June 30, 2009 03:29 AM UTC

Supreme Court may help shape 2010 4th Congressional District campaign

• 0 Comments
• by: BobMoore

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

I’m back from a week of furlough and digging myself out from a backlog of emails, voicemails and other work. But the one item that most immediately caught my attention was the Supreme Court’s decision today to re-hear arguments in the Citzens United vs. FEC case.

More details at my Coloradoan blog here:  https://tr.im/qeKe

But in short, the high court’s eventual decision in this case could reshape the way campaigns are run in this country by lifting restrictions on corporate and union expenditures.

I use Colorado’s 4th Congressional District as an example. The 2006 and 2008 races were nasty and expensive, approaching or exceeding $10 million in total costs.

We already knew that the 2010 version would again be expensive, with Republicans viewing it as one of their best pickup potentials and Dems determined to hold on to the seat to cement its hold on “purple” Colorado. The tone of the campaign is an open question, depending on how the candidates and their surrogates choose to play things. But nobody’s expecting a game of beanbag to break out.

However, if limits on corporate and union contributions go away, haymakers will get thrown by both sides. All you innocent bystanders in the Denver metro area better get used to having your airwaves taken over by interest groups trying to persuade your Northeastern Colorado neighbors to vote against the other side’s candidate in the 4th.

Of course, this analysis likely will extend to the 2010 Senate race as well. It may not be safe to go near a TV in Colorado after Labor Day.