John Salazar Draws Opponent

It looks like freshman Congressman John Salazar already has an opponent for 2006. State Representative Joshua Penry, who bills himself as a "Citizen Legislator" while representing Delta and Mesa Counties, is preparing to challenge Ken's older brother.

Penry is considered to be personable and very bright, and will be extremely well-funded. Penry doesn't carry the baggage that Salazar's 2004 opponent lugged around, either.

If John Salazar is re-elected it certainly reflects well for the Salazar Machine, but his race will put pressure on Ken. If John loses in 2006, the vultures will start circling around Ken well before 2010.

UPDATE: Here's Josh Penry's state house campaign website. You've gotta love this incredibly goofy glamour shot picture of Penry and former Congressman Scott McInnis at the bottom of the website; they look like they're getting ready to shoot a late-night ad for ambulance chasing attorneys. "Have you been in an accident..."

Comments

[vladimir]

love your site --
but last I heard John was the elder Salazar although Ken holds the higher office --

[Alva Adams]

Oops, I think you're right. We changed it.

[West Slope Tim]

I wish that we could have a Republican Congressman again, after all, this is our home turf on the West Slope. But, I think anyone who runs against John (older brother) Salazar will face an uphill battle. I don't know who's riding whose coattails (John did better than Ken in the 3rd), but having 2 Salazars always in the press, only increases both of their name ID. It's too easy for them. But, ultimately, we'll be going into week 8, with Salazar at 90% name ID and any Republican at 30%. On election day, 2004, John Salazar's name ID was still 30 points higher than Walcher's. And, Walcher was a good candidate (despite "baggage"), who'd held a statewide position of importance to the Third. He's connected in all the West Slope groups through his successful tenure as Club 20 Director. Penry is fairly unknown, didn't face much of a race, still in his 20's, and very cocky / arrogant. He's a little more conservative than Walcher, which I'm fine with. I don't think that hurts. The West Slope is far more about personality than politics. I'll support Penry, but will probably make my significant financial donations to the Govenor's race, since we're more likely to win that, than the third.

[Dan]

Don't you have to be 25 to run for Congress?

[Manny]

I believe he is in his late 20s, 28 or so.

[Ben Gray]

If Penry gets in this race he'll beat Salazar. He's more intelligent, a harder worker, more charasmatic, and will raise a ton of money from across the country. He is not a political novice and will be a much tougher opponent than anything Salazar saw last year.

[Ter Ducken]

I hope he's more charismatic than he is in that picture. He looks like Lurch from the Addams Family.

[RanchHandTurk]

Why are we throwing all our eggs in one basket with this kid? I've never met him personally, but let's face it... he's kind of twerpy. Let's set aside for a second that JS works on his farm, rides horses for reasons other than photo-ops, and kick the shit around with every kind of person he comes across... except maybe a guy like Ward Churchill. I'd feel much better if he could be framed-up as a hippy or a schemey hack but to be honest (while he's not all that smart) he dosn't seem to be fake or manipulative. I always had my problems with Walcher because of that. My feeling is that pitting Penry against John Salazar is just a way to breed him for a State Senate run when the time is right... a way to get his name ID high and to show that he's a spunky kid with a bright future. Maybe the feeling is that Salazar won't want the office after two or three terms and he'll be a fresh part of the voters consciencness when the time is right. I'm a little more interested in finding a candidate that will work NOW, not in four or six years.

[HandsOffMyWater]

Penry is okay. Nothing special, I think John Salazar could easily kick his a** with the advantages of incumbancy fundraising. It will take a real fundraising powerhouse to beat John Salazar...perhaps someone from the Canon City area?

[Alva Adams]

If Salazar is going to be beat, it's going to have to be in 2006. A two-time incumbent will be tough to beat after that.

Penry may be getting a little ahead of himself, but we'll wait to see how he progresses. He's only recently been elected, and that "Citizen Legislator" shtick won't work in a congressional campaign when Salazar has the money and resources to expose him for what his resume shows he truly is: a career politician, albeit a young one.

Salazar is going to have a lot of money to play with, and brother Ken will be campaigning hard right along with him. It's going to take a strong Republican to beat him - is that really Penry?

[Kenny]

Is he a closeted queen, or is that Greg Walcher? I can never remember.

[ColoBLT]

John Salazar is a real man in the old fashioned sense of the word. He wears shit-kickers because it's what he does and who he is. He's a decorated Army veteran, 5th generation Colorado farmer, and one of the few men who can pull off a mustache and look good doing it. When it comes to water, what could this Penry kid possibly know? John Salazar has spent his life fighting water speculators and stood up against Governor Owens and his Denver special interests and will stand up against anyone else who tries to take Colorado’s water. He doesn't just know about water issues, his livelihood depends on it. You all area bunch of daydreamers if you think some 28 year old kid has a shot in hell against a guy who doesn’t just talk about Colorado’s rural values – he lives them every day.

[Jon]

BLT must write radio copy for the elder Salazar. John Salazar is a political neophyte and a fraud. That guy changes positions so often it makes my head spin. Maybe you hadn't noticed that he has also shaved his mustache. He won the race in the 3rd for one reason: Ken Salazar.

[ElChad]

Jon-
How does Salazar change positions?? I wont even ask about the other stuff your pulling out of your a** like political neophyte and him being a fraud. Ohh I dont know if your up on the whole reading thing, but John did better than Ken in the 3rd. Get your facts straight. Nothing pisses me off more than someone that cant look past partisanship.

[rjf]

Boy, tempers are really flying over this one...probably because the dems know and are scared that Josh Penry is the candidate that will upset Salazar in '06. It's known over here in Grand Junction that if Josh enters the race he will have the primary field cleared for him and he'll have the big guns flying into the district from across the country.
Josh has accomplished more in Congress as a staffer than John Salazar can ever hope to achieve. He single handidly ushered through the Healthy Forest Initiative and if you see any release from the Chairman of the Natural Resouces Committee, he does nothing but praise Josh's involvement.
Someone implied Salazar knows everything about water and that Penry knows nothing because of his age...well folks, in DC speaking the language (and I mean that in more ways than one) is half the battle.
Take it from a constituent in the 3rd, we'll be behind Josh and put this seat back in Republican hands.

[RanchHandTurk]

It's true that JS did better than KS in the Third Congressional District. I find this disturbing for Republicans. It might have something to do with the opponents. Greg Walcher was such a horrible candidate. Josh Penry will be no better, that's certain. It's too bad Matt Smith couldn't quite get it done in the primary. Now it looks like hes taking a payoff for this interior thing... whatever. If this is our guy we lose. period.

[gjb]

"Josh has accomplished more in Congress as a staffer than John Salazar can ever hope to achieve."

Is this some kind of joke? John Salzar runs a multi-million dollar farm operation, is a US Army Vet, has been fighting water speculators since the 1970's (before Josh was born), some of us remember him as a leader on the Governor's economic development board, etc.

Josh Penry was the quarterback for Mesa State College (woo hoo) and a dc staffer for a couple years. At least Greg Walcher was a DC staffer for a whole lotta years. This makes Penry better qualified how? Do you really think that Josh Penry is going to "upset" John Salazar for this seat? If you do then your political insticts are about as sharp as a bag of wet hay.

PS. To answer KennyBe's question: I think it was Walcher. Although Penry seems to fit the profile.

[LwyrLbst]

Look, if Penry's going to run against St. John Salazar, he's going to have to go SUPER negative SUPER fast. Does he have the stomach for it like Greg Walcher? I don't know 'cause I've only just heard of the guy. I looked at his website and the only thing I cold make out is that Scott McInnis threw down some praise for Healthy Forests and posed for a crappy photo. He'll need to do much more than that next go-round. But, he probably won't since he'll be enjoying the perks of working with Tom Strickland and other Lawyer/Lobbyists at H and H.

I can't wait to see the ads. Remeber the film "election"?

"I'm Josh Penry. I won't let you down just like I didn't when I threw the winning touchdown against Western State Junior College for the Regional Semi-Finals."

[Chris]

The GOP is letting this one go. Penry is nothing more than a patsy.

[Party_Pooper]

That can't be true. I've heard that Tom Delay has targeted this seat #1. It's a competitive district for the right Republican. That's why there's no way that Josh Penry will be the guy. He has little chance of beating "St. John."

[GOP30Something]

Mixed feelings about Josh. He is very bright, so shouldn't be underestimated. Josh would be more appealing to me if he had fallen on his face a few times to gain some life perspective. As it is, he's had every professional opportunity spoon fed to him. That's annoying.

As a constituent of Josh's, I feel that he shouldn't be considering a run for the 3rd CD just 3 months after being elected to the state House. His personal ambition appears to be of greater interest to him than serving the public. He should take advice from his predecessors, but he doesn't appear willing to listen to anyone.

As much as I'd like to return the 3rd to GOP hands, Josh isn't the person to do it. I'd rather see someone like Russell George or Ron Teck be the GOP nominee.

[JTR]

Is Josh a man of faith, and it yes what denomination? Also what are his thoughts on the Abortionists and the Jews?

[prognosticator]

I've met Josh, and he's a great guy with a bright future. He needs to rein in his ambitions a little, though. There are a lot of former Hill rats that would love a run at the Big Show. He needs to back off and let a more experienced hand - and one that can actually raise the requisite money - step in.

[Al]

JTR--> You passed the test. You may be a narrow-minded guy when it comes to our friends in Israel (you should pray for them along with me), but I'd like to know how he feels about the abortionists, too.

[COcowgrl]

John's easy to talk to. Penry just comes across smarmy and slick. At the end of the day, I'll go with the guy who sounds like a real person.