June 03, 2010 09:26 PM UTC

Garnett, Suthers Mix It Up

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• by: Colorado Pols

Last night’s debate between incumbent John Suthers and his Democratic opponent Stan Garnett received good coverage around the state today. Here’s the story from the Durango Herald’s Joe Hanel, who reports both candidates fared reasonably well–nonetheless making starkly opposing ideological (or perhaps anti-ideological) cases to be the next Colorado Attorney General:

Garnett got into the race shortly after Suthers joined a lawsuit by Republican attorneys general against the health-care reform law that Congress passed this year.

“It’s a waste of the prestige of the office,” Garnett said. “One of the first things I will do when I’m elected Colorado Attorney General is to dismiss Colorado from this case if it hasn’t already been thrown out of court.”

Suthers, though, said the lawsuit is a necessary defense against federal intrusion into people’s lives. If the government can tax people for not buying health insurance, it could tax them for not buying a hybrid car or a health-club membership, he said…

Garnett said that Suthers too often intervenes in out-of-state, partisan lawsuits, and he isn’t active enough in consumer protection. Suthers is engaged at the Legislature on matters such as criminal law and medical marijuana, but not enough on identity theft or schemes to defraud the elderly, Garnett said.