Anyone else notice Haley's column in the D Post this morning? Beauprez admits he will be "dwarfed" by Holtman's money. More importantly, Will Perkins attended a C Springs $$ for Holtman, and Elway is expected to campaign with him.
Perkins is the closest thing to Dobson and the Focus crowd, and if he is in Holtzmann's corner, that is a huge coup. Don't think Elway brings many votes, but if he campaigns for Holtmann, the media will cover it en masse and it adds credibility to the campaign.
Two months ago I thought this was BB's race to lose, now I'm not so sure.
It's a long way to the finish line but Holtzman is doing the early stuff right. But the Beauprez people will engage and Holtzman's long string of unchallenged press releases that are turned into Penny Parker columns will end. When the oppo people start kicking a bit, Holtzman will have some challenges.
Holtzman has been out there passing himself off as a conservative. As far as I can tell, this is a recent conversion.
How is a guy that has never said a word or actually done anything to promote a conservative agenda passing himself off as one??? I am very confused by this and why some people are buying into it.
Maybe people are figuring out that Beauprez is just leaping from office to office to eventually run for president? That he's just trying to avoid a nasty battle in the 7th and giving up on representing the people he was actually elected to serve?
Come down here and you'll see we're still upset about this. We worked hard for Beauprez and spent a lot of money getting him elected in a tight race. Twice.
And now he's giving up on us - and a great committee seat - all because Bruce Benson wants to rule the world (and Party) by having another puppet in the mansion.
Jeffco - If it was the Jeffco conservatives buying into it I might agree. But Holtzman has been down in Co Springs and Douglas county claiming to be the next Bill Armstrong. As far as I know, he is not a conservative and has never been interested in those issues. The whole things seems self serving to me.
I think the highest priority for Republicans has to be keeping the Gov's mansion. Can you imagine what would happen if the Ds keep the GA and take the Gov's mansion???? We might as well move CA or NJ!
Yes - that's the line the Beauprez people have been feeding us for the last two months. I don't buy it. They have no strong candidate, we do, and also have an incumbant who has a proven ability to win in the district. Even with a republican in the mansion, the democrats will fill the seat and we'll never get it back.
That's the Spin we'll hear from the offices of Williams for the next year; it's all about the maintaining the governor's mansion - who cares about piddly little congressional seats.
I think everybody will agree that a Congressman is far less powerful than a governor and it is too bad Dems have nobody serious to challenge Beauprez or Holtzman.
But put in proper context, Colorado Republicans should be embarassed that Dems won back the GA, won a Senate seat - with a guy who has done more for Colorado in eight months, than our Sr. Sen. has done in eight years - and looks to be headed towards easy wins on Ref. C&D (of course Fitzgerald and Romanoff will get more credit than Billy O.), keeping control of the Legilsative branch (with no shot right now at the guv's mansion, but I am looking forward to the bruising primary causing further embarassment to CO Rs) and shifting the Congressional delegation to a 4-3 advantage.
Spin - I care about the 7th. But I also care about the Gov's mansion and not losing it to the Ds. If I had a shred of hope for Holtzman I would probably feel the same way, but come on! Holtzman is completely uninspiring with no real positions on anything, except the fact that he is rich and can therefore "play" in politics.
Superstar - Please, what has Salazar done that is so great (besides bend like to the political winds to get himself in the paper). The Rs should be embaressed by both the GA and the Senate seat.
We will see how the next cycle goes, I will spare everyone the cheerleading antics.
Heard that newly-elected state Rep. Josh Penry (R-District 54) is going to run for Sen. Ron Teck's seat when Teck is term-limited in two years.
Apparently, this is more than just a rumor - Josh has been recruiting people to run for his seat, according to credible sources.
Geez - as someone who ardently supported and voted for Penry, it annoys me that his ambition supercedes his willingness to serve us for eight years in the House - he could get re-elected hands-down for the next three terms.
Since state Senators don't get paid anymore than their counterparts in the "Lower chamber," one can only guess that ego and impatient ambition are driving this move. That is really too bad. Josh is such a smart and talented guy - he could do himself damage if it appears he doesn't give a rats butt for anyone except himself.
Josh would still be serving the majority of his current constituents when he makes the move to Senate. He is very well liked across the Western Slope and all his supporters are encouraging him to make this move. You might as well get on board, this train has left the station and it ain't stoppin for a long time.
Is anyone else concerned about Cong. Tancredo and his crazy rantings about shutting down the borders and deporting all illegal aliens? I mean, this guy is way out there - talking about things that would send this country into a tailspin and basically shut down our economy. Whats more disturbing to me is what seems to be the rising numbers of people who are listening to him and blindly agreeing with him on these extreme ideas without understanding all the reprocussions. What is happening to this country for people to think that we need troops at our borders? Has everyone forgotten about what our country stands for?
Concerned, I'll agree that Tancredo can be extreme, and is at times not as eloquent as he could be. He does raise a critical issue though that many are afraid to talk about.
This issue is going to get more and more coverage until we either shut down our borders or have a guest worker program in place that actually works. So far the guest worker programs we have had, going back to the Bracero program have only encouraged more illegal immigration.
I think Tancredo is more than "extreme." People talk about shutting down the borders like its nothing - as if it is actually a viable option that our political leaders should actually consider. I mean - seriously people? SHUTTING DOWN THE BORDERS? Does anyone else actually understand what that would mean for the United States? What would happen to our economy?
I agree that illegal immigration is an important issue - don't get me wrong - its just, I think leaders like Tancredo are irresponsible in their rhetoric and are encouraging tactics that are inflammatory and not even close to being thoroughly thought out.
Just on Salon.com: political columnist, Arianna Huffington reports that Dick Cheney was in the Vail hospital on Friday. Some of her sources say it was to check on an old knee problem; but others say possibly it was also for his heart.
As Salon writes:
"How much stock you put into Hufffington's story depends pretty much entirely on how much credence you give to the stories she's hearing from her sources. If Cheney visited a cardiologist and got an EKG, then Huffington has begun to uncover some kind of cover-up. If he didn't, then all we've got here is a hospital sort of denying that the vice president was in its midst -- the sort of lie by omission you hear all the time from cops and other locals who have been told that they're not supposed to say anything about the whereabouts of a visiting dignitary."
The thing is, you just don't know. And given the dissembling and stonewalling that have become the stock in trade of this administration -- not to mention the complacency of the national press -- you're probably never going to. As Huffington herself says, there are "so many questions," and yet "so little leveling with the American people."
Why do you go to a Vail, CO hospital to check up on an old knee injury? Even if it is in your area at the time?
However, there isn't a shred of evidence either way, and since Cheney has known heart problems, I can't believe a coverup over a slight chest pain. I'm inclined to take it for what it is this time around...
People People People, seriously now! You really believe that if the VP was admitted because of chest pains they would try and cover it up? Lets review, Bush - Cheney were re-elected in 2004 at which time the VP has said time and time again that he has no interest in running for President. Wouldn't the only reason to cover up a hospital visit be political damage it could do to your future. As far as the Veep is concerned, when the term expires he retires to the Wyoming ranch. Does the names Steadman - Hawkins ring a bell for anyone. As in the world famous orthopedic clinic in Vail that treats the likes of Wayne Gretzky and John Elway. Man, I thought the R's were conspiracy theorists, this has black helicopters written all over it!
Secondly, Annoyed have you no political mind. When you have a strong bench, you groom them, encourage them to advance, take on tougher races as to be battle ready to run against formidable D's. In your world, all would sit tight and never test themselves and advance. If you ran the world all we would get was candidates like Holtzman and Bridges whom have never been elected County Surveyor...do I sense some envy Annoyed?
onpoint -
Lots of assumptions, you make (Yoda fan, I am).
I appreciate your comical effort to bait me but I'll just be the straight man here.
I think we're fortunate in western Colorado to have a large field of candidates who are interested in, and capable of, serving in public office. Four Republicans come to mind immediately who would serve capably in SD-7 (Penry is one of them). So, our "bench" consists of more than one individual who might be a good choice to succeed Teck. It will be interesting to watch this one play out.
I think back to Penry's predecessors - Tim Foster and Ed Carpenter, for example, who served their terms in HD 54 and then served the public in other ways. Foster, in particular, is noteworthy because he could easily have advanced in other elected offices but chose to give up that kind of future to focus on career choices that benefited his family. (CDPHE and Mesa State.)
That really frames my thoughts about being disappointed in Josh's willingness to "jump ship" from HD 54 to SD-7. I wish he would be content to stay in HD 54, preventing that seat from being open to a Democrat for at least 6 more years, while using his influence to groom some more candidates and build our party's influence here and statewide.
In otherwords, there's more than one way to build a bench. I like Josh, I respect his abilities. But I can't shake this feeling that his constituents (in Delta, especially) don't matter as much to him as his personal ambitions. Stay where you are, Josh, please.
I may be ill informed or just another prognosticator (of which this board has an over-abundence), but Ref C&D appear set for easy passage for three reasons: 1. Denver Chamber of Commerce 2. Doug Bruce 3. Jon Caldera and/or Independence Institute
1. The last time the Denver Chamber of Commerce rallied its members, FasTracks (and the Union Stattion overhaul) passed big. All it takes now is for a commercial of Mayor Hick riding a scooter with Romanoff and Fitzgerald
2. Doug Bruce is viewed by most of the population of Colorado who votes as another CS whack job who screwed up the state budget. His opposition is virtually meaningless.
3. Jon Caldera and the Independence Institute are totally inept b/c most voters haven't hears the radio spots, but have read the press that the ads overstate the truth (to put in in a nice, Washinton Post-kind-of-way).
I'm voting for it just to fix the potholes on I-25 near Invesco.
...And what has Salazar done that Allard has not? Well, aside from being one of the 14 that virtually saved the Senate (and Bill Frist ultimately) and the other issues for which he has received appropriate and good media coverage, he got renewable language in the Energy bill and he's checking with the freaking sugar beet farmers before joining CAFTA. And this after demonstrating he's free of the looney left by sitting with Gonzalez (who so far is not nearly as bad as John Let-the-eagles-soar Ashcroft (although he could be a disaster at any moment). Last time I checked, George Bush was thinking about letting Wayne Allard wash the Senate jock straps.
Funny, I live in Eckert and there has been a story about Josh Penry at different events in Delta most of the last several weeks. And I shook his hand and had a conversation with him at the Delta-Rado days parade a couple weeks ago.
Penry sure is up here in the Delta area a lot,AnnoyedWC, to make your statement about Josh and Delta.
But I do agree with Annoyed that I hope he won't run. He's been as attentive to Delta as any Rep. we've had and we've had some good ones.
And he's passed more bills than most of them too -especially his water one. But I guess he could do the same thing from the Senate too.
Either way, Western CO is lucky to have him.
The 'Denver Three' make the NYT. At least, by going nationally, Colorado gets a break for a while. Even Musgrave won't criticize them.
Posted by: Stygius | June 27, 2005 at 08:13 AM
Anyone else notice Haley's column in the D Post this morning? Beauprez admits he will be "dwarfed" by Holtman's money. More importantly, Will Perkins attended a C Springs $$ for Holtman, and Elway is expected to campaign with him.
Perkins is the closest thing to Dobson and the Focus crowd, and if he is in Holtzmann's corner, that is a huge coup. Don't think Elway brings many votes, but if he campaigns for Holtmann, the media will cover it en masse and it adds credibility to the campaign.
Two months ago I thought this was BB's race to lose, now I'm not so sure.
Posted by: skibum | June 27, 2005 at 09:39 AM
It's a long way to the finish line but Holtzman is doing the early stuff right. But the Beauprez people will engage and Holtzman's long string of unchallenged press releases that are turned into Penny Parker columns will end. When the oppo people start kicking a bit, Holtzman will have some challenges.
Posted by: Roberto | June 27, 2005 at 09:49 AM
Holtzman has been out there passing himself off as a conservative. As far as I can tell, this is a recent conversion.
How is a guy that has never said a word or actually done anything to promote a conservative agenda passing himself off as one??? I am very confused by this and why some people are buying into it.
Posted by: Odd | June 27, 2005 at 09:55 AM
Maybe people are figuring out that Beauprez is just leaping from office to office to eventually run for president? That he's just trying to avoid a nasty battle in the 7th and giving up on representing the people he was actually elected to serve?
Come down here and you'll see we're still upset about this. We worked hard for Beauprez and spent a lot of money getting him elected in a tight race. Twice.
And now he's giving up on us - and a great committee seat - all because Bruce Benson wants to rule the world (and Party) by having another puppet in the mansion.
Posted by: jeffco | June 27, 2005 at 10:17 AM
Jeffco - If it was the Jeffco conservatives buying into it I might agree. But Holtzman has been down in Co Springs and Douglas county claiming to be the next Bill Armstrong. As far as I know, he is not a conservative and has never been interested in those issues. The whole things seems self serving to me.
I think the highest priority for Republicans has to be keeping the Gov's mansion. Can you imagine what would happen if the Ds keep the GA and take the Gov's mansion???? We might as well move CA or NJ!
Posted by: odd | June 27, 2005 at 10:25 AM
Yes - that's the line the Beauprez people have been feeding us for the last two months. I don't buy it. They have no strong candidate, we do, and also have an incumbant who has a proven ability to win in the district. Even with a republican in the mansion, the democrats will fill the seat and we'll never get it back.
Posted by: jeffco | June 27, 2005 at 10:36 AM
That's the Spin we'll hear from the offices of Williams for the next year; it's all about the maintaining the governor's mansion - who cares about piddly little congressional seats.
I care.
Posted by: spin | June 27, 2005 at 10:40 AM
There is a good candidate for the 7th, his name is O'Donnell.
Posted by: Jake | June 27, 2005 at 10:47 AM
I think everybody will agree that a Congressman is far less powerful than a governor and it is too bad Dems have nobody serious to challenge Beauprez or Holtzman.
But put in proper context, Colorado Republicans should be embarassed that Dems won back the GA, won a Senate seat - with a guy who has done more for Colorado in eight months, than our Sr. Sen. has done in eight years - and looks to be headed towards easy wins on Ref. C&D (of course Fitzgerald and Romanoff will get more credit than Billy O.), keeping control of the Legilsative branch (with no shot right now at the guv's mansion, but I am looking forward to the bruising primary causing further embarassment to CO Rs) and shifting the Congressional delegation to a 4-3 advantage.
Posted by: Superstar | June 27, 2005 at 10:55 AM
Spin - I care about the 7th. But I also care about the Gov's mansion and not losing it to the Ds. If I had a shred of hope for Holtzman I would probably feel the same way, but come on! Holtzman is completely uninspiring with no real positions on anything, except the fact that he is rich and can therefore "play" in politics.
Posted by: Odd | June 27, 2005 at 10:58 AM
Superstar - Please, what has Salazar done that is so great (besides bend like to the political winds to get himself in the paper). The Rs should be embaressed by both the GA and the Senate seat.
We will see how the next cycle goes, I will spare everyone the cheerleading antics.
Posted by: Whatever | June 27, 2005 at 11:04 AM
Superstar, did you really say that Ref. C and D are on there way to an ez win? You are a detached and ill-informed human being if you believe that!
Posted by: pj | June 27, 2005 at 11:34 AM
Heard that newly-elected state Rep. Josh Penry (R-District 54) is going to run for Sen. Ron Teck's seat when Teck is term-limited in two years.
Apparently, this is more than just a rumor - Josh has been recruiting people to run for his seat, according to credible sources.
Geez - as someone who ardently supported and voted for Penry, it annoys me that his ambition supercedes his willingness to serve us for eight years in the House - he could get re-elected hands-down for the next three terms.
Since state Senators don't get paid anymore than their counterparts in the "Lower chamber," one can only guess that ego and impatient ambition are driving this move. That is really too bad. Josh is such a smart and talented guy - he could do himself damage if it appears he doesn't give a rats butt for anyone except himself.
Posted by: AnnoyedinWC | June 27, 2005 at 11:43 AM
Josh would still be serving the majority of his current constituents when he makes the move to Senate. He is very well liked across the Western Slope and all his supporters are encouraging him to make this move. You might as well get on board, this train has left the station and it ain't stoppin for a long time.
Posted by: allaboard | June 27, 2005 at 11:58 AM
Is anyone else concerned about Cong. Tancredo and his crazy rantings about shutting down the borders and deporting all illegal aliens? I mean, this guy is way out there - talking about things that would send this country into a tailspin and basically shut down our economy. Whats more disturbing to me is what seems to be the rising numbers of people who are listening to him and blindly agreeing with him on these extreme ideas without understanding all the reprocussions. What is happening to this country for people to think that we need troops at our borders? Has everyone forgotten about what our country stands for?
Why isnt this covered more?
Posted by: concerned | June 27, 2005 at 12:39 PM
Concerned, I'll agree that Tancredo can be extreme, and is at times not as eloquent as he could be. He does raise a critical issue though that many are afraid to talk about.
This issue is going to get more and more coverage until we either shut down our borders or have a guest worker program in place that actually works. So far the guest worker programs we have had, going back to the Bracero program have only encouraged more illegal immigration.
Posted by: Manofthehour | June 27, 2005 at 01:11 PM
I think Tancredo is more than "extreme." People talk about shutting down the borders like its nothing - as if it is actually a viable option that our political leaders should actually consider. I mean - seriously people? SHUTTING DOWN THE BORDERS? Does anyone else actually understand what that would mean for the United States? What would happen to our economy?
I agree that illegal immigration is an important issue - don't get me wrong - its just, I think leaders like Tancredo are irresponsible in their rhetoric and are encouraging tactics that are inflammatory and not even close to being thoroughly thought out.
Why can't someone suggest serious solutions?
Posted by: concerned | June 27, 2005 at 01:21 PM
Just on Salon.com: political columnist, Arianna Huffington reports that Dick Cheney was in the Vail hospital on Friday. Some of her sources say it was to check on an old knee problem; but others say possibly it was also for his heart.
As Salon writes:
"How much stock you put into Hufffington's story depends pretty much entirely on how much credence you give to the stories she's hearing from her sources. If Cheney visited a cardiologist and got an EKG, then Huffington has begun to uncover some kind of cover-up. If he didn't, then all we've got here is a hospital sort of denying that the vice president was in its midst -- the sort of lie by omission you hear all the time from cops and other locals who have been told that they're not supposed to say anything about the whereabouts of a visiting dignitary."
The thing is, you just don't know. And given the dissembling and stonewalling that have become the stock in trade of this administration -- not to mention the complacency of the national press -- you're probably never going to. As Huffington herself says, there are "so many questions," and yet "so little leveling with the American people."
Posted by: WestSlopeDem | June 27, 2005 at 02:05 PM
Why do you go to a Vail, CO hospital to check up on an old knee injury? Even if it is in your area at the time?
However, there isn't a shred of evidence either way, and since Cheney has known heart problems, I can't believe a coverup over a slight chest pain. I'm inclined to take it for what it is this time around...
Posted by: Phoenix Rising | June 27, 2005 at 02:30 PM
Because Vail has that fancy clinic with expert knee doctors that Kobe went to. I can't remember what it's called. Or something like that.
Posted by: Jason | June 27, 2005 at 02:49 PM
People People People, seriously now! You really believe that if the VP was admitted because of chest pains they would try and cover it up? Lets review, Bush - Cheney were re-elected in 2004 at which time the VP has said time and time again that he has no interest in running for President. Wouldn't the only reason to cover up a hospital visit be political damage it could do to your future. As far as the Veep is concerned, when the term expires he retires to the Wyoming ranch. Does the names Steadman - Hawkins ring a bell for anyone. As in the world famous orthopedic clinic in Vail that treats the likes of Wayne Gretzky and John Elway. Man, I thought the R's were conspiracy theorists, this has black helicopters written all over it!
Secondly, Annoyed have you no political mind. When you have a strong bench, you groom them, encourage them to advance, take on tougher races as to be battle ready to run against formidable D's. In your world, all would sit tight and never test themselves and advance. If you ran the world all we would get was candidates like Holtzman and Bridges whom have never been elected County Surveyor...do I sense some envy Annoyed?
Posted by: onpoint | June 27, 2005 at 02:52 PM
onpoint -
Lots of assumptions, you make (Yoda fan, I am).
I appreciate your comical effort to bait me but I'll just be the straight man here.
I think we're fortunate in western Colorado to have a large field of candidates who are interested in, and capable of, serving in public office. Four Republicans come to mind immediately who would serve capably in SD-7 (Penry is one of them). So, our "bench" consists of more than one individual who might be a good choice to succeed Teck. It will be interesting to watch this one play out.
I think back to Penry's predecessors - Tim Foster and Ed Carpenter, for example, who served their terms in HD 54 and then served the public in other ways. Foster, in particular, is noteworthy because he could easily have advanced in other elected offices but chose to give up that kind of future to focus on career choices that benefited his family. (CDPHE and Mesa State.)
That really frames my thoughts about being disappointed in Josh's willingness to "jump ship" from HD 54 to SD-7. I wish he would be content to stay in HD 54, preventing that seat from being open to a Democrat for at least 6 more years, while using his influence to groom some more candidates and build our party's influence here and statewide.
In otherwords, there's more than one way to build a bench. I like Josh, I respect his abilities. But I can't shake this feeling that his constituents (in Delta, especially) don't matter as much to him as his personal ambitions. Stay where you are, Josh, please.
Posted by: AnnoyedinWC | June 27, 2005 at 04:23 PM
I may be ill informed or just another prognosticator (of which this board has an over-abundence), but Ref C&D appear set for easy passage for three reasons: 1. Denver Chamber of Commerce 2. Doug Bruce 3. Jon Caldera and/or Independence Institute
1. The last time the Denver Chamber of Commerce rallied its members, FasTracks (and the Union Stattion overhaul) passed big. All it takes now is for a commercial of Mayor Hick riding a scooter with Romanoff and Fitzgerald
2. Doug Bruce is viewed by most of the population of Colorado who votes as another CS whack job who screwed up the state budget. His opposition is virtually meaningless.
3. Jon Caldera and the Independence Institute are totally inept b/c most voters haven't hears the radio spots, but have read the press that the ads overstate the truth (to put in in a nice, Washinton Post-kind-of-way).
I'm voting for it just to fix the potholes on I-25 near Invesco.
...And what has Salazar done that Allard has not? Well, aside from being one of the 14 that virtually saved the Senate (and Bill Frist ultimately) and the other issues for which he has received appropriate and good media coverage, he got renewable language in the Energy bill and he's checking with the freaking sugar beet farmers before joining CAFTA. And this after demonstrating he's free of the looney left by sitting with Gonzalez (who so far is not nearly as bad as John Let-the-eagles-soar Ashcroft (although he could be a disaster at any moment). Last time I checked, George Bush was thinking about letting Wayne Allard wash the Senate jock straps.
Posted by: superstar | June 27, 2005 at 04:26 PM
Funny, I live in Eckert and there has been a story about Josh Penry at different events in Delta most of the last several weeks. And I shook his hand and had a conversation with him at the Delta-Rado days parade a couple weeks ago.
Penry sure is up here in the Delta area a lot,AnnoyedWC, to make your statement about Josh and Delta.
But I do agree with Annoyed that I hope he won't run. He's been as attentive to Delta as any Rep. we've had and we've had some good ones.
And he's passed more bills than most of them too -especially his water one. But I guess he could do the same thing from the Senate too.
Either way, Western CO is lucky to have him.
Posted by: EckertGOP | June 27, 2005 at 06:18 PM