CO-04 (Special Election)
See Full Big Line
(R) Greg Lopez
(R) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
President (To Win Colorado)
See Full Big Line
(D) Joe Biden*
(R) Donald Trump
80%
20%↓
CO-01 (Denver)
See Full Big Line
(D) Diana DeGette*
90%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
See Full Big Line
(D) Joe Neguse*
90%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
See Full Big Line
(D) Adam Frisch
(R) Jeff Hurd
(R) Ron Hanks
40%
30%
20%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
See Full Big Line
(R) Lauren Boebert
(R) Deborah Flora
(R) J. Sonnenberg
30%↑
15%↑
10%↓
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
See Full Big Line
(R) Dave Williams
(R) Jeff Crank
50%↓
50%↑
CO-06 (Aurora)
See Full Big Line
(D) Jason Crow*
90%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
See Full Big Line
(D) Brittany Pettersen
85%↑
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
See Full Big Line
(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
(R) Janak Joshi
60%↑
35%↓
30%↑
State Senate Majority
See Full Big Line
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
See Full Big Line
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
October 29, 2009 08:00 PM UTC
54 Comments
Loading ...
McInnis and Penry both are off to incredibly sloppy starts and do not look like viable contenders. They are both going to tear each other to pieces during the primary, with or without debates, and will come out looking even more unready to lead Colorado.
Even though Ritter is not the greatest governor, at least he has four years of experience to tout against a do-nothing Congressman and a Grand Junction (a.k.a. home of the tea-baggers) State Senator.
The R’s will embarrass and divide past the time it’s too late to run to the middle. They seriously believe they didn’t do better in 2008 because they weren’t right enough and just plain old bad luck (economy collapsing at exactly the wrong time, Palin getting blindsided by Couric, McCain embarrassing himself with Letterman, etc)
I could be wrong. If Penry drops early enough….say Jan or Feb, McInnis would be a strong challenger. But I don’t see it happening. I could even imagine a scenario where Maze ends up being the nominee and loses in a close race- even without anyone parking in a cemetery with a stripper or hiking the Appalachian Trail. But I’m not predicting it.
Sure the Ds, especially those who lean further left, are disappointed with Ritter. He appointed the wrong guy, he didn’t raise revenue, he didn’t cave to labor, yada, yada, ya
But in the end, after D’s will realize he’s wayy better than the alternative, they’ll show up. And so will enough of the center.
I don’t think it makes a difference if it’s a Republican or Ritter because he hasn’t been reliable on any Democratic issues. So to me I really don’t think it matters and I may vote Republican just to help move Ritter, the political disaster out of the governor’s mansion. The legislature is where it’s at. If we can have strong majorities in both the Senate and the House we’ll have a fighting chance even if the governor is a Republican.
How exactly would that work? Didn’t we have majorities in both houses in ’05-’07 w/ a Repub governor. I don’t recall seeing much of a “fighting chance” then.
I prefer Ritter, even only as a 50% Democrat, than McChicken or Penry.
If she ever runs for office it will be very un-pc to call her “angry”.
but until then- geez, get a massage, take some aspirin, get some exercise or …some new batteries or something. You got stress.
What century are you in, Mr. Jambalaya? No one calls a woman Miss anymore.
You need to get off the computer and out more.
Some people are so touchy!
we got Ref C passed. Having that kind of proposal on the ballot right now would have helped a lot.
and as a fringe benefit, it was lots of fun watching half of the state GOP label the other half as tax and spent RINOs!
I wish another Democrat would step up to run against Ritter.
Unfortunately for the Republicans I do think Ritter will be reelected.
What CO D would be ….suitable for you?
I’m not generally a betting person, but I’d bet that just about anyone you could name that would be ideologically pure enough would be unelectable.
You bitch about Ritter because you disagree with him on abortion and don’t think he’s been pro-union enough.
Ok.
But what has he done since being elected that has had any meaningful effect on abortion?
And he’s the governor in Colorado- not Illinois or California. What would you have suggested he do for the unions that a) would have allowed him to be re-elected or b) that would not have been undone when he was out?
You’ve removed all doubts about the quality of your analysis and your credibility. Thank you, Sharon.
Actually we have a real-life experiment to tell us just how that turns out.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: worst governor in the country, and that’s including Mark Sanford. Has brutally cut all sorts of social programs that once made California the progressive playground of the nation. Created a deficit that dwarfs the one under Gray Davis (who was recalled for no better reason). And operates with a strong Democratic majority in both state houses.
Democratic governors are better than Republican governors.
I meant appoint
n/t
But doesn’t Bill Ritter make you think about voting Republican just a little. Where I’m from the Republicans were more moderate and sometimes a better choice. I’m from Maine. But in Colorado Republicans represent the worst of the Republican Party so I am wrong and you are right.
No. No way. No how.
Does it hurt to type that?
Just wondering.
In the course of any human discussion there will be disagreement. In the EOG (era of Google) looking up facts is a lot easier. (Who won the National League in 1928? Why is the sky blue?) But opinions based on feeling and altered by new feelings or persuasion are still not that easy to look up.
Yet, people have learned, to varying degrees, that to show confidence is a good thing. That to relent or be persuaded to easily is a bad thing. And in the past few days- and perhaps longer, I’m not motivated to look it up – you have written with some energy about some topics in a way that suggested persuading you could be difficult.
And here, in one paragraph, you reveal a glaring weakness of perspective. Apparently up until now you were comparing Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins with Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn. doh!
I have mentioned Olympia Snow once and never Susan Collins. I’ve lived in Colorado many years but moved here from Maine so I voted for Senator Snow when she was a lot more liberal and when being liberal was tolerated in the Republican Party. I still think she is a good woman at heart but is under an enormous amount of pressure to conform to the right-wing of the Republican Party.
As far as admitting I’ll probably vote for Ritter I am plugging my nose in the process. I truly wish another strong Democrat would step up to the plate because I do despise Ritter.
making a flawed comparison:
I conclude you drew the wrong conclusion from observing R’s elsewhere.
strategy work out in Germany, When a senile Hindenburg ran against Hitler?
Not too well, if I recall correctly.
Did you just start internetting last week?
It refers to directly comparing your opponent to to Hitler. Or are you so ignorant of history that you don’t know about the 1933 Hindenburg/Hitler election?
The only possible reason someone might object to comparing Penry and McInnis to Hitler is out of ignorance.
you make up in the courtesy of your discourse…
That was one of my nicest posts ever, just a light dose of sarcasm, very little hostility, and no personal insults whatsoever. Just a disagreement.
That kept us in the minority wilderness all those long years until we stopped demanding ideological purity. Now we leave that to the Rs, all 19% of the self-identifying ones. I wonder what on earth makes Sharon think Romanoff is so damned liberal in comparison. It must be one of those Rovian non-reality based things.
She wants a more perfect candidate- progressive, experienced, not-rich, union member, preferably woman with a kid or two, some experience with public programs, some college and values driven.
No bankers. pragmatists, or rookies need apply.
It’s hard to imagine why Ritter continues to vote against the Democrats and those who put him in office but my guess is he is appeasing the right-wingers. He hasn’t awakened to the fact that his constituents have changed. I do think he will have a tough reelection fight and although I’ll probably vote for him against any Republican I’ll have to hold my nose and hope he never gets another opportunity to run for public office again.
Gee, Sharon whatever gave us the idea you were actually saying voting R wouldn’t make anything worse and might actually accomplish a positive? Decent reading comprehension?
He doesn’t actually vote. He can and does sign, or veto, bills. He did veto a couple of them which I thought he should have signed. He also signed a lot more bills which I wanted to see him sign.
He also gets to make appointments to fill vacancies. He picked someone for the U.S. Senate who was not my first choice but who is otherwise reasonably well-qualified to hold that seat. (I’ll probably still vote for Romo in the primary, but if Bennet beats Andrew, I can live with that.)
Sharon, get a sense of balance and perspective. The world looks a lot better that way.
He does vote with a pen though.
Ritter has done some good things that I support, disappointed me on several others.
Compared to the alternatives, however, he is soooo much better that it’s not even an option to consider voting for McPenry.
we could get a 3rd party candidate and split the R endorsements? Like that guy in NY?
WOuld it be too late for Rick Perry when he gets beat ?
I figured you were actually pretty stoked about Ritter since you haven’t taken the bumper sticker off since ’06…
I never had a Ritter sticker, but I still have Obama/Biden on the bumper…
could run to be part of the state legislature? Oh, wait–no, that would mean an incumbent run against another Dem . . . wait, he’s already doing that! So much for party loyalty . . .
you are quite nuts.
You do, of course, realize that we are going into a redistricting period and the next governor will have a large say in the fate of our Colorado delegation…most especially, Reps. Perlmutter and Markey.
You may not like Ritter, but are you willing to sacrifice two very good representatives in Washington to “get even”?
And if you have read other comments from Sharon, the short answer to your question is “yes.” Sharon is a purist and if her boy Andrew doesn’t win the primary, she’s going to let every Democrat who ever associated with Michael Bennet pay for it at the polls next November.
Just think of it. They can’t say it out loud but logically they are keeping their collective fingers crossed the economy doesn’t revive next year. I think they are in for some bad news. This morning the GDP for the third quarter was announced and the economy grew at a rate of 3.5%. Very respectable considering the decline we faced over the past year.
Second, Colorado’s unemployment rate has declined from a high of 7.8% in July to 7% in September. The national and Colorado economic trends are headed in the right direction.
Governor Ritter has led us through the worst of the recession and we are now seeing economic growth. Messrs. Penry and McInnis will never admit it but they both view these economic trends with alarm. If they continue, they won’t have a case to make to the voters next year.
Is hoping for the same thing. If the economy recovers well by next fall, then Republicans are hosed. If not, then Democrats are in trouble.
Ritter is the one that concerns me most.
He’s pissed just about everyone off and hasn’t really distinguished himself as a strong leader.
The best thing he has going for him is the two crappy opponents running for the Republican nomination. Frankly, I’m a bit surprised that Suthers or Coffman didn’t take him on.
Although I am not the biggest fan of Ritter, I do think he will be reelected due to the poor quality of the competition. McInnis and Penry are not moderate and will have trouble winning the suburbs. Ritter has Denver/Boulder on obvious lockdown, and has built up enough talking points to look good to moderates. I don’t think most people will be very enthusiastic about reelecting Ritter, or maybe the election in general, but I do believe they will choose the lesser of two evils.
In a close race.
What makes us think the Economy turning around will save him. The other question who is left who actually will work for him. This thread proves my point no-one thinks he has done a good job…no one.
ANd I would.
Some of us in the West are a bit concerned about Ritter’s attempt to woo oil and gas when they will bite him in the ass regardless. Ritter’s people need to chat with former Rep. Buescher’s people about how the game is played these days.
In addition, Ritter’s campaign would greatly benefit from a diversion — like another oil-and-gas severance tax issue on the ballot.
Not only would it divert some of The Industry’s money from the McChicken’s 527s, voters might decide a couple million-dollar boost to the state budget is a good idea. Could cost The Industry tens of millions more to defeat it this time around.
First off, I hope McInnis wins the primary because Ritter can out campaign him with one hand tied behind his back. However, for that same reason Penry will be the one on the general ballot.
Ritter will win because he is doing a solid job. No he doesn’t walk on water and he can’t pull 250 million out of his ass to cover the shortages. But he has done a really good job with the cards he has been dealt. And voters will realize that.
Penry will come damn close, not just because of the economy, but because he is a really good campaigner and will use every tool available to him. I think he will out campaign Ritter.
But not enough to outweigh Ritter’s advantage of incumbency and an acceptable track record.
Bill Ritter has done a pretty good job, all in all.
He has kept the budget balanced, which hasn’t been easy in the face of revenue shortfalls.
He has kick-started a vigorous renewable energy industry in the state, while finally having the courage to take on the abuses in the Western Slope oil and gas patch.
He at least tried to get the oil and gas industry to pay their fair share of severance taxes.
He has tried to make sense out of our fragmented public education system, strengthen public education and introduce needed new ideas to that area of debate.
He has kept Colorado a solid place to do business and, whatever you think of his approach to unions, has maintained the labor status quo that has worked reasonably well for sixty or so years in the state.
He signed bills that allow home builders to be held liable for defective homes.
He signed legislation that gives our gay brothers and sisters rights under the law that were long overdue.
He has appointed quality people to his cabinet, including Harris Sherman (now in DC), Jim Martin, and Rico Munn, and he picked a good lieutenant governor that is a team player, knows how to get along with people (if you don’t think that’s important, see “Joe Rogers”), and has the political savvy to get things done (see P-20 council, education policy generally).
He has been an advocate of protecting the state’s roadless National Forest areas.
He signed a bill that resolved the long fight over Fountain Creek and he hasn’t gone off, like Owens, trying to sell a grab of water from the Western Slope as the solution to the Front Range’s demand.
He had the courage to sign SB 108, which will give our transportation system much needed revenues and result in many roads and bridges that are both more functional and actually safe.
He appointed a great Secretary of State.
He hasn’t made an unreasonable number of mistakes in dealing with the legislature and, though he hasn’t been perfect in terms of communication with the General Assembly’s leadership, he has been important in seeing a number of other Democratic priorities enacted into law between 2007 and now.
Given this record, you think McInnis or “Shotgun” Penry is a better guy to have in that chair?
Bill Ritter is a good and decent man, honest and hardworking, who loves this state. No one has ever claimed, and there has never been even a hint, that our governor has crossed any ethical lines.
And he doesn’t feel the need to be the center of attention, or to bob and weave on his positions for political gain, or personalize political opposition.
Surely a man with a character like that is someone we would want to think twice about firing. And it counts for something when it comes to governing.