Bentley Rayburn Running Against Lamborn. Again

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by: Colorado Pols

Rayburn

We're not entirely surprised to see this, given that Rep. Doug Lamborn has been only slightly more effective than a desk lamp during his time in Congress. We're also not surprised to see retired major-general Bentley Rayburn taking another run at Lamborn, despite two failed attempts in 2006 and 2008. But we are surprised that Rayburn is just making this decision public now, with less than two weeks to go until the Republican Assembly in CD-5.

As Lynn Bartels reports at "The Spot":

“It’s a free country,” Lamborn told The Denver Post tonight when asked about Rayburn’s late decision to enter the race. “But I feel very good about things.”

Rayburn invited delegates and alternates to his home today and through the week to discuss why he plans to challenge Lamborn, a former state senator and an attorney.

“Please, please come to what will be one of the most important political meetings of this election season,” Rayburn wrote…

…The CD5 assembly is April 11 in Broomfield. Lamborn and Bentley must get 30 percent of the delegate vote to get on the ballot.

Rayburn said there is a huge concern in Colorado Springs about military bases closing. The Democrats, he pointed out, are running retired two-star general Irv Halter, “who is a great guy.”

Ordinarily we'd scoff at an attempt to get onto the ballot with less than two weeks to prepare, but Doug Lamborn and CD-5 are not ordinary examples. Lamborn is not particularly well-liked among Republicans, and he's done very little to ingratiate himself among GOP voters over the last few years. Rayburn can probably get at least 30% of the assembly votes on April 11 — enough to make it into the June Primary — by virtue of not being Lamborn. Whether or not he can defeat Lamborn in a Primary is a different story, but with Congressional disapproval at an all-time low among voters, 2014 is as good a year as any.

7 thoughts on “Bentley Rayburn Running Against Lamborn. Again”

Andrew Carnegie says:

March 31, 2014 at 2:00 pm

You telling me Lamborn has been less effective than DeGette?

Seems like a pretty good argument against rigging the system every 10 years to protect incumbents.

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1. Republican 36 says:
  
  March 31, 2014 at 2:06 pm
  
  You can't be serious. Whether you agree with Rep. DeGette or not she has certainly been more effective than Congressman Lamborn has been over any six to eith year period. By the way, how do you define "effective." That would clear-up what you mean.
  
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MichaelBowman says:

March 31, 2014 at 2:09 pm

"…has been only slightly more effective than a desk lamp"

Come on – he's been busy fighting fraud and abuse! (and wind turbines killing birds. The birds! The birds!)

"“These reforms are necessary to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected from fraud and abuse,” said Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs.

Why demand the military account for $8.5 tillion (trillion -with a "t") that has never been accounted for when you can blame it all on working families who need access to a safety net? (with equal opportunity shout-outs to Gardener, Coffman and Tipton)

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Voyageur says:

March 31, 2014 at 2:51 pm

Did Bently ever square off head to head against Lamborn? I know at least one of them was three way, with Crank involved and if memory serves, the other was like a five-way melee. Lamborn wins multi candidate races by being the most far right, but could well lose to bently head to head.

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Voyageur says:

March 31, 2014 at 4:04 pm

To answer my own question, both Rayburn and Crank faced Lamborn in 06 and 08 (with a couple others in 06.) I always felt either Rayburn or Crank would beat Lamborn head to head but not if the pro-business, pro-military GOP is split two ways while Lamborn gets the Focus on the Family crowd all his own. With all the military cutbacks and the future of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site in doubt, there is a real possibility of cutting back on military programs. That has to worry the Colorado Springs business community — perhaps to the point where they want a Congressman that doesn't need to be watered twice a week

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kfreed says:

April 18, 2014 at 4:29 pm

Oh Lord. Rayburn would be even MORE dysfunctional than Doug Lamborn. His far right bible-based Tea Party agenda is quite something to behold: http://www.rayburnforcolorado.com/

The last thing Colorado needs is more of this: [VIDEO] Tea Party Ted Cruz and Rand Paul at right-wing pastors conference plotting government shutdown (for "Jesus" no less): http://www.ronpaul.tv/rand-paul/ted-cruz-and-rand-paul-blessed-by-dominionist-pastors-video.php

Lamborn, Tea Party Caucus member, is no better: [VIDEO] via Virginia Christian Alliance targeted at "values voters" in 2011 under the heading "Virginia Call to Prayer Day has Been Declared April 6, 2011": [According to Lamborn and his tea partying cohorts, what the gvernment needs, is not legislation addressing our concerns, but MORE GOD]: http://vachristian.org/Current-Events/Virginia-Call-to-Prayer-Day-has-Been-Declared-April-6-2011.html

Have any of these people ever heard of the consitutional principle of church/state separation?

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1. Miss Jane says:
  
  April 18, 2014 at 6:14 pm
  
  They have no idea what you are talking about. Separating church and state can't be done, in their delusional world that is. "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." and all that. And "normal" Americans are Christians as god intended. Just ask them. I need to sent General Halter another donation. Lamborn and Rayburn are seriously around the bend on the reality issue.
  
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