment in that county in excess of $500 million; generating over $3 million dollars in use tax up front, $750,000 in new, annual property taxes for decades to come, 250 construction jobs and 15 permanent jobs.  It will transform Limon and the region.  It gives new hope to the areas residents, business owners and school officials. Sadly, Senator Brophy didn’t even both to attend the groundbreaking celebration with the community for a project that is arguably the biggest development to happen in Lincoln County in generations – if not ever.

Perhaps the best part of the Limon story is that the entirety of the equipment being used in the development of the Cedar Point wind farm will be manufactured right here in Colorado at the three Vestas facilities.  To me earlier point about interdependency, Front Range Vestas employees making equipment to be deployed in a rural Colorado setting.  Everyone wins.  And we have one man to thank for the culmination of this vision:  Governor Bill Ritter.   As I listened to the comments made by Tom Tancredo last month in a debate where he said “there is no green in green energy” and the New Energy Economy is a hoax”, several words came to mind, but only one I’ll share:  Clueless.

At the risk of suffering the wrath of David – I chose not to interview with him.  It’s not that I don’t appreciate David’s perspective.  But my perspective – and the job I’m running for – is to protect and promote the best interests of my district.  While there is value in sitting at a sidewalk café on the Front Range being interviewed about rural issues, I would invite David to walk the proverbial “mile in our shoes” and come visit us.  Spend the weekend; talk to the city managers, the school superintendent and our farmers and ranchers.  Our door is open – and we desperately need to promote the rural-urban dialogue in this state.

As is common in all of our respective races, myths and distortions are the way of life on the campaign trail.  Comments made by our opponents in what they perceive as friendly crowds find their way around the world twice before the candidate can exit stage left.  Twitter becomes a virtual font of sound bites and rhetoric to keep your fans engaged and supportive – particularly when one’s opponent is a Twitter poster-child.

There are many issues that separate the Senator and myself.  As it should be.  We need a robust, two-party system that works.  The polarization of Colorado and America is failing us, and I believe that lies at the foot of our reliance on sound-bites and the lack of civic discourse.  My greatest sadness about this race was the fact my opponent and I never had a real debate.  “Candidate Forums” are the choice du jour, a place to promote a platform but to never experience an exchange of ideas in any real, credible way.

I’m going to finish this diary with a series of questions and answers related to the campaign and questions I’m often asked in the district.  In short, I’m going to “David myself”.  At this point [and I’m talking to you, BJWilson] you may have lost the ability to focus.  Please feel free to exit now.  This race has been a great experience – and one that I would encourage anyone to take on at least once in their adult life.  I firmly believe we have more opportunities than challenges.  We have a lot to be hopeful and optimistic about.  It will take a new dialogue and fresh leadership to make this happen.

SD1 is worth fighting for.

“Aren’t you and Senator Brophy related?”

This is the most common question I get while campaigning.  There is a good reason I don’t spend Christmas day with the Senator – we aren’t related.   Greg and I do have common cousins.  We are both from Wray and our ancestors date back to the homesteading days at the turn of the last century.

“Senator Brophy says you aren’t Pro-life”

A great friend and mentor of mind has a great saying:  “Don’t let last generation’s converts become the Pharisees of today.”   Interestingly enough, it is the issue of “Life” that brought me into this race.  Rewind to 2007:  the Legislature passed a bill requiring the divestiture of all state and PERA funds from companies operating in Darfur where massive genocide was taking place.  The law passed 65-0 in the House and 34-1 in the Senate.  The lone, dissenting vote?  Senator Brophy.   His defense? “It isn’t government’s business to tell business how and where to operate”.  

Hey, it’s “just business”, right?  Oh, the irony:  the member of our legislature who prides himself as the poster child of the Colorado pro-life community, unable to bring himself to make even a symbolic gesture of protest over the mass killing of innocent people on another continent.  His shingle should read, “Profits Over People.”  It was at that point I knew there would come a day he and I would be political opponents.

As to wrapping me in the Senator’s definition, I have little interest in being defined by him.  Or Karl Rove. Or Ralph Reed.   It is a false choice.  Some of my pro-choice friends are the most pro-life people I know.  Conversely, I would consider my opponent almost radically anti-life in many instances. I can’t reconcile the concept of limited government and personal responsibility and the Christian tenets of free will and grace with their intrusion into our personal lives.  I can, however, work in my own community, my church and my circle of friends to promote a social context that makes it possible for every child to enter this world to loving parents and a just society.  Every time I have someone report to me that my opponent is, once again, in front of a district group proclaiming “Mike Bowman is not pro-life” I have to laugh at his willingness to self-promote his faux agenda….and lie about who I am.



“Where do you stand on 60, 61 & 101?”

I’ve been very clear on these initiatives since early Spring:  Vote No.  My opponent has a more troubling message if one reads between the nuances:  Publicly, Senator Brophy claims they are “terrible”, “go too far”, “he just wants to restrict government, not drown it”.  All well and good intentioned if he would stop there.  Most often, and this is a criticism of Republican’s in general – not solely of my opponent,  these sound bites are followed with, ” ….although I like the concepts of the proposals”.   What they are really saying is this:  I’d really like to openly support them, but I know if I do you won’t re-elect me.”  For me – the “concept” is worse than the proposal itself.  For me, they are an attack on representative government and how our founding father’s envisioned the system to work.  

But, my biggest concern is how this is being played in my opponent’s race.  I used to believe that Greg was principled; regardless of the fact that we shared few intersections of agreement.  Greg is not only aggressively supporting the one gubernatorial candidate that is not shy about his support of 60 and 101, but a candidate who also openly defies the thought of a New Energy Economy – the one shining light in his district.  My stand and belief on these two issues are so fundamentally tied to the future existence and prosperity of the district that I would draw my ‘line in the sand’.  If this were Hickenloopers stand on the issues I could not support him.  There is, however, an easy explanation for Greg’s willingness to compromise:  he has been offered a job in a Tancredo administration.

“Will you roll back the fees and exemptions passed last year?”

Another story rich in irony:  Brophy sent a Tweet earlier this summer from a convenience store in eastern Colorado.  It said that he “just purchased a soda and he told the clerk he didn’t vote for the tax on soda”.  He further felt compelled to add, “this person gets it”,  “Ritter and Obama are half-brothers”.  Here is the Senator, standing there with a soda in his hand.  A soda laden with corn fructose syrup, made from his corn crop – whose production is subsidized by you and me.  Conversing with a clerk that is likely making something just north of minimum wage. Do you suppose that clerk would opt to end her contribution to the Senator’s subsidy payments if given the option?

Would I roll back the exemptions and fees?  FASTER needs tweaked, particularly in regard to seasonal farm vehicles.  I would be OK with a repeal of FASTER if it was replaced by an increase in the state’s gasoline tax.  I am a strong supporter of Governor Ritter’s “Shared Sacrifice” plan, one where we all contribute equitably to the solution.

“How are watermelons and kids alike?”

Sometime in early summer my opponent came to the conclusion that those of us following him on Twitter wanted to know how is watermelon crop was progressing on a regular basis.  He even threw in comments about his corn crop from time to time.  In both instances, the Senator talked about basic tenets of farming we both subscribe to:  start with good soil, buy the best seed, treat the seedling with utmost care.  Every farmer knows that if you short the seedling at any time in its early development, whether that be with water, fertilizer or competition from weeds and pests, there is no amount of money or effort that can be made at a later stage of development that will give you a bumper crop.  

Why is it that that same philosophy isn’t applied to children?  We know the value of a good start; we know a direct correlation exists between third grade reading skills and adult incarceration rates.  We should know the cheapest thing we can do for a society is to assure every child has a good start.   Some counties in SD1 have childhood poverty rates approaching twice the state average; with the exception of one county, Elbert, they all exceed the state average Yet, I have failed to hear even one mention of this silent crisis by my opponent.  

“Does Senator Brophy even want this seat?”

This is the second-most asked question I get.  To be clear, I believe I am the only candidate in this race that wants to serve SD-1 the next four years.  In the early days of the campaign, when Scott McInnis was the front-runner, it was widely talked about amongst Republican friends of mine that Brophy had cut a deal to be Scott’s Commissioner of Agriculture; then as the primary’s approached and Brophy was reportedly brokering the scenario that Scott step aside after he won the primary and have the party name a replacement,  friends of Brophy were floating him on blogs as “the” candidate; when that political calculation didn’t play out as expected, he then got cozy with Tancredo and was offered the cabinet position as head of the Department of Natural Resources.  Brophy has accepted that offer.  

I am running for one job – and only one job:  to be the Senator for SD1. If, on Nov. 3, we have elected both Hickenlooper as Governor and re-elected Brophy as SD1 Senator, the residents should take little comfort they have become the Senator’s consolation prize.  



“What is the most troubling conversation you’ve had this campaign season?”

This answer is both the most troubling and the easiest question to answer.  The easiest answer?  My conversation with Peri Buck regarding energy policy at a candidate forum where she stood in for Ken.  It would be pointless to go into the details; the stark differences between the GOP talking points and my position are obvious.  Why the most troubling?  Because I can’t answer this with a response from a personal interaction with Senator Brophy.   Our constituents were never given the opportunity to see a healthy exchange of ideas between the two of us.  In almost  all cases, we weren’t even allowed in a room or a radio station control room at the same time.

“What is the most comical statement made or heard during the race?”

At a recent forum in Julesburg an elderly participant approached me, upset because of the poor condition of state highway 138, which runs from Julesburg to Sterling and parallel to Interstate 76.  She asked me if I knew the reason?  I could tell by the way she asked that she really wanted me to listen, not talk.  She proceeded to tell me that state highway funds were being secretly diverted to DIA.  Further, what wasn’t being diverted directly to the airport road was being used to heat “that big tent.”  I politely responded that wasn’t true, that DIA was a project of the City and County of Denver.  She grabbed my hand, gently gave it a few pats, and told me I would ‘find the real truth out someday” [as opposed to a fake truth?]

Runner up in this category also happened the same evening:  As the Senator was espousing the many virtues of Tom Tancredo he proudly proclaimed that Tanc “is the only candidate with enough spine to stand up to the liberal Denver Post”  I chuckled to myself and wondered just how far to the right does Dean Singleton need to be to not be considered a dreaded liberal by Senator Brophy?



“What was your most uplifting moment in the campaign?”

Over the past two months I committed to a community forum in Lamar on Monday evenings.  Each week we would discuss a different topic; most weeks I would bring in a special guest to compliment my focus.  One week my guest was Eddie Sturman, a famed Apollo-era scientist.  Eddie is in the NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame for his work on Apollo and is widely credited with bringing Apollo 13 back to Earth [the reason for his induction into the NSTHF].   Eddie is a good friend and we work on a number of energy-related projects across the US; he agreed to come with me for the day and to commit some time not only to students at Lamar Community College that afternoon, but with a group of high school students at Holly High School.  We had almost 40 science and math kids assemble in the Holly school cafeteria and they were entranced with Eddie.  They showed a respect for Eddie that you don’t often think of as being possible with today’s somewhat unruly generation.  And they asked great questions at the end.

That moment was further confirmation of the positive role our small, rural school districts play in our state’s education system.  It was confirmation that our public school system works in our eastern plains communities.  Whether it’s Holly, Wiley, Kit Carson, Idalia, Woodlin or any of the other 37 school districts that dot the plains – they are the heartbeat of their community – and worth fighting for.

There is a second story I need to add to this section.  Remember my story about Brophy’s vote on the divestiture/genocide issue as the reason I jumped into this race?  If you rewind to that vote in 2007, I was so incensed over Greg’s behavior and vote that I searched out the main character of the movie “The Devil Came on Horseback”, Brian Steidle.  It is a movie about the Darfur genocide; if you haven’t seen it – rent it.  I found Brian and contacted him.  I told him about the Brophy vote and that I wanted to bring some awareness of this issue to Colorado.  I bought Brian an airplane ticket and he came to Denver and we screened the film before a large audience of college kids.  Over the past three years we kept in touch on a regular basis.  

Brian’s last assignment was in Haiti post-earthquake and this past summer we realized we would both be in the Washington, DC area in late June.  I was hosting a reception at the National Arboretum and I asked him to be my guest.  Also attending the event as my guest was a young woman raised on a dairy farm in upstate NY that is now a consultant in Washington.  Their introduction to one another that evening has turned into a budding romance that appears to be headed for wedding bells; made possible only by Brophy’s lone vote in support of genocide – and my quest to find the person responsible for the movie exposing the horrors of Darfur.  As I’ve tried to impress on my children:  every cloud has a silver lining.