May 16, 2008 07:24 PM UTC

CD-6 Republican Assembly Tomorrow

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• by: Colorado Pols

As The Denver Post reports:

The race to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo hits its first checkpoint this weekend, when Republicans in the 6th Congressional District hold their assembly.

Five Republicans are vying to replace Tancredo, a sometimes controversial conservative who decided not to seek re-election.

Saturday’s assembly, at the Doug las County Events Center, provides the first chance to winnow the field. But the event has lost a little of its luster because the two heavyweights in the race in terms of fundraising – Secretary of State Mike Coffman and mortgage banker Wil Armstrong – are forgoing the assembly and petitioning onto the ballot.

That leaves state Sens. Ted Harvey and Steve Ward and Aurora electrical engineer Pepito Castellanes fighting it out to secure the 30 percent of the votes at the assembly needed to make the primary ballot.

“All I care about is getting on the ballot at this point,” Harvey said…

…Coffman, who leads in fundraising with more than $324,000 on hand, has painted himself as the candidate of experience and credibility.

“I am a very strong fiscal conservative,” Coffman said.

Armstrong, who is the son of former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong and is second in fundraising with $283,000 on hand, portrays himself as a fresh voice.

“We feel Wil is the right guy to change the way Congress is doing businesses,” said Armstrong’s campaign manager, Jack Stansbery…

…Earlier this year, Coffman’s campaign conducted a poll that found Coffman was the heavy favorite in the race. But Stansbery, Armstrong’s campaign manager, says a lot has changed since then.

Our view? The outcome here is largely irrelevant unless Steve Ward is a runaway winner. Harvey will certainly make it onto the ballot, but his inclusion in the field makes no real difference except for a spoiler role; Harvey’s inability to raise money has made this a two-horse race between Coffman and Armstrong–no matter what happens today.