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March 04, 2008 12:06 AM UTC

Harvey Pulls Out Crystal Ball

  • 28 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Republican Sen. Ted Harvey, one of several elephants running for congress in CD-6, has a prediction to make: Secretary of State Mike Coffman – GASP! – won’t go to the caucus!!!

Harvey’s campaign sent out a silly press release last Friday (click below for the full release) predicting that Coffman would bypass the caucus process:

Today, State Senator Ted Harvey’s campaign for Congress predicted that fellow 6th Congressional District candidate, Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman, will soon announce that he will bypass the Republican Party’s grassroots-based caucus nominating process and opt to gather petition signatures to place him on the Primary Election ballot.

“I hope Mike will join me to directly engage our grassroots Republican activists but it’s clear he lacks the base support I have and feels he can’t afford to lose this first contest for our party’s nomination,” said Harvey.

Harvey is obviously trying hard to set himself up as the establishment Republican Party candidate, even though he didn’t raise squat during the Q4 fundraising period ($35,000 compared to more than $200,000 each for Coffman and Wil Armstrong). This release would make a lot more sense AFTER the caucus rather than issuing a goofy statement predicting something to happen.

Harvey: Secretary of State Mike Coffman Set to Announce He’ll Bypass GOP Caucus Process to Petition on CD6 Ballot

Lacks Grassroots Support but Expected to Claim Otherwise

Highlands Ranch, CO:  Today, State Senator Ted Harvey’s campaign for Congress predicted that fellow 6th Congressional District candidate, Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman, will soon announce that he will bypass the Republican Party’s grassroots-based caucus nominating process and opt to gather petition signatures to place him on the Primary Election ballot.

“I hope Mike will join me to directly engage our grassroots Republican activists but it’s clear he lacks the base support I have and feels he can’t afford to lose this first contest for our party’s nomination,” said Harvey.

With Colorado’s caucus season already well underway, so far Senator Harvey is the only candidate for the 6th Congressional District who has committed to go through the Republican Party’s arduous nominating process.

While canvassing prospective 6th CD Delegates and Alternates, the Ted Harvey for Congress campaign has found that the main reason stated for Senator Harvey’s leading level of support is his consistent conservative leadership in the Colorado Legislature.

“My entire legislative service has been about advancing conservative Republican values — the same conservative values that motivate these wonderful grassroots leaders to volunteer their spare time and serve at this base level of our democratic process,” stated Harvey.

The main reasons stated for Mike Coffman’s lack of support among these GOP activists are the growing controversies surrounding his office, opposition from Colorado Republican Party Chair Dick Wadhams, and abandonment of the Secretary of State’s office to Democratic Governor Bill Ritter who would appoint Coffman’s successor should he win the 6th CD race.

Based on recent assertions from the Coffman campaign, they are likely to claim that Coffman enjoys popular support among 6th CD Delegates and Alternates but that he will none-the-less petition on the ballot as a calculated strategy to benefit his odds.

“Even if I must stand alone I will continue to lead the conservative Republican movement among this outstanding and dedicated corps of grassroots activist,” concluded Harvey.

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28 thoughts on “Harvey Pulls Out Crystal Ball”

  1. Based on what I saw at the Arapahoe County Republican Assembly last Saturday, Ted Harvey had the least amount of visibility of the four 6th CD campaigns there. The support shown for both Mike Coffman and Wil Armstrong was pretty overwhelming.  Even Steve Ward had more of a presence in this key Republican stronghold than Harvey did.

    To the west, Harvey is constantly touting his endorsement from all his fellow state legislators in Jefferson County.  This is great if you are looking to be the politicians’ candidate.  But GOP voters, in the 6th CD, are looking for the best candidate.  It is clear that Harvey’s zeal is not matched by Republicans willing to donate real dollars to his efforts.

    I don’t know if Mr. Coffman is going to use the assembly, or the petition, to get on the GOP August primary ballot.  But, perhaps, Mr. Harvey should be reminded that Tom Tancredo chose to go the petition route in 1998… and it didn’t seem to affect his ability to win.    

    1. My impression is that the assembly delegates barely know who the candidates are because so many of the delegates are newbies. Is that true, or not?

  2. I think Harvey looks more like George Costanza than Miss Cleo. Perhaps he is more suited to predict how the Yankees will do this year or what the lunch special at your neighborhood cafe will be. My prediciton is that unless Harvey starts growing money on trees…he won’t even be a serious contender in this race. Pols is right. This release is silly and goofy.

  4. with Ms. Cleo, I am thinking Harvey hired Kramer to run his campaign. I was at the Arapahoe Assembly as well. It was telling, people wearing stickers went 60% Coffman, 30% Armstrong, 10% Ward (although he had no stickers). The Coffman crew blanketed the place with signs, I am thinking these guys are in military mode. I guess the Harvey campaign used their crystal ball and only saw Douglas.

     

  5. After the pathetic showing at county assemblies this weekend, even in his own county, Harvey’s campaign still thought it was a good idea to claim he actually has broad support. If Harvey has so much support why didn’t he have at least one volunteer handing out brochures, or stickers, or even just standing at his table which was empty with a sticky note that said Ted Harvey. Originally I though he would have a serious campaign, but at this point there are three tiers in the race for CD6. Tier 1 Coffman, Tier 2 Armstrong (money and fathers name helps), Tier 3 Harvey and Ward

    1. I don’t see why Coffman has the top tier all to himself.  A cursory look around Arapahoe showed Armstrong has far better support and the only seriously organized volunteer effort at this point.  In fact, Coffman’s campaign didn’t even show up until after credentialiing was well underway.

      1. Exploiting one’s family is what Armstrong is doing. How many relatives does he have? The Coffman campaign had a large number of “real” volunteers who came and worked hard. Even Steve Ward had more volunteers than Harvey.

        ….By the way I think Coffman’s campaign was there way earlier and took all the good sign locations.  

  6. The sheer laugable incompetence of the news release speaks volumes about how ineffective Harvey would be as a congressman.

    I mean, c’mon:

    “Harvey’s campaign predicted…”? Um, who exactly is that? I didn’t realize a campaign could make predictions.

    “Predicted”? What kind of news value is in that? That’s your zinger lead paragraph? Rinky-dink.  

  7. Coffman knows he does not have the votes to beat Harvey at the 6th Assembly.  He should have enough support to make the ballot but he comes in second place.  Mike knows that he if he goes through the process that he gets beat and he can’t afford that going into the primary. Mike will tuck tail and follow Armstrong and go the petition route.  

    C’mon Mike, grow a pair and go through the assembly.

    1. If Harvey’s support is so weak as people suggest on here, why doesn’t Coffman go the assembly route and try to knock Harvey off early on?  The fact that Coffman is not going is more telling than a yard sign count…

      It looks like Steve Ward will be going the assembly route.  He spoke at the Douglas County Assembly, and they have a requirement that a candidate agree to go the assembly route in order to speak.

      1. I just love how the Douglas County Republicans crafted their rules to favor the home town boy, Ted Harvey.  Heaven forbid that their delegates should actually get to hear from all four GOP candidates in the 6th CD race!  I guess they didn’t dare do anything that would threaten their favorite son’s candidacy on his home turf.

        Meanwhile, in the Arapahoe County Republican Assembly — home county to both Mike Coffman and Wil Armstrong — all four candidates had the chance to address the delegates and alternates there. Real democracy in action, imagine that!  Harvey’s support there was all but invisible!

        1. to allow a candidate that is bypassing the caucus/assembly process to also benefit from it.  The rule that prevents a candidate from addressing the assembly has absolutely nothing to do with protecting Ted Harvey, it is there to protect the caucus/assembly process.  If it were Armstrong or Coffman that were going the assembly route while Harvey petitioned on, the rules would have been the same.  So your accusations of home field rules is flat out wrong.

          1. … did the caucus/assembly process needed to be protected?  The Arapahoe County Republican Assembly didn’t have any qualms about granting the floor to all four candidates, regardless of how they were seeking to get on the GOP primary ballot.  I doubt anyone there felt the caucus/assembly process was endangered by the exercise of freedom of speech.

            I am not aware that my home county — Jefferson — has placed any such condition on congressional candidate access at our Republican assembly.  I guess I’ll find out for sure this Saturday.  So I can’t imagine why the Douglas County Republicans crafted such a restrictive rule other than to protect their favorite son’s candidacy.

            2. So the Jeffco GOP, like the Arapahoe County Republicans, let all four 6th CD candidates — and their entourages — take turns addressing the assembly.  Thumbs up for true democracy and freedom of speech. Thumbs down for Douglas County Republicans suppressing political speech and fashioning a “home field advantage” for their favorite son, Ted Harvey.  

    2. Mike will tuck tail and follow Armstrong and go the petition route.  

      C’mon Mike, grow a pair and go through the assembly.

      by: bull08 @ Mon Mar 03, 2008 at 17:44:57 PM MST

      You may disagree with the strategy you think Mike Coffman may be choosing, but questioning his courage, with junior high taunts, goes beyond the pale.  Mr. Coffman has twice put aside his political aspirations to serve our nation in combat in the Middle East.  

      I hardly think facing Ted Harvey in any arena remotely reaches that level of testing one’s mettle.  Besides, I don’t believe anyone thinks Tom Tancredo’s decision to go the petition route in 1998 was a sign of him trying to “tuck tail,” or does bull08 think the congressman needs to “grow a pair” as well.  

      1. We have a process in place to pick our candidates.  Coffman has always gone through that process before; I wonder why now he decides not to let the party faithful decide his destiny now.

        Going the petition route is the cowards way and fits Armstrong but Mike is better than that.  If he goes the petition route, he is just as big of a coward as Armstrong.

        C’mon Mike, grow a pair and go through the assembly.

        1. I agree there is a process in place where we pick our candidates… and it ends up where all the GOP voters, in the 6th CD, get to choose our nominee in the August 12th primary.  

          One way of getting on that ballot is by going through the assembly route and garnering at least 30% of the vote there.  Another method is securing a spot on the ballot by a petition signed by a specified number of Republican voters in the 6th CD.  I believe there is even a third way for a candidate who receives at least 20% of the vote at the assembly to still petition on to the primary ballot.  I don’t believe the Colorado Republican State Central Committee ever designated one method to be preferable to another… and certainly didn’t design one to be the “coward’s way.”

          Whether you like Tom Tancredo, or not, the petition route worked for him in 1998.  It is my understanding that 5th District Congressman Doug Lamborn, an incumbent no less, is using the petition route to get on the ballot there this year.

          The results of an assembly are not always a good barometer for where the party faithfuls’ sentiment lies.  In 2004, Bob Schaffer won top line designation at the state assembly, but went on to lose the primary to Pete Coors.

          But I guess what baffles me the most is how you, bull08, have already determined Mike Coffman is going to petition on to the primary ballot.  I don’t believe the candidate has even made that decision yet.  

          Perhaps, you are using the same murky crystal ball that Ted Harvey is predicting the future with?    

          1. I certainly hope Coffman goes through the Assembly but I am willing to bet he will choose the petition route.

            The petition process is for those people who know they don’t have the support of the faithful republicans who every year put their hearts and souls into furthering the republican cause and spend their time getting to know the candidates and truly understanding who they are and what they represent. The majority of the primary voters have no real clue about the candidates they are voting for and very few take the time or put effort into getting to know them.

            I didn’t support Coors but at least he went through the convention even though he knew there was a possibility that he would not make the ballot.  He also knew it was a good bet that he would get enough votes that he could petition on if he needed. He won a lot of support just by going through the process.

            The party faithful put Coffman where he is today.  They deserve the right to pick their candidate for this race, Coffman owes them that much.

  8. Coffman wants more people on the ballot and his campaign knows if they go through assembly they may hold Harvey (definitely Ward) off the ballot. For anyone to suggest Harvey is a strong opponent for Coffman is an absolute joke. My guess is the Coffman camp realizes a four way primary ballot favors their guy who already has way more name ID, more money, and a better organization. Let’s look at the facts. Harvey is raising money like he is running for city council. He has very little name ID outside of Douglas County (even there it’s soft). He has absolutely zero organization (as evidenced by this weekend’s assemblies). Harvey should worry about Armstrong first because as it stands today he’s not even in the same ballpark as Coffman. I guess you can’t blame the guy for having a dream.    

    1. I see both sides. However, why would Coffman waist his time and money on Harvey. This would allow Armstrong to raise money and spend time courting voters who haven’t already made up their minds, while Harvey and Coffman duke it out. Seems like a bad strategy, if Harvey isn’t even going to have enough money to make it to election day. Although I’m not one for attacking other candidates, the George Costanza thing is kind of funny.

  11. This is funny sh#t. Whomever wrote this and I am really hoping a sitting state senator did not, is drinking to much cough medicine.

    Did the Harvey campaign really expect any news outlet with reporters who completed H.S. journalism to run with this.

    I can’t wait to see what they “release” on April fool’s.

    Sen. Harvey you may not be a viable candidate but you do make the 6th CD race entertaining sir.

    P.S. Can you give me odds on the winner of the Final Four I have the office pool coming up?

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