State Political Profile: Colorado
Governor
After wresting a congressional seat and a U.S. Senate seat from Republicans last fall, Democrats in Colorado are setting their sights on two more congressional seats and the governor's office this November.
The biggest challenge is expected to be the governor's race, where Democrats have a relatively unknown candidate, former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter. Democrats worry that Ritter's opposition to abortion will cost him support, though he said he will always support a woman's right to choose and would allow exceptions for rape, incest and fetal anomalies. The seat is open because GOP Gov. Bill Owens is term-limited.
On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez stepped down after two terms to win the nomination. Marc Holtzman, a former member of Owens' cabinet, dropped out. Beauprez has touted his experience in government, and has clashed with Ritter on abortion (he would allow exceptions only to save the life of the mother). The two also differ sharply on a successful November 2005 ballot measure that will allow the state to keep some $5 billion that otherwise would have been refunded to taxpayers; Ritter supported it and Beauprez did not. Beauprez's running mate, Janet Rowland, was criticized for comments on a TV program likening homosexuality to bestiality; the campaign said she regretted the remarks and has apologized.
U.S. House
Rep. Bob Beauprez's decision to run for governor means the relatively new 7th District will be an expensive battleground this year. GOP nominee Rick O'Donnell attracted visits from President Bush and Vice President Cheney even before the Aug. 8 primary.
The district is almost evenly divided among Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters, largely mirroring Colorado's statewide registration. It is also diverse, with a Hispanic population ranging from 53 percent in Commerce City to 10 percent in suburban Arvada.
Attorney Ed Perlmutter won the Democratic nomination after a nasty three-way race against Peggy Lamm (sister-in-law of Democratic former Gov. Richard Lamm) and professor Herb Rubenstein. Beauprez is backing O'Donnell, who once headed the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.
Perlmutter and O'Donnell clashed immediately following the Aug. 8 primary, with the Democrat trying to portray O'Donnell as a pawn of GOP leaders in Washington and the Republican saying Perlmutter is out of touch with family values in the largely blue-collar district. Perlmutter, 53, is a former state lawmaker, while the 36-year-old O'Donnell has never held office.
Democrats are also targeting GOP Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, best known nationally for her push to ban legal recognition of gay marriage with a constitutional amendment. President Bush wasted no time in trying to shore up her support by visiting Colorado in November 2005 to raise $450,000 for her re-election campaign.
Bush said the two-term congresswoman needs help "to defeat the special interests that are trying to drive her out of office." Two months later, Musgrave donated $1,000 she received from the wife of lobbyist Jack Abramoff to the Crossroads Safehouse in Fort Collins.
Musgrave represents the sprawling 4th District, which sweeps from northern Colorado's fast-growing cities to the farms and ranches of the eastern and southern plains. The Democratic nominee is Angie Paccione, a liberal state lawmaker from the college town of Fort Collins. Paccione says Musgrave is vulnerable because of her ties to the White House and GOP leaders in Congress.
Republicans, meanwhile, are hoping to recapture the 3rd District, won last year by John Salazar, brother of freshman Sen. Ken Salazar. The two gave their party a boost by winning the two open seats even as Democrats weren't doing as well nationally.
As of mid-July, Rep. Salazar held a substantial fund-raising lead over Republican Scott Tipton, a Cortez pottery shop owner. Salazar had $1.2 million on hand at the end of June and Tipton $343,000.
A third congressional seat opened up with the retirement of 10-term GOP Rep. Joel Hefley. State lawmaker Doug Lamborn, a 52-year-old attorney won a six-way Republican primary and is the favorite to win in November in the heavily conservative 5th District. The Democratic nominee is former Air Force officer Jay Fawcett, who contends Lamborn is a right-wing extremist out of touch with other voters.
Colorado's three other congressional seats are considered safe. Democrat Diana DeGette is unopposed, Democrat Mark Udall faces Republican high school teacher Rich Mancuso and Navy veteran faces an uphill battle against firebrand Republican Tom Tancredo.
Legislature
Democrats are in the majority for the second year in a row after taking control of both the House and Senate for the first time in more than 40 years in 2004.
Republicans need to win three seats to regain control of the House (currently 35-30 Democrat) and only one to win control of the state Senate (18-17 Democrat).
Ballot Issues
At least eight proposals will be on the November ballot, including a measure that would define marriage as between one man and one woman, another that would allow gay couples to register as domestic partners, one that would set Colorado's minimum wage at $6.85 per hour and one that would ban gifts to state lawmakers from lobbyists. Another proposal would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by those at least 21 years old, and still another would set term limits for the state's two highest courts.
-- Associated Press
