U.S. Senate
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(D) J. Hickenlooper*
(R) Somebody
80%
20%
Governor
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(D) Joe Neguse
(D) Phil Weiser
(D) Jena Griswold
60%
60%
40%↓
Att. General
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(D) M. Dougherty
(D) Alexis King
(D) Brian Mason
40%
40%
30%
Sec. of State
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(D) George Stern
(D) A. Gonzalez
(R) Sheri Davis
40%
40%
30%
State Treasurer
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(D) Brianna Titone
(R) Kevin Grantham
(D) Jerry DiTullio
60%
30%
20%
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(R) Jeff Hurd*
(D) Somebody
80%
40%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert*
(D) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Jeff Crank*
(D) Somebody
80%
20%
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) B. Pettersen*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(R) Gabe Evans*
(D) Yadira Caraveo
(D) Joe Salazar
50%
40%
40%
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
July 24, 2005 08:00 AM UTC
34 Comments
With the fundraising numbers old news by this point and the Dems getting killed so far in the gov race by not having a noteworthy candidate to enter and being way behind in funds, I am fearful that we will see a repeat of ’02 when a weak top of the ticket brought down the entire party. The GOP is out for revenge in ’06 to prove that colorado is still very much in the red column
With the fundraising numbers old news by this point and the Dems getting killed so far in the gov race by not having a noteworthy candidate to enter and being way behind in funds, I am fearful that we will see a repeat of ’02 when a weak top of the ticket brought down the entire party. The GOP is out for revenge in ’06 to prove that colorado is still very much in the red column
“way behind in funds”
Bridges is personally worth $70 million dollars, give or take. Money will not be an issue for his campaign.
Got to give Rutt Bridges credit for his recent moves. Many have seen him out working hard.
Hiring Margolis is a solid move. There is now light at the end of the tunnel.
The campaign is going to cost 12-15 million. Are you sure Rutt wants to spend 20% of his personal fortune to be Governor?
Ziik,
I think I remember reading a Romanoff quote a while back praising Rutt for spending something like 4% of his net wealth on the last election cycle in which he wasn’t even running. So I wouldn’t put it past him to spend BIG on this election. This will probably be the last time he ever gets to run for an office of this caliber again. Besides, the guy is still making money to this day.
This is why if I am Beauprez or one of his supporters Bridges scares me. For the first time in his life Bob might be outspent and possibly by massive sums in a political race. I wouldn’t put it past Rutt to to spend the type of money that you are talking about especially if Bob (almost inevitably) decides to play dirty again this time around. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
What? No link to the Rocky story that outed one of your editors/authors? You link to every story that barely even mentions the blog — so how come you are ignoring a story saying that one of your principle authors is an avowed Democrat — who even has run a statewide campaign for a Dem politician? Come on now. Fess up. So Jason Bane is one of the Dems behind this liberal leaning site; who is the other?
I posted an entry months ago after first visting your site. I suggested that if you wanted credibility — rather than being a gossip rag — you would admit who you are and your points of view. Some true bloggers — the Powerline guys and Hugh Hewitt for example — have built solid readership by standing behind the things they write. Let’s see what kind of journalist — or politicians, I should say — you really are.
It’s clear you like showing Holtzman ahead of Beauprez in your faux-poll of governor candidates. That is just your liberal dream. Everyone else in the state knows that Beauprez is the far-and-away favorite among both parties to succeed Gov. Owens. But, your poll makes tremendous sense if you readers know that Bane is behind it!
Don
Don O Vann – you’re about two days late on this announcement. Check Saturday’s post entitled “Caught”.
And you’ve been “caught” not reading the site before posting 🙂
I agree about Bridges. He is a strong candidate, and he is working hard. Kudos for him!
Awen: You seriously read everything on this blog before you post? You’re right; I don’t. Good for the dems hosting the site to admit they were caught, but bad that they still don’t want to come clean on their conspirators.
Don totally busted you . . . .
Don, Who cares, what the hell difference does it make if they ‘out’ themselves or go on as is?
Do you really think that anyone reading (and commenting) on this site believes that is was ever 100% fact based…give me a break….relax, have fun and if it is important, go about figuring out who the other ‘two’ are….lots o’ luck.
Rutt Bridges seems like a canidate that will play very well on the Westeren Slope, sort of in the mold of Salazar with his rural appeal.
Salazar is getting involved in the Rove scandal, he signed onto a letter (with 25 other Senate Dems) demanding oversight committees begin investigations into the leak immediately.
Don, it isn’t even halfway down the page.
The guest posters are D and R, and people from both sides still discuss on their posts. If you could get rid of the Repub and Dem extremists on the site, I would be happier. Then I would be spared reading things like “Beauprez campaign is an unstoppable machine” claptrap.
don o vann is a friggin dueschebag.
Hey Ziik…coming through like a true left-winger. When you can’t debate…just resort to name calling! Why not just make the Dean Scream now and call it a night?
You know what is driving me friggin nuts? Everyone forcing these races into gear while we’re still more than a year out from a primary.
And I mean it with the Democrats, as well.
And I know it’s ‘only’ conventional wisdon – but it just seems like right now, candidates should just be raising money.
Other than being a wealthy think-tanker, what exactly qualifies Rutt to be governor? I mean this question in all seriousness as i am pretty unfamiliar with the candidate.
don o vann- I’m as Republican as Republican can get. I absolutely love George W. Bush. I have worked for a number of different Republicans. I would vote for Attila the Hun against Moses if Attila was a Republican and Moses was a Democrat.
So, from one GOPer to another will you please stop bitching about these guys anonimity and just enjoy the website. If you like Hugh Hewitt’s blog so much- than read that one and stop making whiny posts on this one. Because this website is the best place for political junkies of both stripes to come and chat- so why don’t you let it be an entertaining website. If the liberal bias bothers you to much to take than just don’t type http://www.coloradopols.com into the bar at the top of the screen and you shouldn’t have any trouble.
On Bridges, about as much as Holtzmann. Now that I’ve been mean.
Bridges built a company that made oil exploration less costly, sold it, founded his own think tank, which was the force behind the Do-Not-Call list in CO and some bills on DNA testing.
Other than that, he with three other Dems pretty much funded a good chunk of the Democratic strategy in 2004, so he should be a force just through the amount of people who “owe” him. He should really get Chris Gates on his staff, just to piss off Waak.
This site isn’t making any of the campaigns do anything they don’t want to. Whether this blog was here or not, gub. cands. and cong. cands. would be touring the state/district and raising money – exactly what they are doing.
A year from now, this site is going to be getting hundreds of posts a day from campaigns, low profile media and political hacks, like all of us on here now.
And its “douche bag” and don o vann is definitely one, regardless of party affiliation. Douche bag.
“Other than being a wealthy think-tanker, what exactly qualifies Rutt to be governor? I mean this question in all seriousness as i am pretty unfamiliar with the candidate.”
Bridges is a self-made millionaire from a poor rural background. He started his own business in oil and gas exploration and grew it into a very succesful business. He sold his business and founded the Big Hirn Policy Center, and as Peterco pointed out the Big Horn Center spearheaded the No-Call list and a few other policy initiatives.
He has a great personal story, and has been a self-made success. He’s not a career politician but has displayed an aptitude for public policy.
If he faces Beauprez in the general election it will be interesting to see how he tackles the experience “issue”. I wonder though if it will be an issue at all, I actually think not being a career politician (much less one with strong ties to Tom DeLay) could be a positive for Bridges against Beauprez.
my $0.02
Rutt Bridges will get creamed by Marc Holtzman or Bob Beauprez. Bridges has nothing to attract voters to him. Yes, he has a lot of money. So did Pete Coors, and Coors got creamed. Yes, he got the no-call list started. So what? People still get unwanted calls, and the no-call list might be meaningless soon if the telemarketing lobby has its way. Holtzman has run campaigns, he’s taken the time to meet and impress the people that matter in this state, and he’s what the press loves more than anything–a maverick. Bridges is a symptom of the Democrats’ illnes–all that party has to offer in the way of candidates for statewide offices are people with money (Bridges, Jared Polis, etc.) Money doesn’t mean anything. If the Democrats really want to compete with the likes of Holtzman and Beauprez, they should follow the lead of the Salazar brothers. Those two know what it takes to be a Democrat and win in this state–name recognition and the smarts to come down on the right side of the issues all the time. Bridges is going to be nothing more than a wonk in a think tank unless he realizes that.
For your information Mr. Salazar, I happen to like Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn- so if I we’re to live in your district, you would lose 1 vote
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/25/AR2005072501291_pf.html
What qualifies RB to be Guv? What qualifies any of them for that matter…..At least Rutt does not have to cater to special interests if he chooses not to…that in itself might qualify him…and he is not trying to use it as a platform to be Prez…he just wants to give something back to Colorado, it seems to me…And I really don’t know the guy.
I’m always interested in the “he’s not a career politician, that might actually be a good thing.” angle in high-position elections like this. In theory you’d think that would play in CO but in reality I don’t think that’s the case. I think when people get into the voting booth, at the end of the day they want someone with some experience. FWIW…
Does someone have a quote where BB says he wants to be POTUS? tommix mentioned it and i’ve seen it here before. Or are you guys just speculating?
Candyraver, Just rumor mongoring on this one…I have heard it mentioned in R circles that he is keeping an eye on his chances for a future bid for the WH….don’t know that first hand. And, don’t know that that makes him bad…just think when you are really rich…you look for things to accomplish that go beyon money. After all, you can only have ‘so’ many toys and they say, ‘you can’t take it with you.’
Rutt and any Dem for that matter have the rural hurdle to jump over to get elected Gov. Take it from a fifth generation CO native?For a Dem you have a better chance of winning statewide election if you have a background out side the Denver metro area. Salazar made his mark because he was promoting his rural CO roots. Republicans do not have the disadvantage because rural folks are typically on your side. Another hurdle is the fact that he is from Georgia does not sit well with many. Somehow Owens got away with his Texas roots. For natives that is a big hurdle. Money may help overcome some hurdles but other factors are huge liabilities that you just can?t overcome. The Dems cannot seem to see that rural hurdle is always there or they just ignore it and never come up with a viable candidate that has the right stuff.
Zilk votes based on movie characters? There’s an informed voter!!!
Candy – I can personnaly confirm this rumor. No, I won’t tell you who I am. No, I won’t tell you when and where he said it. But yes, he has higher aspirations than the Colorado Mansion. Congresspeople run for Senate. But Senators have too many votes to move higher up. Gov.’s – on the other hand – usually have better shots.
We’ll actually get a whiff of this with the election. With his only three years in Congress, he has plenty of votes to be used against him. He’ll have his floor votes – plus his votes in committee – that the Conservatives will use to demonstrate he’s not true blue. Then the Moderates will attack him for the Terry Shiavo stuff, paint him as an extremist. Finally, the Democrats will attach him to Bush.
He’ll be taking it from all sides.
And that’s normal and to be expected. It’s what happens when someone has a primary and general election to get through – and whether he’ll come out unscathed is still yet to be decided.
I also wouldn’t necessarity rule out MH (though I know you like to). He may very well have a chance, becuase of those votes, to knock off BB in the Primary.
As to the general – BB will need to center himself firmly in order to win. I have yet to see him successfully do this. He’s pulled it off in the CD7, but mostly becuase he’s had poor democrat candidates going against him.
Isn’t it funny, though – had BB stayed in the congress, he’d be up against Perlmutter. There’s no way Ed could knock off BB, even with the millionare funds coming to the rescue.
But Ed against Rick? I’m betting on Ed.
GW Hayduke, how does Hickenlooper fit in to the conventional wisdom? I think Mr. Metro would beat BB and MH, don’t you?
Becky – there is a lot of speculation and poll pushing that would say that Hick my win statewide. However, it is yet to be tested, and there are still huge hurdles. He has a great track record that has gotten a lot of media attention, but talk to someone in Maybell, Rangley, Nucla, Lamar, or Crook to see what they know about Hick. Lamn was the last Dem statewide from Denver and as many historians will tell you times were definitely different back then. BB more so than MH, has a big advantage over Hick in rural areas. Mr. Metro has to get over being Mr. Metro and no roots to CO. Hick is smart, and that is why he has not jumped on the run for Gov. bandwagon.
Ah, but Rutt actually has rural roots. I’m not pushing any one candidate at this time, but Rutt has the background to please a lot of constituencies.
He’s a rural born-and-raised, public-schooled, self-made millionaire in the IT industry making software for oil and gas exploration, who went on to form a think tank responsible for several common-sense initiatives.
I actually think he’s got a good chance of beating out the more politically experienced Beauprez, and he’s been out pounding the pavement hard to make up for his previous “obscurity”. The question is – if Joan enters the race, can he win the primary?