Primaries: Who Will Win HD-6?

24 thoughts on “Primaries: Who Will Win HD-6?”

1. I’ve been watching this one the closest other than the CD-2 primary because of the seat’s history and because I’m in it every weekend.  Like HD-8 I think this is going to be very close and be about who turns out voters.  I could be happy with either Liz or Josh but I think it will be a horse race between Lois and Josh.  All three have been to my girlfriends house at least once or twice.  All three have filled the mailbox in the last few weeks.  Lois just comes across as nasty and like she thinks she’s entitled.  Every one of her mailings is the same ugly purple and doesn’t talk about any issues other than she supports single payer.  Lois does come across as knowledgable but like Alice in SD-35 doesn’t seem like she could work with many people or make many friends.  Liz seems knowledgable about the process and pretty solid on the issues although she stays pretty vague.  Suprisingly Josh has come across the strongest on the issues and has put out position papers that look like he’s clear on what he wants to do.  Big part of that I’m sure is that being up against two opponents with decades of political experience, he knows he has to show he knows the issues and is a reliable Dem vote with something to add to the discussion.  Does Lois edge out Josh drawing on the party base and activists who she’s working hard to convince that Josh hasn’t been a Dem long enough?  Does Liz pull enough votes from the PTA and swim club and with her friendly personality?  Does Josh’s backing by so many elected Dems and his message of being the political outsider strike a chord with people?  Do Liz and Lois split the anti-Josh vote or do Liz and Josh split the anti Lois vote?  I’m pulling for Liz or Josh but have to think it’s a Lois vs Josh nailbiter with the edge to Lois

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2. Contrary to mosts folks understanding, the majority of the votes are in the eastern side of the district in the few in number, but large in size precincts of Lowry and Windsor Gardens.

   Tom Russell was strong over in that area and has been helping Lois.  The seniors in Windsor could make the differnce in this one.

   My real question is what has Hanfling been doing with his money?  He hasn’t burried the district in mailers, where has the money gone?

   Side note Sharf is a lunatic.  Barakat, as an American of Palestinian desent, is of course sympathetic to Palestinians just as Sharf as an orthodox Jew, is sypathetic toward Isreal.  However, If anyone adopts a position on Israel/Palestine to the left of the Likud party’s position, Sharf will declare them an anti semetic terror apologist.

   Why is it in Israel there can be a vigorous debate regarding Israel/Palestine, but in the US we can’t have the same debate without fear of being labled anti-semite terror apologist.

   Personally I do not agree with Barakat or Sharf on Israel/Palestine, but geeze people we are talking about the Colorado state house that neither of you have a chance of joining.

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3.    Does he blog on ColoradoPols?  Is that you, Laughing Boy?

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   1. Not even close.

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4. yesterday at the Election Commission HQ.
   
   I hope he wins because he knocked on my door and was campaigning wearing a T-shirt.

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5. I’m voting for Lois Court. I don’t find her to be “nasty” or think she acts like she’s “entitled” as a previous poster said. I spoke to her before a candidates forum at Windsor Gardens a couple of weeks ago and she also responded to an e-mail I sent her regarding higher education funding with a detailed response that didn’t sound like something straight from her stump speech.

   I  also like Liz Adams and would be satisfied if she wins. But I don’t think  she takes a bold enough stance on expanding health care access. She’s very tentative and non-specific. I do like her background and think she has a wealth of legislative experience to offer. She’d make a good state representative.

   I don’t like or trust Josh Hanfling. His idea of universal health care is health savings accounts. HDA’s don’t increase access and only benefit the rich. I also find his advertising disingenuous. He says he’s been “supporting Democratic causes and ideals for 15 years.” Then why did you wait until 2006 to become a Democrat Josh? Because he knows a Republican won’t win in HD6.

   My fear is Adams and Court will split votes and Hanfling will squeak by.

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   1. This is my first time on this website.  I was pointed to it by a friend at the park who is voting for Lois and said Lois needed people to go on here and vote for her.  Guess they weren’t counting on me supporting somebody else.

      I’ll say right up front that I’m a Liz Adams supporter.  Proud to have her sign up in my yard and to tell others about her.  I’ve seen what Liz did with the PTA and if she can deal with that group, she can deal with anybody.  I also like her experience in government which means she understands the ins and outs of the policy process.  I’ll also say though that if Liz wasn’t in the race, I’d not only be voting for Josh, I’d be out knocking on all of my neighbors doors to tell them about him and supporting him like I am now for Liz.  I’m supporting Liz because I’ve seen her in action and I like that she is realistic about what can be done on healthcare and education without promising the moon.

      You must have had a much different encounter with Lois Court than I or the other people I know have who met her for the first time.  I don’t doubt for a minute that she understands politics but I have never gotten an answer on why she’s running or what she wants to accomplish if she is elected.  I was at that Windsor Gardens forum to support Liz and was bored and annoyed listening to Lois go on about her experience and all of the former elected people who are endorsing her.  I would have much preferred she actually talk about the issues instead of condescend to everybody. I know some people like Lois because she says she’ll pass single payer.  I like Liz because she supports a comprehensive plan to reform healthcare and is very up front with people about the problems implementing single payer and how other solutions can accomplish more in less time for all of the people without insurance.  I similarly think Josh has a realistic and well thought out approach on healthcare.  He did mention HSAs too much at that forum but if your read his paper about healthcare I think he and Liz are very close in their approach.  On all of the issues I think both Liz and Josh have put out much clearer outlines of what they’ll do.  Lois has one paragraph on each issue on her website but Liz and Josh both have pages and pages.  Ultimately, I know Liz can get the job done and understands how to do it.  Like the first poster said I just hope Liz and Josh don’t split the people who don’t want to vote for Lois.  

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6. Since I am a Denver party official I have no favorite in this race, but I am getting a sense that the district’s typical primary voters are genuinely torn between Lois Court and Liz Adams. Josh Hanfling has his segment of support to be sure, but I don’t feel like the primary voters have warmed to him as much as he would have liked.

   Between Lois and Liz it is a really tough call. Tehy are both very articulate and knowledgable about isses facing the legislature and the procedures that go on there. I think either one would make a wonderful representative. But looking at their campaign experience, I would have to say Lois probably has an edge with her experience in GOTV efforts for past campaigns.

   But having a very slight edge does not automatically win an election. And there is still the possibility that Josh’s supporters are just enough to carry it in a 3-way.

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   1. If yard signs actually count for anything, in the little part of 6 that I walk there isn’t a single sign for Josh.

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      1. Not that yard signs do count for much other than who can convince people to put up a yard sign BUT were your walks through the part you describe before or after there was a dust up on here a few weeks ago about Josh vs Lois and that night a bunch of his signs were vandalized and Lois signs popped up at the same corners?  I’m actually not terribly upset about the fracas between Lois and Josh because I think more people are seeing Liz as the least contentious choice but somebody needs to get their supporters under control.  Debating the issues is one thing but vandalizing private property goes too far and Lois’ non stop whining about Josh and lately about Liz is getting old fast.

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            1. The sign thing does seem minor, but how far off is that sort of idiot from throwing a rock through a window, or worse?  Anyway, the neighborhood I walk through has always been Josh free.

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               1. Getting married in London sounds like some great stuff. Congratulations!

                  Did you schedule the wedding so you’d be back in time for the primary?

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   2. Dan as a party official you SHOULD have no favorite in this race at least publicly but you also should be a little more honest about this.  Last year you were belittling Liz when word started of her entering the race and talked about supposed skeletons in Josh’s closet.  I’ve also been at neighborhood events spreading word about Liz when a family emergency prevented her from being there and have witnessed your animosity toward Josh and apathy to Liz as you made your preference of Lois clear.  That’s all good and well but please don’t insult Liz and Josh’s supporters by saying you have no favorite before you go into explaining how Lois will probably win because of her GOTV experience.

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      1. I live in Glendale in the district. I’ve never heard Dan belittle anyone. Liz and Lois have not written off Glendale, which I believe Mr. Hanfling has done.

         I openly support Lois, but I find Liz quite competent. I didn’t see Mr.Hanfling at any of the functions at Windsor Gardens that I attended.

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      2. If I had lived in the district I would actually be torn between Liz and Lois. I like them about equally. As for Josh, I barely know him and never heard of him before he entered this race so if he had skelatons, I wouldn’t know anything about them.

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7. I still don’t understand why he didn’t do better…absolutely great credentials….

   Liz is the PTA mom…Lois is  an old time party hack….and I say that with the respect that the title deserves…

   Josh is shallow. I have heard him talk and it is sound bites…….but he is  loaded with money and endorsements from the dem establishment….most of whom do not live in the District…

   I never liked term limits….and HD 6 is an excellent example of why.  We are losing a great representative…

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8. By the number of posts on this thread it looks like this race has some of the most interest of the primaries and some of the strongest opinions on state level races.  I’ve been keeping all the mailers and newspaper articles my girlfriend’s been getting just to keep track of it all.

   From this thread and a few previous threads, here’s my recap on things.

   Lois supporters seem to be the party activists and the furthest left.  They really dislike Josh and are neutral on Liz.  Lois and her followers think Josh hasn’t been a Dem long enough and is too moderate or pro-business.  They think Liz brings lots of experience but isn’t bold or specific enough about what she’d do and she’s no Lois.  Some think Tom Russell was the best thing ever but since he didn’t stay in they’ll settle for Lois if it means beating Josh and that Josh had his picture taken with too many attractive people while he was raising money and supporting non-profits or other candidates.

   Liz supporters think she’s really nice and smart.  She herded PTA moms so the legislature should be no problem.  Liz’s people seem to like that she talks about how she’ll get things done and that they see her as more realistic about what can get accomplished by the state government.  They actually come across as the nicest of any of the candidates supporters, probably aren’t normally the party activists and would lean toward Josh if they got to vote for their top 2.

   Josh’s supporters, well they don’t seem to post much on here but somebody is voting for him.  They seem to like Liz and would likely go for her over Lois.  From what I’ve heard from people in the district a lot of his supporters are walking around the district this weekend.  Have to wonder if that might be a little too late with the election Tuesday.  The ones I’ve talked to say they like Josh because they’ve seen the work he’s done creating and helping non profits and think his views as a political outsider would be good in the state house.

   Joshua Sharf thinks his Republicant opponent is a terrorist sympathizer and she says – oh screw it, why are we talking about them anyway?

   Everybody’s supporters seem to really like Romanoff and wish he was staying.  With the exception of Lois who starts every speech talking about how she has been around so long she deserves to be elected, I think the candidates would all have been happy to see Romanoff stay.  Funny thing is Romanoff was Mr. DLC so I don’t get how the lefties love him and at the same time Lois.  I also don’t get the people who were supporting Obama over Clinton because of his message of change but are now supporting Lois because she’s been there forever.  Different strokes I suppose.

   In the mud-slinging department, one paper wrote a pretty blistering editorial about Lois alleging she misrepresented her involvement with an anti-Bruce group calling her hiring “one of the worst hiring decisions” and her “a polarizing figure” who “alienated many of the organizations funders and important allies” before concluding that claim “raises questions about her judgment and leadership.”  Lois was quick to point out that the editor of that paper had previously written a glowing article about Josh and she posted a quote from somebody else involved with the group who says she is the “ideal candidate” and “honest and ethical.”  The day the anti-Lois article came out Pols lit up with a thread bashing Josh and that night a bunch of his signs were spray painted and stolen.  Next was an article in another paper that defended Lois’ anti-Bruce activism, pointed out that Liz worked as a staffer for Republicants and Josh used to be a Republican but has given a ton of money to Dems and may not have really ever been an R other than the fact that he originally registered as one in college.  Is Lois calling in favors she’s built up over the years to muddy the waters about Liz and Josh so people default to her? If so that’s some good moves on her part to counter the first article that attacked her.

   In Where are they Now news, the good Professor Tom Russell has apparently been busy trying to help Lois.  He’s been sending out emails praising her and going door to door for her.  Earlier this year Professor Tom sent a letter to his neighbors and went around trying to warn them about the Trojan Horse Hanfling and begging them not to sign Josh’s petitions.  At least one of my friends got the letter and promptly called to find out where to sign Josh’s petition.  Unfortunately for the Professor, some people who lived in Boulder when he waged war on students to inflate his property value still remember him and what the papers here described as his neighborhood cult that was accused of trespassing, harassing and spying on students including more than a few coeds.  At least one person I know has sworn to go door to door with articles about the Professor if he keeps inserting himself in this race.  She’s actually a Liz Adams supporter and doesn’t care much for Josh Hanfling but can’t stand Russell because her friends dealt with him in Boulder and can’t stand to see him going around acting like the protector of Lowry and all things Democratic.

   So that’s the dirt, scandal and love/hate fest in HD6.  What about the candidates and the issues?

   Issues; On most issues, I’m still not sure what specifically Lois is for from reading her website.  She’s for single-payer and more vocational ed in high schools, thinks we need instant run-off voting and she says Ritter has it right on the environment and she backs him.  Liz has positions on her site on education, healthcare and the environment.  On education, she wants more pre-school and kindergarten, smaller class sizes, dropout prevention and accountability going with funding.  Healthcare she seems to favor the 208 commission, expanding Medicaid and CHP.  Environment, she measured her carbon footprint, has some broad ideas about legislation to reduce emissions and like Lois supports Ritters Climate Action Plan.  Josh has long papers on his site about education, energy and healthcare.  On education like Liz he hits on preschool and kindergarten, class size and CSAP reform and also talks about higher ed, adult education, special ed and after school programs.  Healthcare again like Liz supports the 208 plan but goes into a lot more detail about how to put that plan into action and also talks about mental health, autism and the Medicaid reimbursements.  Energy is probably his strongest and in addition to the usual pushing the renewable energy business growth, he has a specific plan he wants to introduce to require the state to reduce its own consumption. Josh also apparently wants to do something with the state veterans affairs.  I’m not sure how big of an issue that is in hd6 but seems like a good idea to me.  All three support Romanoff’s SAFE plan and were collecting signatures for that.

   All three have info on their websites on the issues so if you actually want to make your decision on that, set aside some time (a lot of it if you’re going to read Josh’s):

   http://www.lizadams.org/issues…
   
   http://www.hanflingforcolorado…
   
   http://www.loiscourt.com/issue…

   Endorsements; All three have endorsements listed on their sites.  Lois has a dozen former elected people, a few unions and the trial lawyers.  Liz has a ton of people I’ve never heard of and the most union or PAC endorsements of any.  Josh has the most current serving Dems of any of them and a bunch of other people I don’t know.

   Money; Lois loves to tell you and send you mailings to tell you that she isn’t taking PAC money and accepted voluntary limits.  Given that, it’s impressive how much mail she has sent.  I personally think that mail should have been used to talk about some issues instead of just hammering the no PAC money and single payer in every one but maybe that’s what works with primary voters.  She’s spent every dime she raised and is at the spending limit so if she wins it’s a good thing she doesn’t have to campaign for the general.  Liz has raised a bit more than Lois but the last three reports showed most of that coming from PACs and special interests.  She’s had a pretty decent string of mailings each talking about a different issue and then one with all of the people endorsing her.  Her latest mailer encouraged independents to switch and vote in the primary.  Josh has raised way more than either Liz or Lois.  Surprising to see though that I could only find one contributions from a PAC and the rest is individual donations.  His mailings have been pretty non-stop and like Liz they each focus on a different issue with his having more specifics and referring to the issue papers on his site. He also sent out one with quotes from all the Dems supporting him I’m guessing to counter Lois telling everybody he’s not a Dem or at least not as much of a Dem as her.

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   1. CD2Watch:

      Oddly, you have spent many of the words in your extraordinarily long, second post in this thread going after me.  

      I think it might be useful to remind you that I am no longer a candidate in HD6.  You must be disappointed that your little bits of “oppo research” cannot take votes from me.

      Among the false assertions in your post is that I sent out letters asking people not to sign Mr. Hanfling’s petitions.  Would you please do me the favor of sending me a copy of one of these letters?  I have not yet seen this letter.  

      I left the race with an email referring to the Trojan Horse.  Someone posted that email on this blog.  Shortly after, I sent an email endorsing Lois Court.  She has that email on her site.  Finally, when ballots were mailed in July, I sent another email urging people to vote for Lois Court.  That’s been the extent of my correspondence regarding this race.  I confess that I did urge my next door neighbor not to sign Hanfling’s petition when a Republican solicitor (I asked her) came by while I was mowing my lawn.  Was urging my neighbor not to sign somehow out of bounds?

      As for Boulder, let me say that when I lived there, I came to focus my attention on the Hill’s landlords, whom I regarded with special contempt.  The landlords counter-attacked in their own special way–using the same language that you employ.  I published a law review article about my experience in Boulder.  See:  http://houseofrussell.com/rj/t…  

      It’s fair to say that I would not have expected any CU alumnus who was a Keystone-Light-swilling rioter in 2000 or 2001 to be among my supporters.  (Please note that I have not claimed that all CU alumni share these characteristics.)  I would imagine that voters who fit that demographic would instead vote for the biggest partier in the HD6 field.  

      Finally, I’m in Keystone chilling with my family before the semester starts.  I’d like to check the returns when the mail-in ballot tabulations come in.  Would someone please send me email as to where the best place is to find those results?

      Best regards,

      Tom Russell
      
      Houseofrussell.com
      
      trussell@law.du.edu

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9. Sunday afternoon, I received a robo call from Janet Elway. After 30 seconds of effusive praise for her preferred candidate she said, “Join me and vote for Josh Hanfling on Tuesday, August 12.” I found this amusing because she’s a Republican, who I don’t believe lives in HD 6, or is registered to vote there.

   But she’s a pseudo celebrity, so I suppose that’s supposed to move me. Ha!

   I know it’s just a robo call, but come on, Janet Elway? Give me a break.

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   1. were GOP. Or is that just John? Or did Janet’s party affiliation switch when she divorced John all those years ago?

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      1. including Janet. She hasn’t switched her party affiliation.

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10. I live in HD6, in the Capitol Hill section of the district.  Lois Court made an effort to contact me, in my condo, while walking the precinct before the caucuses.  We talked for about 15 minutes; I was impressed by her experience and her dedication to reforming health care and TABOR.  I didn’t remember that she likes instant runoff voting, as someone posted in this thread, but that makes me like her even more.

    The framing device of “experience in politics is bad” is just another ploy that the right-wing uses in their constant attempts to destroy the “liberals” that they hate so much.  We should appreciate people with experience, not demonize them.

    As for the other candidates, Liz seems nice, but I never read anything from her that excited me.  Maybe it’s because I have no kids and have thus never been to a PTA meeting.  Josh, well, he’s a Republican….  nobody I’ve talked to who’s met him seems to think he’d make a good representative.

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11. Wow – CD2Watch – guess we live in an alternate universe.  I’m trying to reconcile your observations with mine vis-a-vis the candidates in HD6.

    First of all, any one reading this post has likely already voted.  So this is really just to register my opinion and hopefully set the record straight.

    Thanks entirely to my wife, I’ve had my name in the society pages many times in the past few years.  We’ve seen Josh Hanfling’s name in the society columns for years as well.  There are a lot of great people that we’ve come to know as a result.  So I won’t knock Josh’s activities in that arena.  My wife is also an entrepreneur (and like Josh, a disillusioned soon-to-be former Republican).  

    But, that’s the main reason I can’t support him in the primary.  I’m selfish — I want a representative that will devote all their time to representing us. When will he have time for that?  (Insider alert – I volunteered for Lois and I’m not even a party activist).  Just this weekend, I was walking the precinct delivering Lois’ literature to the homes that hadn’t voted.  Josh’s person was wallpapering the entire neighborhood (a lot of which wound up littering Colorado Blvd).  Guess he didn’t have time to vet his own list.  Maybe it’s a small detail, but it also speaks volumes about the thought and effort Lois puts into her work vs. just shotgunning the task at great expense.

    CD2Watch seems to feel that Lois hasn’t expressed herself sufficiently on the issues.  I beg to differ.  But there are issues and there is judgment.  With 500 issues before the legislature each year, I put my confidence in judgment and experience.  The issues will be addressed in the proper time.  But the top priorities of fixing the constitution, health care and higher education registers pretty high on my list.
    
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    Liz Adams is smart, and certainly a hard worker. В I know she feels deeply about public service. В She is definitely the policy wonk of the three. В But I don’t see leadership, just a hard worker. В That’s good, but I think we can do better. В Thus when I heard Lois speak at Hill Elementary on caucus night (and actually a couple of times before that), I not only saw a leader, I saw someone I felt could inspire and lead others to take positions, and maybe a risk or two, for the betterment of not just our district, but the state as well.
    
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    I’ll support the eventual winner after Aug. 12th, but I really hope it will be Lois Court, with her experience, savvy and leadership on the issues.

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