Hope Springs Eternal As EMILY's List Backs DMB

12 Comments

by: Colorado Pols

Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush (D-Steamboat Springs).

David O. Williams writes for the Vail Daily:

EMILY’s List, which bills itself as “the nation’s largest resource for women in politics,” is betting on former Eagle County state Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush to do something that’s never been done in the 103-year history of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District: be the first woman to win the seat.

In fact, since Socialist Edith Halcomb garnered a scant 2 percent of the vote in the 1918 election, only a handful of women have even sought election in the sprawling, mostly rural, suburban and Republican district that stretches from Pueblo in the south to Grand Junction on the Utah state line, including roughly the western two-thirds of Eagle County.

Women have not fared well in District 3 since it was first formed in 1915. Democrat Linda Powers lost to Republican Scott McInnis by a 70 percent to 30 percent margin in 1994, Independent Tisha Casida twice picked up small percentages of votes in 2012 and 2014, and Democrat Gail Schwartz lost decisively to incumbent Rep. Scott Tipton, 54 percent to 40 percent, in 2016.

But Mitsch Bush, who quit the State House to take on Tipton, thinks 2018 will be different.

It’s important to keep in mind that, although EMILY’s List endorses women candidates for office, not just any woman candidate makes the list. To qualify for support from the organization means a candidate has met specific benchmarks that assess the viability of a candidate before they are endorsed–a process that helps the reputations of both the candidate and EMILY’s List as a credible endorser. The organization’s support doesn’t end with an endorsement, either, as candidates can tap into a pool of financial and in-kind support for their race.

All of which brings us back to the central question, whether Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush has what it takes to successfully challenge entrenched incumbent Republican Rep. Scott Tipton. To her credit, Mitsch Bush dispatched her Democratic primary challenger Karl Hanlon by a much wider-than-expected margin. After years of disappointment in this district, Democrats do see the 2018 election cycle as the best chance of flipping Tipton’s seat that has existed since Tipton himself unseated a Democrat in the 2010 wave year.

As of this writing, there’s every reason for Democrats to be hopeful. There are two realistic locations where Democrats can advance the cause a House majority in Colorado–Rep. Mike Coffman’s district, and Tipton’s.

So if you’re ready to believe in a 2018 Democratic wave, here is where you’ll put that belief to the test.

12 thoughts on “Hope Springs Eternal As EMILY’s List Backs DMB”

Moderatus says:

July 2, 2018 at 1:42 pm

The road to a Democrat House majority, if any, does not pass through Colorado. Both Mike Coffman and Scott Tipton are proven winners and their voters trust them. There will be no Democrat wave, and even if there is Colorado will not take part.

Log in to Reply
1. unnamed says:
  
  July 2, 2018 at 2:04 pm
  
  Why? Because Colorado voters like fascist Trump enablers? Coffman has a proven record, yes, but now he has an unpopular Republican president to deal with. Maybe Coffman will get re-elected, but go to the SOS site dummy. Even in uncontested primaries, Republican numbers looked abysmal across the board. Dems outvoted Republicans in Colorado primaries for the first time ever. Kiss that State Senate majority good bye.
  
  Speaking of Congressman Coffman, he recently said Stephen Miller should be fired, do you agree with him?
  
  Log in to Reply
2. Davie says:
  
  July 2, 2018 at 2:16 pm
  
  Whistling past the graveyard pretty early there eh, Nutlid? When even Unafilliateds go against you 60/40, you should know your party, your candidates, and your agenda must really, really suck.
  
  Log in to Reply
3. JohnInDenver says:
  
  July 2, 2018 at 5:11 pm
  
  That's why we hold elections. If voters trust Coffman to say the right things but be totally ineffectual, I'm not certain they will continue voting for him.
  
  Coffman's stake in the VA Hospital is pretty noticeable … if the new facility opens late this month and is generally seen as a boondoggle, do you think he'll get credit for his oversight?
  
  How about his claim that he would have a discharge petition for DACA Dreamers?
  
  Or the on-going concern about the budget deficit — now growing substantially due to the tax revenue loss and the increase in the budget.
  
  Log in to Reply
  1. unnamed says:
    
    July 2, 2018 at 5:22 pm
    
    Courtesy of the tax scam bill he still pimps on his congressional facebook page.
    
    Log in to Reply
Gray in Mountains says:

July 2, 2018 at 7:23 pm

DMB has this. Demographics will make it close, but everyone who hears her speak will come away know I that DMB is smarter than anyone else

Log in to Reply
1. gertie97 says:
  
  July 2, 2018 at 8:23 pm
  
  I wish I could be so optimistic, but the Republican knuckle-dragging base in Mesa County turned out big for Ray Scott in the primary. Democrats will need a shattering turnout.
  
  Log in to Reply
2. mamajama55 says:
  
  July 2, 2018 at 9:21 pm
  
  She rocked the Assembly, for sure.
  
  Log in to Reply
  1. Duke Cox says:
    
    July 5, 2018 at 9:08 am
    
    My first experience with CD3 was as campaign mgr. for Dan Ogden during the 1974 campaign (as memory serves).
    
    I met Diane last fall…very smart and articulate and, of course I will vote for her. I have voted for nearly every loser in CD 3 for decades. She has an uphill battle with this misogynistic, racist, Luddite electorate in the district of tall, white, pretend cowboys.
    
    Got an R after your name? You're in.
    
    Got a D after your name? You're not.
    
    God, I hope her candidacy changes that status quo. I would be interested in hearing how she plans to overcome her obstacles.
    
    Log in to Reply
Davie says:

July 3, 2018 at 1:53 pm

From this article in the Colorado Independent, it looks like Diane Mitsch Bush has a tailwind helping her out

Colorado United for Families began airing ads the day after the primary and has contracts scheduled through July 29 in Grand Junction and the Colorado Springs-Pueblo markets. The group had already aired nearly $159,000 worth of ads during the spring. This month’s buys are for more than $200,000.

The group isn’t registered as a business or as a political committee with the Colorado Secretary of State. ProgressNow Executive Director Ian Silverii is listed on the group’s advisory board.

Another nonprofit, Health Care FAQs, aired nearly $214,000 worth of TV ads in the district in June before the primary. Those ads carried a similar message, but didn’t mention Tipton.

Log in to Reply
1. gertie97 says:
  
  July 3, 2018 at 3:01 pm
  
  Glad to hear it. Pueblo Dems will need to come out gangbusters for Bush to overcome the Republican advantage in Mesa County. I sincerely hope so.
  
  Log in to Reply
  1. Davie says:
    
    July 3, 2018 at 3:50 pm
    
    Definitely need all hands on deck, plus Trump hurting his own base with idiotic tax and trade policies taking money out of their pockets, prompting some independents and Republicans to sit on their hands, or cross over to blue.
    
    Log in to Reply