March 28, 2014 01:09 PM UTC

In CD-4, Secession Question May Play Big Role in Winning GOP Nomination

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• by: Colorado Pols

Lynn Bartels of the Denver Post takes a look at the race to succeed Congressman Cory Gardner in CD-4, which includes a particularly interesting tidbit about the secession issue. 

Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer has the endorsement of fellow Commissioner Sean Conway, who was one of the ringleaders of last year's disastrous secession efforts. Weld County voters opposed secession when the final ballots were cast, as did the overwhelming majority of voters who cast a ballot on the issue. But that doesn't mean Kirkmeyer won't use her support of secession in a Republican Primary, as Bartels reports:

She noted her involvement in last year's secession movement involving 11 counties — 10 of which are in the 4th District.

"It wasn't so much about seceding from the state as it was sending a message that there's a lot of discontent with what was going on at the state Capitol," Kirkmeyer said, pointing to bills about renewable energy mandates and gun control.

Buck was opposed to secession. Renfroe, while in agreement that the Democratic-controlled legislature was not listening, did not publicly say where he stood.

Former Senate candidate and current CD-4 frontrunner Ken Buck opposed secession when pressed to give an opinion last fall, but Gardner has consistently avoided the question — to the extent that the Denver Post editorial board even called him out on it. Now running for the U.S. Senate, Gardner would like to continue to avoid answering that question. But as Kirkmeyer continues to make it an issue, she may also force Scott Renfroe to publicly support the idea as well. If secession becomes something of a litmus test for Republican candidates in CD-4, you can bet it will only increase the pressure on Gardner to say something about his position — and there's only one good answer to that question for "Con Man Cory."