Colorado Politicians and Political Races

Federal Races

Democrat Angie Paccione has dropped out of the race in the 4th Congressional District against sex obsessed conservative Republican Marilyn Musgrave, for a business venture. Paccione's race against Musgrave (and Reform party candidate Eric Eidsness) left Musgrave with a smaller percentage of votes cast for her than in any other Congressional race in the country. This leaves Ken Salazar staffer Betsy Markey and Republican turned Reform candidate turned Democrat Eric Eidsness in the Democratic primary for the seat. I would be stunned if Eidsness beat Markey in that race. Markey's Salazar pedigree should serve her well in the general election in the conservative 4th Congressional District, although her fight for name recognition could be a tough first hurdle for her.

With Paccione's departure from the 4th CD race, the only high profile primaries fights among Democrats in Colorado will be in the Presidential race and in the 2nd Congressional District, which is being vacated by Mark Udall in his run for U.S. Senate.

Republicans look like they will be enduring a nasty primary in the 5th CD, which includes Colorado Springs, despite the fact that there is an incumbent Republican running. There is no sign that Republican Tom Tancredo will set aside his race for the safely Republican 6th Congressional District while he runs for President (an almost certainly futile effort). I'm not aware of a strong Democratic challenger in either the 5th CD or the 6th CD after valiant blogosphere supported runs by strong candidates failed dismally in 2006 in each of those races, although Democrats would be wise to give each race their best shot in any case, to force the incumbents to defend themselves with their time and money.

No serious Republican contenders have emerged in any of the Congressional seats now held by Democrats (the 1st in Denver, the 2nd in Boulder and the Mountains, the 3rd in Pueblo and the Western Slope, and the 7th in Northern Denver suburbs).

Republican Bob Shaffer seems to have cleared the GOP U.S. Senate primary in Colorado, just as Mark Udall has on the Democratic side. The leading Colorado Republicans seem to all be lining up with Mitt Romney in their Presidential nomination race.

State House Comings and Goings

Mike Cerbo's move to the AFL-CIO and vacancy committee replacement by Mark Ferrandino as representative from House District 2 is old new. Cerbo's brothers and sisters in solidarity are no doubt relieved today that the UAW strike of GM is over.

Anne McGihon (D-HD 3) is currently monitoring elections in the Ukraine (I provide some copy editing for her Blackberry delivered reports, while several other Anne fans make the multiple technical details work).

My State Senator, Jennifer Veiga, made a trip to the Israel and IIRC, Palestine as well, on behalf of a group working for peace there earlier this year. She returned safely.

Democratic State Representative Joe Rice is headed for the sandbox (i.e. Iraq) where he has been called for another tour of duty this fall. Littleton Republican, State Senator Steve Ward, is already in Iraq. We sincerely hope that they will return in one piece.