Colorado Politics, News and Inside Information

Line Changes and Additions

We've updated the Line for the first time in a few weeks, and we've added something new: a CD-5 Line. Congressman Joel Hefley hasn't announced his retirement yet, but all indications are that it's coming at some point; the only question now is "When?"

But before we get to that, let's start back at the top...

Enter, Fitz-Gerald

The Casper Star Tribune has the scoop on Colorado Politics tonight…

…Reporting that Senator Joan Fitz-Gerald is very seriously considering a run for Governor.

Fitz-Gerald, of Golden, is one of only two women in the nation who serve as president of a state senate. She told a Summit County Chamber of Commerce committee Tuesday she knows a run for governor would be expensive and physically draining.

This is probably no real surprise – we’ve discussed this here many times before – and a competitive third candidate on the Democratic side would probably liven up the race a bit.

Of the remainder of the field:

Among other potential Democratic candidates, former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter and wealthy think tank founder Rutt Bridges have said they will run. Former Lt. Gov. Gail Schoettler has been mentioned as a possible candidate, and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar has not ruled out running.

All while the two Republican camps continue to BASH each other over a race that’s still 14 months out.

Owens, Schaffer Back Beauprez

Congressman Bob Beauprez has received the endorsements of Governor Bill Owens and former Congressman Bob Schaffer in his run for governor in 2006.

The Owens endorsement isn't a major surprise, though the timing is curious in that it came so early. Beauprez has now tied up most of the big names, and while endorsements don't guarantee much, it doesn't help Marc Holtzman if Beauprez cleans up all of the big names.

Click below to read the full press release:

Enter Wes McKinley?

The Rocky Mountain News has some scuttlebutt on the race in CD-4, and it's actually a little more tame than what we have heard lately. The story all settles on State Representative Angie Paccione's finances:

The Democratic field in the 4th could widen, of course. McKinley may be deemed too quirky and Paccione is burdened by past financial problems. It was previously reported that her homeowners association filed liens against her three times for unpaid dues. They were later released. Earlier, in 1992, she also filed for bankruptcy in U.S. District Court in Denver, citing the Colorado student loan program, the Stanford University loan program and several credit card companies as creditors.

She didn't fill out a Rocky Mountain News questionnaire last fall, despite a pledge to do so and offering an apology for being late. It asked candidates whether liens had been filed against them and whether they'd filed for bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan.

It sounds like the News was on the right trail, because we hear that Paccione's finances are bad enough that not only would she not be a viable candidate to run against incumbent Marilyn Musgrave, but she might even have trouble holding her own seat for re-election. Paccione's finances (liens and bankruptcy-related problems) were a minor issue in 2004, but she didn't take the time after the election to clean them up; Republicans didn't forget, however, and now they have the documentation to go after her, whether she runs for re-election or for congress.

It looks like State Representative Wes McKinley is now the Democratic frontrunner. We'll update the CD-4 Line later to reflect that change.

Wednesday Open Thread

Celebrating the Sixth of July!

Bob's Drilling for Dollars

A who's who of Colorado's oil & gas, mining, timber, and construction industries is hosting a luncheon fundraiser for Bob Beauprez's gubernatorial race tomorrow at The Palm restaurant. 

Some of the extraction industry's heavy hitters include Bill Barrett (of Bill Barrett Corp.), Jim Lightner (of Orion Energy Partners), Joe Jaggers (of Williams), Stuart Sanderson (Colorado Mining Association), Ken Wonstolen (Colorado Oil and Gas Association), Marc Smith (Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States), and others.

The event is being organized by Jim Sims, President of Policy Communications, which operates the Western Business Roundtable and the Partnership for the West (all three organizations are located in his office in Golden).  Sims used to be an aide to Dick Cheney.

It appears as though Colorado's extraction industry players are lining up behind Beauprez, rather than Holtzman.  This is a significant, early boost for Beauprez considering the money and clout these industries carry in the state.

While this is not good news for Holtzman, does it create an opening for him to mine some support of his own from those communities and interests on the West Slope opposed to the practices of the oil and gas industry?  Ranchers and hunters come to mind.

Matt Smith Makes Senate Run Official

The Grand Junction Sentinel reports that former state legislator and 2004 congressional candidate (CD-3) Matt Smith has formally announced that he will run for the state senate rather than take a shot at Congressman John Salazar.

This had been all but official for weeks, but Smith talked about Senate District 7 with the Sentinel:

He said Tuesday he can best serve the Western Slope by bringing that experience back to the Senate. He plans to pursue the GOP nomination in 2006 for the seat held by Sen. Ron Teck, a Grand Junction Republican who is term-limited next year.

Good Press for Bridges

Democrat Rutt Bridges got some good press for his forays into Southern Colorado over the weekend.

From The Cortez Journal:

Bridges, an entrepreneur from Littleton, spent 90 minutes Sunday afternoon sipping beer and talking politics with a handful of hearty Democrats at the Main Street Brewery in Cortez. He said job creation, affordable health care and education are keys to his campaign.

From The Telluride Daily Planet:

Colorado gubernatorial hopeful Rutt Bridges sat with a small circle of citizens and local elected officials at the Coffee Cowboy in Telluride Sunday morning, answering questions and introducing himself.

He had some particular insight to questions about the oil and gas development that is gaining momentum all over the state, particularly on the Western Slope. Bridges, a Democrat, worked in the oil and gas industry for two decades.

Bridges is getting the press, now where's Bill Ritter?

Hickenlooper Names Finegan COS

As Colorado Pols reported (though this wasn't much of a surprise), Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has appointed City Attorney Cole Finegan as interim Chief of Staff, replacing Michael Bennet, who was appointed Denver School Board Superintendent.

Rocky Chastises Beauprez

The Rocky Mountain News took a shot at Congressman Bob Beauprez today for grandstanding on the illegal immigration issue:

When it comes to grandstanding, it looks as if Rep. Bob Beauprez has been taking lessons from the master, colleague Tom Tancredo. Beauprez recently introduced an amendment that would cut off U.S. aid to any country (read: Mexico) that refuses to extradite suspects in cop-killings should they face the death penalty or life imprisonment...

Beauprez first proposed this legislation two weeks ago, in response to the killing of Denver police detective Donald Young. At the time, Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey boldly, and correctly, told him and the rest of the Colorado delegation to back off. He didn't...

Beauprez's amendment seems to be aimed primarily at helping him get the Republican gubernatorial nomination next year. We can only hope it doesn't hurt Morrissey's attempt to extradite and prosecute Gomez-Garcia.

It's curious that the News would run this editorial today when the vote on the bill was more than a week ago, but it's also a testament to the fact that the immigration issue is going to be front and center for a while.