May 31, 2008 02:53 PM UTC

Republidome!

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• by: Colorado Pols

They think they can (repeat mantra-style), as the AP reports:

Republicans will nominate former congressman Bob Schaffer on Saturday to run against Democrat Mark Udall for Colorado’s open U.S. Senate seat, hoping he can help them avoid another embarrassing loss in this swing state.

Republicans insist they can hold onto the seat after losses that included a U.S. Senate seat, a congressional seat, control of the state House, the state Senate and the governor’s office over the past four years. Schaffer and Udall are vying to replace Republican Sen. Wayne Allard, who is retiring.

“Colorado Republicans are motivated and excited to carry our state for Senator John McCain for president, to elect Bob Schaffer as our next United States senator, and to elect majorities in the Colorado state Legislature,” Republican Party state chairman Dick Wadhams said.

About 3,500 Republican delegates are expected to attend Saturday’s state convention and assembly in the Denver suburb of Broomfield on Saturday.

John Straayer, a political science professor at Colorado State University, said Schaffer’s problems are mounting with a focus on perceived ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, his conservative voting record and links to big oil at a time when many Coloradoans are angry over soaring gas prices…

While in Congress, Schaffer voted to give the industry $13 billion in tax breaks.

Schaffer is now trying to portray himself as a self-described “moderate reformer” to appeal to unaffiliated voters, but his voting record in Congress is one of the most conservative of the past few decades.

Schaffer also has been dogged by reports that a trip he took to the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, as a congressman was partly arranged by Abramoff’s firm…