Geography a Disadvantage for Some Young Republican "Rock Stars"

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by: Colorado Pols

The Rocky Mountain News has an interesting look at four young Republican lawmakers who may be the future of the state GOP: Reps. Josh Penry, Rob Witwer, Cory Gardner and Matt Knoedler.

…[Penry] is among a handful of first-term lawmakers who have Republican Party leaders salivating. They see a deep bench to tap over the next decade for statewide and congressional offices.

Others they are eyeing include Reps. Rob Witwer, of Genesee; Cory Gardner, of Yuma; and Matt Knoedler, of Lakewood.

“All of them are rock stars,” said House Minority Leader Joe Stengel, R-Littleton. “And all four of these young guys are honest, articulate, bright and have a good sense of humor. They have the kind of values you want your own kids to have.”

Foster, the former House majority leader, compared the bench to the Democrats’ roster in the last century with Dick Lamm and Roy Romer, who would become governors, and Tim Wirth and Gary Hart, who would become U.S. senators.

The question is how far those on the Republican JV team want to go. Some admit they are still learning the art of balancing a political life with raising a family and making a living.

Republicans are certainly in a good position to have four young legislators that they can move up, but there is one disadvantage in regards to where they are from: only Knoedler, and to a lesser extent Witwer, live in a highly populated area of Colorado.

Population changes in Colorado over the last decade have moved the voter registration advantage decidely towards the Front Range, where 80% of Colorado voters now reside. In another ten years, or perhaps less, the Front Range could have such a voter registration advantage over the rest of the state that any candidate for statewide election not from that area will be at an immediate disadvantage.

Penry is mentioned in the News article as a potential U.S. Senator some day, but by the time he’s ready to run for an office like that, being on the Western Slope will likely be a serious hindrance. Penry is certainly in a good position to run for congress some day, as is Gardner, but Knoedler and Witwer are the two who are geographically positioned for a run at statewide office.

14 thoughts on “Geography a Disadvantage for Some Young Republican “Rock Stars””

SouthDenver says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

I don’t think that Penry’s geography will be hinder him as much as you say. He is turning heads with the leadership and their support will validate his political strength. Some people just wear their political savvy well, and it is hard to ignore Josh’s huge potential in this state.

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Leader says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

The challenge for the Republicans will be to use these guys, promote them and feature them…even when they take on the old guard establishment. That hasn’t been the case enough.

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Voyageur says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

I don’t think Penry suffers from coming from Grand Junction, assuming he first detours through state office or Congress. Don’t forget that Roy Romer came from holly and Ben Nighthorse Campbell from Ignacio. But I have a hard time seeing Cory Gardner as a “rock star” considering he has served only 12 minutes … okay, a few days…since being appointed to replace now Sen. Greg Brophy who replaced Hillman. Let’s see if he can carry a few bills and win election in his own right before going gaga.

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Colorado Pols says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

You can’t really point to history here. When Romer and Nighthorse first won statewide, Colorado had a different voter registration mix. Registration has changed significantly even in the last 10 years as more people move into Colorado and settle in the metro area.

If the Front Range ends up with 85-90 percent of the registered voters in Colorado in 10 years, any candidate who is not well known along the Front Range will have a hell of a time winning statewide.

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Voyageur says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

You can always point to history, Jason. The point is to rise from some base to statewide visibility, and certainly the West Slope will continue to be represented in Congress and the legislature. Mark Hillman, Burlington, is now state treasurer, as was Romer before him. Speaker of the House, Senate president, are obvious ways to get known statewide among the cogniscenti. As to hoi polloi (not THE hoi polloi, hoi means the) it’s a simple matter of spending a few million bucks for name recognition. Like the recipe for rabbit stew, the hard part is catching the rabbit or, in this case, the couple million bucks.

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Waning Western Slope says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

gee, i believe i’ve been preaching this gospel all along.

the sooner state-wide candidates realize that the majority of the votes reside along the front range, the sooner they’ll be running winning campaigns.

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Voyageur says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

You have indeed preached that gospel, waning one, but it’s a classic case of unintelligent design. Deliberately alienating voters is stupid, no matter who you pick on.

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Beauprez Trolls says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

You don’t have to ignore voters to be smart about the realities of the current situation. You’d be a fool to spend 50% of your resources campaigning outside of the front range.

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Waning Western Slope says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

voyageur:

if you mean candidates would be “deliberately alienating” a whopping 1-percent of colorado voters by not wasting their time or money campaigning off-the-chart issues like western slope water allocations then yep, it’s a “stupid” idea indeed.

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Demento says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

In Penry’s case perhaps his West Slope location is short run smarts. He’s a shoo-in in his district. Even if he runs for state senate after only one term in the house he’ll probably make it. Once his name is out there (and he’s not shy) and begins gradually increasing his appeal to more moderates, a state-wide run seems very logical and winnable. It really depends on how patient he is and how far he is willing to move away from wingnut social issues.

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Voyageur says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

Waning, if you think only 1 percent of Colorado cares about water issues, you really are stupid. Did you happen to see what happened to Referendum A? It lost in every county of the state. The Western Slope has fully 10 percent of the voters in this state, not 1 percent, but people in all parts care passionately about land-use, open space, conservation and other environmental issues.
And Ted, nobody is suggesting spending 50 percent of your money outside the front range. But ignoring rural Colorado completely is just dumb.

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darth vader says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

The Democrats will elect no less then three individuals under 35 this fall to serve as an antidote to the new Republican poison. Not to mention Morgan Carroll already is at the capitol. We shouldn’t get too excited about a new generation of Republicans who show no conscience, are elitist, and have almost destroyed Colorado over the past decade. Rock stars? These boys are fugly.

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luke skywalker says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

Wow. Tell me how you really feel.

What have these young men have done to provoke such a hateful response? Maybe you are a little scared by their potential to lead this state in a conservative manner. It would be a refreshing change to what is happening under the dome in Denver these days.

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Voyageur says:

January 23, 2006 at 9:00 am

Hmm. Darth Vader as a liberal Democrat, Luke Skywalker as a Republican. It works for me!

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