State GOP Chairman drinks the Koolaid

[El Supremo]

DENVER (AP) - In the first fallout from the GOP rout in Colorado last fall, the head of the state Republican Party said Tuesday he won't seek another term. Ted Halaby said the party's failure to exploit changes in campaign finance laws that allowed unlimited spending on certain kinds of ads contributed to the loss of two seats in Congress and both houses of the Legislature.

"Simply stated, the Democrats figured out the new rules better than we did, and had the good fortune to have four individuals prepared to spend whatever it took to gain Democratic victories in the targeted races," Halaby said in a letter to Gov. Bill Owens and other GOP leaders.

Rest of story:

http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=aaa80f45-0abe-421a-0155-eb787b916194&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Democracy Died]

1. The state Repuke Party is finished.

So are the fundies. They can go find another state to fuck up.

Let's target Allard for disposal for 2006. (Or was it 2008?) and kick Repukes out and disinfect the state Capitol (I haven't visited it since Owens got in) for 2006.

[El Supremo]

2. It is 2008 unfortunately.

But Homophobe Rep. Musgrave is vulnerable in 2006.

[DaveinMD]

3. We just need to recruit a good candidate

and we'll beat her. She and the Republicans spend 6 million to hold onto the seat.

[paulk]

5. who can we run up there?

Matsunaka has run twice now...

The Greens, in their never ending attempts to fuck themselves (and the rest of us) pulled 4% of the vote in that race. Musgrave only got 52%. She's vulnerable -

God, I want her gone...

What an embarrassment to the state.

[DaveinMD]

6. two people are I work with

are doing some candidate recruitment. I think they are talking with a State Senator or Rep and perhaps a popular professor at CSU.

[Damien]

8. no dem has won the 6th

ever. no really (6th is Muskrat's district). Since it was created, it has been republican holy ground. Matsunaka was a great guy, but there are too many people that just vote straight (r). As Northern colorado expands though, there may be a chance. I hate to put it this way, but it is the more rural areas that had the giant muskrat billboards. As the universities grow and the city propers grow, the rural areas will be outvoted. The redistricting was only a bandaid for the republicans.

[CODem]

10. The 6th C.D. is Tancredo's District

You are correct that no Democrat has ever won in the 6th C.D., although Tom Tancredo is the Representative from that District. The 6th was created following the 1980 census. Astronaut Jack Swigert won the first election for that seat in 1982, but died before being sworn in. Dan Schaefer held the seat from 1983 until he retired and Tancredo succeeded him.

Musgrave represents the 4th C.D. That district has not been Democratic since the early 1970s. I agree that it is all but impossible for any Democrat to win that seat. The newcomers in the 4th C.D. are largely suburban Republicans, who will vote for any Republican over any Democrat.

[Damien]

11. sorry about that

I always get the numbers mixed up -- especially before I have enough coffee.

Here in the 4th (cough cough), I also think it would help to oust musgrave if we focus on traditionally democratic groups. When working for Kerry's campaign, I noticed few of our workers spoke Spanish, so it was very hard to talk to heavily Hispanic areas up in Greeley and outlying areas.

I can never say this enough, but new voters are always the key too -- many college students don't have hard-core political affiliations, and are good converts. I know they helped Riesberg get to the Capital -- he just came across as a good guy.

[CODem]

12. Good points

The Democrats need to ensure that the Hispanic voters (a) register to vote, (b) turn out to vote, and (c) don't vote for Republicans. Don't forget that in 1998, Ken Salazar helped to turn out Hispanic voters in West Denver -- who largely voted for Salazar and Bill Owens. (Gail Schoettler hasn't forgotten!) Today, many Hispanics are voting Republican because of issues such as abortion and gay marriage.

Getting Hispanic voters to help elect Democrats requires a long-range plan and a long-term commitment.

But don't lose faith in the 4th C.D. We need people like you!

[CODem]

7. The 4th CD is too heavily Republican

No Democrat has won in the 4th CD since the early 1970s. The voter registration is too heavily Republican. Every two years, the Dems think they have a great candidate and he or she always loses. A Democrat cannot win in that District. Musgrave can only be beaten in a primary.

The Dems. should invest their resources in a winnable District, like the 7th, and recognize that we cannot win in the 4th. But we can team up with moderate Republicans to defeat Musgrave in a primary.

[DaveinMD]

13. she got 52 percent

and they spent 6 million. This is a seat Dems can win with a moderate Dem if the Greens stay out.

[CODem]

14. Who can beat Musgrave?

Which Democrat do you think can beat Musgrave?

Don't forget that moderate Democrats, without Green opponents, lost races for the 4th C.D. against such extremists as Bob Schaffer and Wayne Allard. (They also lost against Hank Brown, but he was pretty moderate himself.)

The last time a Democrat held the 4th C.D. was January 1973.

[DaveinMD]

15. I don't have the names yet

a couple of folks I know are working on recruiting a candidate.

[paulk]

4. darn...

he was on the tv just after the election, and it was obvious that he didn't understand why they'd lost.

I was hoping that someone that clueless would stick around for awhile.

[Damien]

9. Owens takes blame

because he is term-limited and is too scandal-ridden to run for anything else. This way no one who can run again has to look bad. Nice play.