In which Our Hero decides on local candidates.
(I frankly admit I have not done all the review of the “confirm this judge” or “select this local district sub-lieutenant council member adjutant secretary” races)
US Senate
With our current Senator retiring, and not actively campaigning for his successor, we get a fairly open race. And though Campbell was a Republican, he was actually elected as a Democrat, so there’s no assumption as to which way his seat will go.
My general perception of Pete Coors (official website) was (and is) that he’s a nice, quiet fellow, an interesting guy to have over to the house, and someone who quietly and profoundly believes in what he says.
My general perception of Ken Salazar (official website) is that he is passionate, but a politician, with all the baggage that carries. With a longer record in public service, he has some bigger targets painted on his back, though no real smoking gun to go with them. He’s definitely the “political insider” on this, and I don’t know that I’d enjoy him over for dinner.
That said, going through a list of political positions, I find myself significantly more in line with Salazar’s stands than Coors’. And so he gets my vote. That’s aided by my desire to see a mixed-party Congress for purposes of institutional friction and a drive toward bi-partisanship. (i.e., I’d like to see, regardless of who’s in the White House, the Senate and House of different parties, and since the House is almost certainly going to stay Republican …).
I also like that Salazar has avoided the “Bush is eeeeevil!” meme in his run. He opposes the Administration in varoius areas, naturally, but his partisan rhetoric has been much more restrained than some. That might reflect his effective campaigning (since Colorado is more of a Bush state than not), but it’s still refreshing.
(Obligatory disclosure: my company is a major contractor for Coors Brewing Co.)
- Dave sez: Salazar (D)
- Polls say: Salazar, narrowly
US Congress
I’m lucky enough, post-redistricting, to end up in the 6th Congressional District, pitching Tom Tancredo (R) (official website), the incumbant, against Joanna Conti (D) (official website). It’s strongly Republican (46% to 23% Dem), which means that Conti has little or no chance, unless Tancredo does something even more buffoonlike than usual.
Follow my drift?
Tancredo‘s biggest problem in my book is that he’s obsessed over immigration, to the point of xenophobia. He goes well beyond solutions that most GOP pols offer, and would likely be most happy if he could dig a huge moat from Texas to California, fill it with sharks, and put machine gun nests on the beach. He originally committed to a self-imposed term limit, but somehow changed his mind when 2002 rolled around.
He will almost certainly win, just because of the “(R)” after his name, which is a shame. Conti, his opponent, is mostly Democratic boilerplate in her sound bites, and a political neophyte — a shame, since she’s been a Republican until this year, and isn’t nearly as cardboard cut-out as her position papers look at first glance. She’ll get my vote.
- Dave sez: Conti (D)
- Polls say: Nobody’s even bothering to ask.
State Legislature
The GOP has a 1-seat margin in the State Senate, a larger margin (37-28) in the House.
I’d planned to vote against the State Senate District 27 incumbent, John Andrews (R) but, huzzah, he’s term-limited. (I disapprove of term limits on principle, but I’ll take the benefit in this case).
That leaves it open as far as incumbency goes, but, again, it’s a Republican district, by 2-1, so any Dem is in for a hard run. The GOP candidate, Nancy Spence (official website), is a 3-term State House member, and is endorsed by Andrews and Gov. Owens. Lisa Love (official website) is on the Dem side.
I’m not terribly impressed by either of them, to be honest. Spence is over-focused on school vouchers, but at least comes off as professional. Love needs to learn how to spell before submitting content to the newspapers.
- Dave sez: Spence (R) — probably.
- Polls say: Nobody’s even bothering to ask.
On the State House side over in District 37, it’s another 2-1 GOP registration advantage (sigh). Lauri Clapp (only candidate I reviewed without a website) is the GOP pick. Looking at her positions, she strikes me as something of a goofball. Tom Donohue (official website — and probably the worst official website I looked at) is running for the Dems; I’m much more impressed (website aside) with his position stances.
- Dave sez:
ClappDonohue (D) - Polls say: Nobody’s even bothering to ask.
Confused…
Clapp or Donohue?
Also, a note for Clapp. It’s XCEL Energy, not EXCEL. Just a quibble.
Rrg. Donohue.
And, yes, the mispelling amused me. (Actually, Clapps animus toward Xcel, and Donohue working for them, was kind of amusing, too.)
President: Kerry. Still wish Dean or Kucinich was in, but oh well.
Senate: Salazar
Congress: Udall
State Senate: Tupa, Worked on two of his past campaigns. Nice guy.
State House: Madden. Easy, the only one running
Also voted on the yearly law to let boulder bypass TABOR, and to set aside money to forest fight fires next year.
And shock of shocks…
DA : Jason Savala a republican. A write in candidate. Just to get rid of the stupidity that is Keenan.
DA : Jason Savala a republican.
Surely yet another Sign of the impending Apocalypse.
President: Kerry
Senate: Salazar
Congress: Udall
State Senate: Curt Williams
State House: Micheal Dugan