October 18, 2022 12:07 PM UTC

Newspaper Endorsement Roundup for 2022

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• by: Colorado Pols

Several Colorado newspapers have decided against making endorsements in political races in 2022, including The Pueblo Chieftain, The Ft. Collins Coloradoan, and The Greeley Tribune.

The Colorado Springs Gazette, meanwhile, has turned its candidate endorsement process into a ridiculous partisan pit of repetitive Republican talking points. The Gazette has completely given up on even pretending to be nonpartisan by endorsing only Republican candidates — even those, such as GOP gubernatorial candidate Hiedi Heidi Ganahl — for whom it is virtually impossible to make a coherent argument of support.

The good news is that there are still a handful of Colorado newspapers that are making thoughtful, considered endorsements of candidates in 2022. We rounded up the endorsements in some of Colorado’s top-tier races that are available as of this writing, including some notable lines. Included in our list below are The Denver Post, The Durango Herald, The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, and The Aurora Sentinel.

Two statewide candidates — Sen. Michael Bennet and Attorney General Phil Weiser — picked up endorsements from all four newspapers. Governor Jared Polis will undoubtedly join that list once The Denver Post makes its endorsement.

Also noteworthy: Congressperson Lauren “Q*Bert” Boebert failed to receive a single endorsement other than the rubber-stamp backing of The Colorado Springs Gazette. The two most important newspapers in CO-03 both backed Democratic challenger Adam Frisch instead of Boebert.

All 2022 endorsements by The Denver Post are available HERE.

♦ U.S. Senate: Democrat Michael Bennet

Bennet has become a trusted leader on many issues — the crisis on the southern border, Russia’s deadly aggressions in Ukraine, America’s booming inflation and looming recession – and it is because of our faith that he will continue to advocate for America’s and Colorado’s best interests that we recommend Colorado voters give him another six years in office.

♦ Governor: “Coming Soon”

♦ State Treasurer: “Coming Soon”

♦ Secretary of State: Republican Pam Anderson

♦ CO-07: Democrat Brittany Pettersen

Pettersen’s experience and focus will make her an effective legislator at the national level. She is brimming with specific, actionable ideas for how to tackle the fentanyl crisis and how to help students afford college. She wants to fix small things like allowing students whose parents have failed to pay taxes to be eligible for federal student loans.

♦ CO-08: Democrat Yadira Caraveo

Kirkmeyer is a fiscal conservative who is right to be concerned about government spending, the debt, and the deficit. Her track record as a Weld County commissioner of getting the county out of debt and shoring up the pension is impressive.

However, we were disappointed she didn’t bring concrete examples of how she would help right the fiscal ship in Washington, D.C…[Pols emphasis]

…We need a voice in Congress like Caraveo’s, whether it’s fighting for reproductive freedom or for the health and quality of life of the hardworking residents in her district.

♦ U.S. Senate: Democrat Michael Bennet

The Herald had some very nice things to say about Bennet:

One thing is undeniable about U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The guy is a workhorse…

…Whether leading the pack or working behind the scenes, he gets stuff done for Colorado. We are endorsing Bennet for U.S. Senate.

The Herald also had some appropriate questions for Republican Joe O’Dea:

But in talking with him, O’Dea was a different version than the O’Dea on his campaign website. [Pols emphasis] A page on his site, “Pro-Life Leaders Endorse Joe O’Dea,” includes a letter of support from high-profile conservatives. “As Donald Trump’s U.S. Attorney in Colorado said, ‘Joe’s a rock-solid conservative.’ ”

In our meeting, O’Dea said he’s a “centrist moderate Republican,” “more in the middle” and “more libertarian.” O’Dea’s self-described political persuasions are worlds away from those of a “rock-solid conservative.” He can’t be both. They represent wildly different bases…

…Who exactly is O’Dea? We’re not sure where the dial points between moderate and true-blue conservative.

Bennet is easier to know through his legislative work. Easier to trust. Vote “yes” for Bennet for U.S. Senate. [Pols emphasis]

♦ Governor: Democrat Jared Polis

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and Republican challenger Heidi Ganahl seem to be living in two wildly different states.

In Polis’ Colorado, the future is bright, steady. Keeping his promise, Polis capped the cost of insulin; provided free, full-day kindergarten and preschool; and offered more than $1 billion in property tax relief for homeowners and businesses.

In Ganahl’s, we’re overrun with taxes, drugs, crime, inflation and “furries,” a debunked story of students dressing and identifying as cats.

We’ll take Polis’ Colorado. We’ll even endorse him for governor.

♦ Attorney General: Democrat Phil Weiser

♦ Secretary of State: Republican Pam Anderson

♦ CO-03: Democrat Adam Frisch

Sometimes we vote against a candidate more than for one. This is the case in the 3rd Congressional District race between incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and Democratic challenger Adam Frisch. More important than the theatrics, denial of the 2020 election results and “anger-tainment,” Boebert has not done the first, most basic requirement of her job – the work of legislating.

She has nothing to show for her time in D.C. To make matters worse, she’s claimed credit for legislation that she voted against. It’s time for Boebert to step aside and take her bizarre, tall tales of kitty litter with her. We are endorsing Frisch, who has an actual work ethic…

…Boebert voted against things that really matter in the Southwest, including funding for wildfire resilience, health care access for veterans, and provisions for water quality and to mitigate the drought. We are overdue for serious conversations about the Colorado River and water in the West. We need a rep who understands the dire need to create good jobs, bring down inflation, decrease the meteoric rise in health care costs. We need a serious person to represent CD3. That is Frisch. [Pols emphasis]

♦ U.S. Senate: Democrat Michael Bennet

♦ Governor: Democrat Jared Polis

♦ Attorney General: Democrat Phil Weiser

This office is on the front line protecting our rights and our communities and Weiser has done a masterful job.

♦ Secretary of State: Republican Pam Anderson

We’ll be more than comfortable if Griswold is reelected, but we’d like to see Anderson given a chance to take the office in a new direction reflective of her very serious demeanor.

♦ State Treasurer: Republican Lang Sias

What this race came down to for us is the need to have ideological balance in our state government.

Young hasn’t done anything wrong while in office. We think he’s done a good job. If voters want to retain him in office, we would not worry about the state’s finances.

♦ CO-03: Democrat Adam Frisch

We think Boebert’s conduct, like disrespecting the State of the Union ceremony, is disqualifying enough to take a chance on a newcomer. For that reason, we think anyone still on the fence should consider supporting Frisch.

CLICK HERE to read all of the Sentinel’s endorsements.

♦ U.S. Senate: Democrat Michael Bennet

…the humble patina doesn’t cover up the fact that O’Dea is peddling the same wares as the last friendly Republican from Colorado who became a disaster after voters sent him to the U.S. Senate, Cory Gardner. [Pols emphasis]

O’Dea achingly claims to be a “pro-choice” Republican on the issue of abortion and reproductive rights. But he’s only offering support for the choices he wants women to make in regards to pregnancy. Despite his nearly clench-fisted claims of being a moderate, he personally signed petitions and voted for Colorado Proposition 115, a cruel proposal drastically limiting women’s access to abortion, with the clear intent of dissolving it.

Called out on that fact, he said he didn’t read the fine print before he voted, hardly a persuasive argument to send someone to the Senate where “fine print” comes not in a couple of sentences but in mountains of legislation…

…O’Dea falls drastically short of what Colorado needs in the Senate on other fronts, where Bennet has shown courage, temperance and perseverance.

Bennet has long led where O’Dea falls far short even as a candidate.

♦ Governor: Democrat Jared Polis

Almost daily, Ganahl has shown a remarkable and alarming lack of sound judgment and ability to make reasonable decisions based on facts and reality.

It would be difficult to see a clearer choice for Colorado voters than to elect Polis for another term to continue leading the state toward a better future for everyone.

♦ Attorney General: Democrat Phil Weiser

The AG’s charge is to defend the interests of residents against corporations, governments and individuals illegally or unethically usurping our rights, our property and our lives.

Weiser has done an outstanding job as a watchdog of issues threatening our health and environment, created by oil and gas companies and opioid manufacturers. Weiser has successfully worked to protect the rights and opportunities of Colorado residents and businesses against national interests and conglomerates.

Kellner wrongly intimates that the attorney general should be involved in reforming parole, sentencing or local bail requirements, which is the role of lawmakers and the Department of Corrections.

♦ Secretary of State: Democrat Jena Griswold

If elected, Anderson would clearly make a trusted and effective secretary of state.

But she cannot match Griswold’s passion for outwardly undermining attempts by state and national officials to cast doubt on election integrity, or worse yet, actively undermine it in the way Trump and officials in other states have tried, and still more want to.