U.S. Senate
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(D) J. Hickenlooper*
(R) Somebody
80%
20%
Governor
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(D) Phil Weiser
(D) Joe Neguse
(D) Jena Griswold
60%
60%
40%↓
Att. General
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(D) M. Dougherty
(D) Alexis King
(D) Brian Mason
40%
40%
30%
Sec. of State
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(D) A. Gonzalez
(D) George Stern
(R) Sheri Davis
50%↑
40%
30%
State Treasurer
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(D) Brianna Titone
(R) Kevin Grantham
(D) Jerry DiTullio
60%
30%
20%
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(R) Jeff Hurd*
(D) Somebody
80%
40%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert*
(D) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Jeff Crank*
(D) Somebody
80%
20%
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) B. Pettersen*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(R) Gabe Evans*
(D) Yadira Caraveo
(D) Joe Salazar
50%
40%
40%
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
November 26, 2008 07:48 PM UTC
21 Comments
Rep. Perlmutter was appointed as a Regional Whip
If she and other Congo’s obsess about the deficit, we’re basically screwed. The deficit as Krugman, Stiglitz, and multitudes of economists have argued is not our biggest problem right now. I hope she gets with the Obama playbook which has a first-half emphasis on getting credit to circulate.
The campaign being over and all, I think it’s now safe to say that Markey has a lot to learn. For example, at an early summer distict fundraiser, there was an outbreak of cringing when she expressed an admiration for John Foster Dulles. (Made you wonder what paper SHE had been reading!) Anyway, the CRS is still preparing public policy issue recordings — kind of a Books-on-Tape for Members of Congress to consume while driving or working out. She should avail herself of these as well as read aggressively to bring herself up to speed. Whoever her opponent is in 2010 will call her to account across a range of issues — something which Musgrave never had to do until this year. Markey will only be a one-term incumbent by then.
It’s great to hear she’s shooting for the Ag Committee. “Ag” is/are still the political hinge of the 4th CD. These constituencies move by logics distinctive from Fort COllins and the Front Range. They can swing back and forth. I recall mentioning to a friend after her first debate with Musgrave that I didn’t hear her utter the word ‘agriculture’ nearly enough. Markey represents the demographic trend of the district to urban, professional ambitions and cosmopolitan outlooks. Agriculture isn’t a strong suit for Markey. I hope she finds a way to address rural development in a way that goes beyond “wind power.”
Should we be concerned that Markey is apparently worried about deficits? We’re facing a massive economic downturn, this is not the time to concern ourselves with deficits.
I’m hoping she knows this and was just caught offering up some boiler-plate.
Two reasons not to be concerned:
1. Markey is a first-term Congresswoman. She’s not going to be powerful enough to create any kind of extreme fiscal conservatism.
2. It’s CD-4. What, is Cory Gardner/Ken Buck/Whoever going to do? Run an attack ad that says “Markey even called for spending cuts in a time of economic crisis. Is this who we want in Congress?”
I didn’t mean worried as in “will she block Obama’s agenda?” I meant worried as in “does she know what she’s talking about?”
You’re right though, it’s probably good rhetoric for her given the district and that she’s a first termer.
DeGette will keep her Chief Deputy Whip position – one of only eight in the House – which has nothing to do with the Chairmanship battle in the Energy and Commerce Committee. In fact there are rumors DeGette may be up for a Subcommittee Chair of the powerful committee.
http://thehill.com/leading-the…
…and even though I was happy to see Henry Waxman take over the Commerce Committee, I gotta say that I give DeGette credit for loyally sticking by Dingell during Waxman’s challenge.
I think she’s a good congresswoman, and a GREAT congresswoman for the people of CD-1.
That said, of course she would’ve stayed loyal to Dingell. Dingell jumped her on that committee’s seniority chart 11 positions. It would’ve been folly for her to support Waxman.
The way I see it, she wouldn’t really have gained anything by supporting Henry Waxman’s move for chair. Whereas had Dingell kept the chairmanship, Degette’s loyalty most certainly would have continued to pay off.
I’m just curious what it is that makes you feel that way about Degette? I applaud her work on stem cell research which will undoubtedly be signed by Obama and she’s done some work to help other Dems around the country but what is it that makes you say she’s a “great Congresswoman for the people of CD-1”? I don’t have any problems with what she has done in Congress but I also think she’s been an average congresswoman overall. Degette seems more focused on herself and the party than with the voters back here in Colorado. I’ll readily note that I’m not familiar with her every vote or policy efforts so if there is work she’s done that has been of particular benefit to Colorado, I’d welcome hearing about it. Just seems to be that the voters of CD-1 would be well served by somebody who actually had to worry about earning their vote every two years instead of sitting comfortably in a lifetime seat.
In that same vein, John Salazar is a perfect fit for CD-4.
I do agree that she matches well the ideology of CD-1 as you mention Salazar does his district and I’d add Udall did CD-2. On the other side I guess it’s a sign of the changing voter base that Coffman and not another Tancredo represents CD6 so at least that district has moved a little in from the fringe and Markey’s win showed some major shifts up there. As I said, my issue with Degette isn’t that I disagree with her on a lot I just haven’t seen a lot out of her that shows she remembers she’s not just a Congresswoman, she’s Colorado’s first congressional district’s rep.
The problem is, that aint ever gonna happen. Not as long as the unity of “communities of interests” is a paramount factor in Congressional redistricting. We are stuck with non-competitive districts which produce reps like DeGette and Lamborn.
With competitive districts, you get people like John Salazar, Betsy Markey and Ed Perlmutter. Reps who have to work to keep their jobs.
who doesn’t really do the best job at representing any single interest.
Communities of interest are important because otherwise they could be divided up into little chunks and made irrelevant if someone wanted. Say, a large minority community…
The best compromise is some kind of open general election or IRV election system, which would open up competition while retaining the communities of interest system.
This last election cycle, she took almost the same amount of money from Big Health/Pharma as Bob Schaffer took from the Oil Industry…in a non-competitve race. She’s cashed more checks from that one industry than any other. She’s even been named their “Legislator of the Year.”
She’s such a liability on the issue that the Obama campaign cut her loose after a couple of town hall meetings.
When she bailed from a vote on the War in May, she cancelled all of her town hall meetings to avoid having to explain to her constituents. She also refused to respond to her non-vote on the GI Bill.
She’s got one issue-stem cell research. And that’s all she does in Congress, and she gives a crap about anything else. Much less listening to anyone in her district about anything else.
This is one House District that needs some competition!
She isn’t flashy and she doesn’t try to put herself in front of the cameras everyday but her work on stem cell research was exemplary not only becuase she supports such research but because she was able to get the bill passed and on President Bush’s desk when the Republicans controlled the House under very partisan leadership. President Bush vetoes her bill but the fact it was passed and sent to him is a testament to her unique ability to get things done, even when she is in the minority. It takes someone like Rep. DeGette, who is smart, persistent and cool headed, to accomplish that.
Early on, when she was in the Colorado House of Representatives, she showed the same ability to reach across the aile and actually get legislation passed and on the governor’s desk for signature.
She just doesn’t talk about bipartisanship, she practices it and passes legislation. There aren’t many people in the U.S. House of Representatives that have her ability and talent. All of Colorado should be grateful that she is one of our representatives in Washington, D.C.
(in the minority with anti-abortion Rs in charge of both chambers) she was responsible for passage of the Bubble Bill – no small feat.
Not necessarily. She has been known to turn on those to whom she’s promised support. Example: she endorsed HRC last winter but then withdrew that endorsement and switched to BO in May before HRC withdrew from the race in June.
She could have pulled the same stunt with Dingell, but to her credit, she did not.
Do they walk on water yet? If so… let me know the time and place 😉