CO-04 (Special Election)
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(R) Greg Lopez
(R) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
President (To Win Colorado)
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(D) Joe Biden*
(R) Donald Trump
80%
20%↓
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
90%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
90%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(D) Adam Frisch
(R) Jeff Hurd
(R) Ron Hanks
40%
30%
20%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert
(R) Deborah Flora
(R) J. Sonnenberg
30%↑
15%↑
10%↓
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Dave Williams
(R) Jeff Crank
50%↓
50%↑
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
90%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) Brittany Pettersen
85%↑
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
(R) Janak Joshi
60%↑
35%↓
30%↑
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
May 07, 2012 06:59 PM UTC
66 Comments
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having the balls, much less the foresight, to go for those long term dividends. Given the inevitable march of changing demographics, GOP leaders at every level and all over the country seem paralyzed, caught between the immediate need to pander to the shrinking extremist base and the long term need to adapt or die.
the R votes are just to “look” more moderate, while using a run-out clock as an excuse to keep sucking donations from the base. I really hope I am wrong. Not passing it would be extremely cruel to tens of thousands of good citizens in CO.
Why would you think that and what donations? In other states, and in the case of Ref I here, civil unions and the like often pass with bipartisanship support. And often without all Democrats signing on.
what could Beezley and Nikkel’s motivation possibly be? They are both leaving, voluntarily, this year. And, afaik, not for anything related to politics.
But no, they couldn’t possibly just be doing what they feel is right. Of course not. Republicans are the enemy.
Duplicity has become the standard for their behavior (see Grand Bargain, Obama) so every action by a Republican carries with it a potential hidden agenda (see Walker Scott). Until proven otherwise you have to always assume when dealing with a Repubilcan that 1) they are lying to you to your face and 2) they won’t compromise on any issue. So if you want to take these efforts at face value and chide the rest of us for being cynical go for it.
not everything is a grand scheme concocted by the Elders of Zell Miller.
Which is more likely:
A) Beezley and Nikkel aren’t up for re-election and therefore don’t give a rat’s ass about backlash from their base.
B) Beezley and Nikkel cast their votes as part of a grand conspiracy to (fill in the paranoid blank.)
This:
Is quite possibly the dumbest, most partisan-blinded comment I’ve ever read on this site. Not only are Beezley and Nikkel not “lying”–unless you think they secretly didn’t want to vote the way they did–but they embodied the very definition of compromise on this issue.
I was offering a plausible explanation why Democrats don’t blindly take Republicans at their word. It might be in this case that the Republicans are sincere. Trust but verify.
I’m not the one calling the two people who helped bring one of the most important pieces of equal rights legislation this far duplicitous liars.
before you start congratulating Republicans on their bold steps forward.
Because they deserve it. On this anyway.
I also congratulate them on breaking ranks with their culture war cohorts and voting their conscience.
That said I continue to maintain that you can’t trust Republicans because they consider compromise a weakness and will do everything including cheating to get their way. If you want to get all butt hurt about it then fine.
But I will use the words “political adversaries”.
Did you forget BJ Nikkel once worked for Marilyn Musgrave?
All of the talk about polls showing most Coloradans support civil unions has to scare the GOP leadership. Add to that, the many Young Republicans who continue to speak out in favor of this bill. Of course party leaders want to appear like they have an open mind. Of course they want to hold on to any Young Republicans they can. Of course they do not want to appear like they are from the middle ages.
And yet, their base includes the religious right. How do you keep the checks coming in without further alienating people under 40? Pretend you are moderate, then pull the rug out from under non-partisan legislation at the last minute. Then, go on television and tell them “Hey, it was somehow the Democrats fault we had to do this” (wait that’s still coming). If you can’t predict partisan tricks, Droll, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention closely.
How about “bigotry”? That’s you, sweetheart.
Two pieces of advice to not look crazy and/or stupid: Don’t contradict yourself in a single comment and answer direct questions asked in the post you are replying to.
I fear the right thing to do has nothin’ to do with it.
In the end, republicans answer to “a higher authority”……..the fringe.
I believe McNulty sees SB2 as a wedge issue that the reds don’t want right now. A resulting fracturing of the republican constituency that will cost the republicans 9 electorals November 6.
You cannot underestimate the influence of Focus on the Family and the many other major players/crazies in the evangelical industrial complex.
They’re a juggernaut, and they can make or break any red.
Should SB2 pass next week and the Democrats sweep in November, McNulty’s head will be one of many that roll.
SB2’s a wedge issue that he figures won’t be an issue in November if he lets it “die a natural death” this week.
I think he’s wrong.
But he doesn’t have much time to get it right, and I think he’s not smart enough as well as to weak kneed to take a principled stand and let them vote on it in Assembly.
I really hope I’m wrong.
but my guess is that running out the clock on such a big bill would be an act of such bad faith and cause such ill will among lawmakers on the right and left that House leadership won’t go there. It reminds me of the last-minute payday loan play last session. Leadership could have pushed that to the hilt but, placed under the spotlight, the better angels prevailed. Even today, there seems to be a way to do these things and booting Nikkel off the Judicial Committee and running out the clock seem to be two ways not to do it– at least not it if you ever expect to work with anyone ever again on anything.
In any case, it would be a very high-cost short-term strategy. The bill has in effect already passed the legislature in Colorado and, if it doesn’t make it to the guv’s desk this year, it will be back next year and it will pass again.
That it has been mostly the GOPers who are leaving office and no longer in need of the finge’s support who are now voting Yes.
Definitely defines “voting you conscience.”
She’s running for re-election, has an opponent and has the ability to run again. That’s voting her conscience.
Always impressed me when I worked under the Gold Dome. One of those elected officials who always sought her constituents’ opinions on controversial issues and tried to represent their interests as well as she could.
To the Constitutional Amendment which required there be a vote on all bills? Does that not appl? I thought if a bill gets through committee, it has to have an up or down vote? I thought we did away with the nonsense you are talking about.
Frankly, I am more optomistic than you all. If they’d wanted to kill this bill they would have sent it to State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. Why would they mess with all this negative publicity?
if a vote were not allowed the Rs take all the blame, every one of the. They can’t tolerate that
But I believe each bill is only entitled to a committee hearing and vote. Beyond that, I believe they can delay it all they want – at their own risk. Otherwise, there would be a conflict with the Constitutional requirements regarding the 120-day session.
Of that Constitutional Amendment we all passed?
History of the GAVEL amendment here
http://polisci2.ucsd.edu/vkoga…
How in the hell does it make sense for a bill on civil unions to be sent to State Veterans and Military Affairs? It’s not about paying homage to the union soldiers in the Civil War.
McNulty put it in judiciary last year, and it was killed. He was probably surprised that Nikkel voted for it this time, just like everyone else.
Right or wrong, that is where bills concerning marriage or civil unions have been sent.
but the fact is that McNulty put it in Judiciary last year, and in doing so this year as well, likely expected a similar result.
He never counted on Nikkel flipping or Beezley, either. I don’t think he ever thought the bill would get this far. McNulty isn’t exactly a guy who politically strategizes for the long term.
Now he’s scrambling to run out the clock during an election year in order to keep from totally pissing off the right wing fringe. If this thing passes, there will be hell to pay with the hardcore conservatives.
Right or wrong, that is where bills concerning marriage or civil unions have been sent.
The Veterans and Military Affairs committee is where bills are sent to die.
Every bill can be considered a “State Affair”. That’s why it’s considered the “kill committee”. The broad name gives leadership a political out.
I should apologize to Craig for the cheap shot (sorry, Craig) although my broader point was that Judiciary probably makes more sense for civil unions, and McNulty probably still expected the result to be the same as it was in 2011.
You didn’t copy this part:
How could it have possibly taken 110 days to get to the House, if it WASN’T playing politics? Democrats are going to have hard questions for the strategists who decided that was a good idea. Especially after what Democrats did to Republicans in redistricting, you left yourselves with your asses hanging in the breeze.
You blew it.
Playing games is ALL that the GOP does anymore. And if the Dems take a page from your playbook, you have the temerity to cry foul? Gimme a frigging break.
It’s common practice to find a co-sponsor from the other party in order to increase the chances of a bill passing. And sometimes sponsors will not come on until the 11th hour.
Case in point, since you seem to suffer from extreme short term memory:
Until last week when Nikkel in Judiciary and Beezley in Finance cast their votes with Dems, no one, not even in their own Republican Party, knew which way they were going.
Apparently, McNulty didn’t have a fucking clue what his own people under his own stellar leadership as Speaker were doing. I guess 110 days weren’t quite enough time for him to get his own House, literally, in order.
McNulty proves himself wrong with his own fellow House members. Their votes prove he is a liar or a fool.
Which would you prefer he be?
That leaves 10 days to get through the House. Why is it being held up? They pass countless bills through in the last few days of session every year. Hell, they could’ve held all three committee hearings on the same day if they wanted. McNulty has no excuse other than playing politics because he knows it will pass.
They can hold the Approps hearing tomorrow morning, then do 2nd Reading tomorrow afternoon. Then, 3rd Reading on Wednesday.
P.S. The House has sent at least 13 House Bills (I got tired of counting) to the Senate since receiving SB-2 on April 24th. It took a full week for McNulty to even introduce SB-2 once the Senate passed it.
Good one.
His excuse that he was talking to potential GOP co-sponsors really makes no sense.
He hoped they’d intelligently embrace a non-partisan issue regarding civil rights. His only fault was trusting them to do something that is both intelligent and ethical.
It is important to note that Speaker McNulty and Republican leadership have not once committed to killing SB 2 through procedure or running out the clock. In fact, at every turn they have said it deserves a fair process.
And I haven’t seen any action that makes me think otherwise.
All guesses and conjectures aside, I haven’t seen anything from Republican leadership that denotes that the bill has been singled out from other bills to die a procedural death.
I very clearly want to see SB 2 passed and passed now. I have testified twice before legislative committees to that point and would do everything I could to get this passed. If it were up to me, I would fast track the bill in a heartbeat. But that isn’t the regular procedure.
Luckily, every session ends with a flurry of activity. Many bills fly through the legislature in the closing days in any given year. And that is a regular procedure.
So I am confident that this bill will make it to the House floor in a timely fashion. Just as any other late bill makes it to the floor, I think this will too. No special treatment, just the regular process being followed.
The timing is no doubt difficult and brought about by many factors originating from both sides. But in the end I think a full, fair process, even without any special treatment, will see civil unions passed into law this week.
Until then, I will continue to hope, pray, and repeatedly click “refresh” on Eli Stokols Twitter account.
Mario Nicolais, Spokesman
Coloradans for Freedom
The fact that is quoted in the press saying he may not have another Approriations meeting this session says a lot.
He has bills that deserve the hearing. Choosing not to have a hearing lays blame at his feet, but it slosh onto McNulty since he is speaker. Even if has nothing to do with the decision to not have an App meeting, he won’t be able to avoid the shit-splash.
From Rep. Andy Kerr. I assume if he’s to show up for a 7 am hearing he’ll need to be notified eventually. :P?
How lame. Wish I could go to the rally.
And when they lose most close races in November they’ll be wondering… Why?
one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite speeches.
Cut off, but that’s the bit that seems to fit. Emphasis mine.
Who gave the speech?
I was 6 when he gave that one. I was 16 when I essayed about it the first time.
And people don’t talk that way anymore – but we wish they did.
since I forgot.
I miss him, too, even though I never knew life with him.
Timeless, absolutely accurate.
And the Republican Party is on the wrong side of history.
You’d be amazed at the number of kids out there that have two mommies or two daddies. it only takes one in an entire elementary school to change minds. That’s the present and the future.
In most races it won’t make a difference. But in some, Republicans will lose enough independents to lose the race. They won’t want to endorse bigotry.
Gov. Hickenlooper should absolutely call McNulty’s bluff and call a special session, if McNulty continues to insist there’s not enough time to pass this bill.
McNulty’s position is a total crock of s*** and he should be ashamed of himself.
Kudos to those brave Republican House and Senate members who are willing to do the right thing.
Wait a minute….
That only serve the GOP. They could then show how Dems waste money that we don’t have.
At this point the victory goes to the patient. They use procedural shenanigans to defeat Civil Unions this year, we kick their asses in Nov. and pass it without drama next year.
or to prove McNulty is playing games?
Donations? Anyone? It doesn’t seem like too steep a price.
But it probably won’t happen in any event, so your sensibility and level head prevail… whether the rest of us want it to or not. 😉 Hickenlooper’s spokesman is already backing off it, and, to be fair, Hick’s suggestion did leave room for interpretation.
I listened to caplis from 5:50-to about 5:55 last night, long enough to need a shower anyway, and that is exactly where the reds are going and how they’re framing it.
caplis took a caller’s lead and basically trotted out the “new” outrage the local party is running with.
Paraphrasing, “with the economy in as bad a shape as it’s in, when jobs should be a priority, the Governor’s making a Bill about special rights for a minority a big enough issue to call a special session.”.
The Colorado republicans by and large get their party line out via caplis. While his is a tiny frction of the listening numbers at his time slot, his demographic is a consistent, hard core, older white, right wing leaning, old school conservative and extreme evangelical base that abhores the very idea of anything even remotely resembling any legislation “sanctioning” same sex life decisions.
But the new twist is subtle, but there.
Instead of running the same tired fire and brimstone, it’s unholy!!!, an Outrage!!! crap they’ve used before, the republicans are trying to use the end of the Session nearing as a lever, when in fact, the reason it’s a last minute deal to begin with is of McNulty’s making in the first place.
Just the fact that the republicans are using “the economy” to fight Civil Unions instead of the bullshit “sinfull lifestyle” rhetoric that’s been their Alamo up to now, they’re admitting the majority is against them now.
But as usual, they’re being nefarious, duplicitous, and disingenuous when being professional lawmakers is what they’re paid to be.
What’s new?
He’s referenced his children’s first communion, as “obviously a wedding to God”, and I’m pretty sure he still worships God the Father.
It really is remarkable to me how some politicians get stuck in an impenatrable echo chamber.
Someone has told McNulty, “You can blame this on the Dems, stop this abomination, AND watch the LGBT community abandon the Dems.” The number of reasons why this is echo chamber mania at its worst are multiple but the primary problems are:
1. LGBT Dems are not going to abandon the party in any significant way. It is becoming more and more clear that their status as full citizens will not be improved by helping the Republicans (even passively).
2. Only in a game of inside baseball does McNulty’s argument penetrate with any significance. And that’s only if you buy the idea that the Dems waited too long to submit this bill for no good reason. To the supermajority of voters, they will only see the basic fact that the bill could have been passed before end of session if not for Republican leadership.
3. Even those of us who pay attention to the inside baseball stuff can recognize that the Dems were trying to get cosponsorship before submitting the bill to the House. We can be dismayed at the strategic consequences of this but it is hard to fault them for trying.
4. And all of this to stop what? The tidal wave of history. (My little sisters – 20 somethings – left their fundamentalist church when the pastor started bearing down on the gay issue. This is just one anecdote but I don’t think it is isolated at all.)
What is the political calculation? (Because running out the clock is not about prinicples, it is about politics.) The conservative base is more likely to abandon them because a) they feel like their Presidential candidate isn’t a “real” conservative or b) they don’t think their vote will effect the Presidential race. Not because the party had a few defectors on this issue.
But on the downside, there are a number of demographics who might be impacted by this action – young people, independents who consider themselves committed to common sense justice and fairness, LGBT Republicans who may begin to wonder if they might be better off trying to pitch their tent in the conservative wing of the Democratic party. None of these are necessarily huge demographics but in races where the deciding factor may come down to a small margin, they could make the difference.
I sure hope I’m wrong and the McNulty’s echo chamber has a few channels to the outside world. But I am feeling less confident.
are trying to put enough poison pill amendments into the bill that it won’t pass on the floor even if it makes it that far. Using a 1st amendment argument akin to the birth control debate nationally.
Gerou is expected to vote yes to get it to the floor, but also voted yes on the amendments.