El Paso County GOP-the Future of the Party?

Wouldn't this

be more appropriate on El Paso Pols?

In that site's absence -- could someone explicate who these guys are? Is the EPC GOP deciding between Lamborn and anti-Lamborn factions? Are they looking to the future or burrowing into the past?

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by: RedGreen @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 11:10:24 AM CST

I think it may be more the latter

The candidates are great people, but there are some differences.

The Kay/Lois/Nancy ticket is very concerned about the grassroots efforts, etc.  Her team is supported by Lamborn, Schulteis, Lambert, Looper, and others.

The Cami/Darryl/Lanotte ticket is working to reach out to youth voters and running the party more like a non-profit.  Her team is a little harder to put in a box.  Cami managed Duncan Bremer's campaign.  Darryl did support Crank, and Lanotte is an avid Lamborn supporter.  

George Ross...I don't know.  He seems to do his own thing and I don't know much about him other then he has been active in the party for a very long time.

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by: Haners @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 11:39:30 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Thank you.

Which ticket do you see as favored? Or do you have a sense?

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by: RedGreen @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 11:50:21 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't know

I think it will be a tight race.

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by: Haners @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 11:56:59 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Did you talk to Republican 36?

I'm sure his presence was felt heartily down there, since he's a "true" R and all...

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 13:46:13 PM CST

[ Parent ]

LOL

I guess he's too busy not hearing any grumblings in the business community.  :)

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by: Haners @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 14:15:35 PM CST

[ Parent ]

What El Paso chooses to do here

Could reflect on the GOP as a whole in Colorado. If they stick with right-wingers, then they are showing that they aren't yet ready to change to reflect Colorado's changes. If they go with a more moderate approach, then maybe they are figuring it out.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 12:18:25 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Can help with a couple of names

Cari Bremer: Daughter-in-law of Duncan Bremer.  Helped in his campaign a couple of years ago for the CD-5 nomination.

Darryl Glen: current C/S Councilman.  Wants to run for County Commissioner in 2010 (and why not? less responsibility and 80K more a year)

A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown, and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting. - George Patton

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by: Majority Moderate @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 11:21:02 AM CST

Irrelevant?

El Paso County will never change-it's been so thoroughly taken over by the extreme right that reality, as people living beyond the borders of EPC might understand it, is merely an abstract concept-nothing to actually worry about.

Item: EPC gave less than 40 percent of its vote to Obama-meaning that 60 percent of EPC voters thought that Sarah Palin was qualified to be President.

Item: County Commissioner Amy Lathen just published an op-ed in the Gazette claiming that Obama is a "socialist"-on the basis of a misquoted sentence-no other evidence presented-or, for EPC, needed.

Item: Focus, New Life, and our own sweetly closeted gay preacher, Ted "are we going to be bad, or are we going to be godly?" Haggard.

So who cares? Crazies elect crazies, and they behave crazily...not news!

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by: H-Dog @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 12:03:46 PM CST

Not Really Irrelevant

If statewide contests were run like the national electoral vote, sure, you would have a point.  But they're not.  The simple fact is this:  if a statewide Democrat gets 40% in El Paso County, they probably win.  If a statewide Democrat gets 30% in El Paso County, they probably lose.

The margin of victory for the Republicans in El Paso County, due to its size, is critically relevant for the state.  So as long as Democrats keep organizing to pull close to 40% there, we'll keep turning this state blue.  And as long as the Republicans keep alienating enough voters in El Paso County with folks like Doug Lamborn and Schulthies, even though those two will win locally, Democrats will continue to succeed statewide.

The direction of the El Paso County GOP is about as relevant as it gets.

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by: dslater @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 13:15:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The direction of the El Paso County GOP is about as relevant as it gets.

True that!

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by: Haners @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 14:15:03 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Good point

But, as Lamborn's ascent demonstrates, there is little possibility that GOP primary voters will throw out the crazies (unless, like Doug Bruce, they go completely berserk) and move far enough to the center to drop the Dem vote in statewide contests to 30 percent. Bremer et al. may pay 'particular attention' to seats currently held by Dems, but no moderate can ever win a primary-and no conservative repub could ever take, for example, Merrifield's seat.

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by: H-Dog @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 14:23:42 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Moderates do make it out of the primary

But then the party may or may not help them.  See Kit Roupe.

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by: Haners @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 15:27:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

From the Executive Committee Meeting on Wednesday the 28th...

This is part of what was handed out in last night's meeting. I asked for it to be emailed to me and it was so I have copied/pasted relevant sections.

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - Cami Bremer announced her intention today to run for Chair of the El Paso County Republicans.  She has invited Darryl Glenn and Dan Lanotte to run with her as Vice Chair and Secretary respectively.  Darryl Glenn currently serves on City Council and Dan Lanotte is the President of the local chapter of Coalition for a Conservative Majority and is a national software architecture consultant.

"Our goals are simple but lofty" says Bremer, "We are committed to continuing the work of creating a strong organizational structure that leverages the skills, talents, time, and resources of every Republican volunteer.  We will pay special attention to utilizing modern methodology and technology and proven professional communication techniques to assert Republican dominance in El Paso County.  Of special attention will be a surge in House District 17, 18 and Senate District 11, as well as placing conservatives in key leadership roles throughout the County.  And because I understand the importance of diversity in our party, I am proud that my slate represents demographics currently not engaged in the Republican Party.  We will build on this commitment to diversity to work to earn the votes of young and minority voters."

I think the lines are pretty clear between the Cami Bremer ticket and the Rendleman ticket. Rendlemand and Landgraff are wanting to return to the old way of doing things and have been part of the group pushing against progress and technology for two years. Cami and Darryl are forward thinking, younger, and have the capacity to "think big".

Cami is a long-time El Paso County political activist and serves on the El Paso County Republican Executive Committee and the Colorado Republican Central Committee.  In 2002, Cami was hired to work on Senator Allard's successful campaign.  Two years later, she was actively involved in the US Senate races of Bob Schaffer and Pete Coors as well as the presidential race.  In 2006 Cami turned her attention to her father-in-law's campaign for the 5th Congressional Seat. As Campaign Manager she managed fund-raising efforts with a resulting budget of more than $150,000 and oversaw all other aspects of the campaign including a volunteer force that topped 300.  In the most recent election, Cami was the campaign manager for Rep. Larry Liston in his successful reelection campaign.  She and her husband were also very active with the general election campaign's Victory Office.  

Cami has an MBA in Marketing from UCCS and a BA in Public Relations from the University of Georgia.  Her professional experience includes work with: the US Olympic Committee, the Colorado Republican Party, Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, City of Colorado Springs Public Communications, and the American Heart Association.  While at the Heart Association, Cami conducted fundraising of $670,000 and signed the first local "cause sponsorship" for the AHA.  She was also responsible for running events and managing volunteers.  Cami currently works as a freelance journalist and marketing consultant for several local companies and is assisting with her husband's startup company.

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by: GOPpundit @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 13:39:55 PM CST

Technology doesn't accomplish squat

Speaking as someone who has made his living for 30 years in the software industry, software doesn't do squat to accomplish change.

What is required is changing the approach and system people work by. You can then use software to assist you in that new direction. But if the GOP thinks technology was why Obama won - they're in for a big disappointment. Technology merely assisted Obama in his approach.

Tom Tancredo Interview

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by: DavidThi808 @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 22:25:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Denver ranked best city in which to live

www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_11578103

What?  Not Colorado Springs?  But, but, Denver is run by Democrats!  Egad--its like people want services and things.


"[A]ll Republicans/conservatives/tea parties have been proven wrong. Everybody knows this." BJWilson83, Republican/conservative/tea partier

"The fossil record utterly refutes evolution." BJWilson83, graduate student

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by: ClubTwitty @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 14:43:28 PM CST

Look, I've done a lot of Republican bashing over the last few years,

and I dare say, they deserved every bit of it. But let's look forward. The next twenty years may have more significant technological, cultural, foreign/global, environmental, and economic challenges than the last 100 years. What we're seeing now is just a down payment.

The Republicans are too solidly entrenched in their ideology to be constructive or relevant, IMHO.

Unless they change, and change significantly, they're a doomed party.

"I can tolerate chaos, I'm just not sure chaos can tolerate me" Dylan

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by: Sir Robin @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 18:20:46 PM CST

Candidate Illegally Uses Republican Resources

It is my understanding that Cami's press release was being copied on the El Paso County Republican Headquarters copy machine last night in the middle of the Executive Board meeting.  You know, we have waited for at least six months to get rid of the current inept leadership -- and now they are doing everything they can to control the race.

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by: Rebuild EPC Republicans @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 19:22:05 PM CST

It's your understanding, or do you know?

Because unless you know, you're repeating someone else's talking points in the hopes of creating division, which seems to go against your own handle...

Were you even at the meeting last night?

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by: Haners @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 20:32:37 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I was there last night

My name is Ryan Parsell and I brought the press releases with me and had them in my binder the entire time.  Considering that, I have a hard time seeing how a claim that the party printed them off during the meeting could possibly be true.

Anyone who doubts this is more then welcome to talk to me or any of the people who saw me carrying them around all night until after the meeting.

Please, the future of our party is too important to employ cheap tricks such as these.  This will only divide us.

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by: Ryan.Parsell @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 22:44:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Division

"This will only divide us". It's a little late for that Ryan. This party has been divided for years, and Garcia's hand picked slate offers nothing in the way of pulling the party back together. I guess you could say they are "in the tank for Crank".

And with regards to the press release - why use the logo in the first place? Was there no thought given to the ethics charges that were sure to erupt?

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by: j37genie @ Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 09:00:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Hi Haners

See You Saturday.

I am voting for the true Conservatives in this race, how about You ?

Some men see things as they are, and ask why! ...I dream things that could be and ask,  Why Not !

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by: NEWSMAN @ Thu Feb 05, 2009 at 23:42:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well, Now is the time for the discussion of these issues

Perhaps Garcia and Fisk should have thought about the future of our party around election day -- when they had the money to do at least one mailing for Kit Roupe, but were too busy spending it on salaries and themselves to assist her.

You see -- I think their whole business plan is flawed, because it ignores the most important principle.  That you must elect Republicans at the end of the day.  They had the $10,000 -- they could have dropped a mailing, instead, we lost a seat that we could have held.

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by: Rebuild EPC Republicans @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 22:52:37 PM CST

was there polling to show Dennis was ahead ?

.
if not, why would they have paid for a mailing ?
.

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by: Barron X @ Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 08:18:25 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Time To Quit Playing The Blame Game

There were a lot more factors in the HD17 race than a simple mailing could have overcome.  If you want to view facts on the HD17 race and some objective analysis as to why Kit did not win, read:

http://therightcafe.blogspot.c...

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by: TheRightCafe @ Sun Feb 01, 2009 at 12:48:48 PM CST

[ Parent ]

What is the position of current leadership

Are they supporting a slate of candidates, or are they going to remain neutral like during the CD-5 primary?

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by: Robert Jordan @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 23:09:28 PM CST

neutral like during the CD-5 primary

.
There's a chance that, by being so subtle, folks might miss the sarcasm and humor in this.
.

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by: Barron X @ Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 08:17:00 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Integrity of February 7th election already in question

They have already stated that they will endorse someone.  They did this on their official "raging elephant" letterhead using County Party resources.  Many of us strongly believe that this is against the spirit of the bylaws --

"No candidate for any designation or nomination for public office should be endorsed, supported, or opposed by the El Paso County Republican Central Committee, acting as a whole, or its elected officers, or committees, acting as a whole, unless such candidate is unopposed in the primary."

But, these guys never read the bylaws.  Also, many of us strongly believe that party resources should have not been used to make a statement.  In the official call, Mr. Garcia stated that "your county officers and I will be endorsing candidates for the position of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary."  That sounds like to me they are acting as a whole.

It also compromises the integrity of the meeting becuase the three individuals responsible for the credentialling, the balloting, etc. are also the individuals running the election.  Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse.

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by: Rebuild EPC Republicans @ Thu Jan 29, 2009 at 23:34:30 PM CST

Fox Guarding the Henhouse

Perhaps this is what drove Fisk to make the bold statement "We are confident that we will win regardless of who is on our slate. All it takes is the endorsements of our outgoing officers" (Colorado Statesman, Jan 9 2009).

I guess he doesn't believe El Paso County Republicans can think for themselves.

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by: j37genie @ Fri Jan 30, 2009 at 09:15:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]