SCOTT TIPTON, REST EASY: Gun Grabbing Democrats Eyeing Run For Conservative 3rd Congressional District

Published on March 27, 2013 by

With Republican Congressman Scott Tipton’s larger-than-expected trouncing of Sal Pace (D-Urination) in 2012, we thought Democrats had given up all hope at ever making a spirited challenge for that seat in the near future.

Turns out there are a few high profile Democrats with ambitions bigger than their political brains.

Reports National Journal’s Hotline on Call:

At least two Democrats are considering running against Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., next year: state Sen. Gail Schwartz and Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia. Multiple state Democrats confirmed Schwartz and Garcia are being recruited to run in the state’s 3rd Congressional District.

Schwartz, a two-term senator and the majority whip in Colorado’s upper legislative chamber, cannot run for her seat again in 2014 due to term limits. Multiple state Democrats hailed her as a potentially strong fundraiser.

…Garcia has never run for elected office in his own right — Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper selected Garcia as a running mate in 2010 — but the motorcycle-riding LG’s biography and experience have some fellow Democrats excited about his prospects.

As we noted after the election, not only did Pace lose last year, but he got less votes than Kevin Lundberg did against Congressman Jared Polis in CD2. And no one even called CD2 competitive.

If the 3rd Congressional District was safe territory for Tipton in 2012 despite the 84,930 OFA offices the Obama campaign had littered across the state, it’s most certainly safe terrain in 2014.

Oh and then there is this:

With both Schwartz and Garcia tied to gun control legislation that has sparked massive protests across CD3 from Durango to Grand Junction, we think it’s safe to say Scott Tipton ain’t got a race on his hands.

 

CO WHO? Bennet Votes with Constituents, Udall Votes with Party

Published on January 2, 2013 by

Last night, as legislators voted on the fiscal cliff deal, a curious thing happened. Colorado’s Democratic U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Mark Udall voted opposite each other.  Bennet was one of just eight senators who voted “no” to the deal, while Udall voted yes.  In his statement following the vote, Bennet said:

“Coloradans have told me they want a plan that materially reduces the deficit. This proposal does not meet that standard and does not put in place a real process to reduce the debt down the road.  While I do support many of the items in this proposal — for example, extending unemployment insurance, the wind production tax credit and tax cuts for most Americans — I believe they should have come in the context of a comprehensive deficit reduction package.”

Bennet and Udall have the same constituents, so it’s puzzling that Udall would vote no.  It’s also worth noting that Democratic U.S. Reps Degette (Dean of the Delegation), Polis, and Perlmutter also voted for the deal while Republican Reps. Coffman, Lamborn, Tipton, and Gardner all voted against the deal.

With Bennet citing Coloradans preferences for his vote, one has to wonder who inspired Udall’s vote.  Since Udall hasn’t had a townhall since August 2012, according to his web site (see below), it’s understandable that he wouldn’t have a clue about the preferences of Coloradans.  But, the truth is that it’s Senator Udall’s job to know what  Coloradans sent him to Washington, D.C. to accomplish.  Coloradans didn’t send him to Washington, D.C. to vote with everyone else.  We sent him to D.C. to vote in our best interests.  It’s unfortunate that he doesn’t understand that concept and didn’t bother to ask Coloradans how they would like him to vote.

 

FIRST RACES CALLED: Shaffer, Pace Massacred

Published on November 6, 2012 by

We have no polling. No inside information to report.

But the Peak is prepared to call the races in the 3rd and 4th Congressional Districts, with two Big Shot legislative Democrats set to receive a thorough shellacking.

Sal Pace (D-Urination) and Senate President Brandon Shaffer ran two of the most feckless campaigns in Colorado history, never even remotely threatening two incumbent freshmen Republican Congressmen, Scott Tipton and Cory Gardner.

Despite Pace’s feckless fumble, liberal groups targeted Congressman Tipton with withering harassment for the entirety of his first two years, but to utterly no effect. We don’t know the margin yet, but it’s safe to say the “tax-raising twit” — as Grover Norquist dubbed Pace — is going down pretty hard.

Shaffer may have attempted to draw himself a winnable district during redistricting, but the Brandon-Mander didn’t come to be, instead seeing Shaffer stuck in a district that might be safely described as R+457. He’ll go down in probably the biggest loss in CD4 in decades.

 

Has Joe Coors Guaranteed The Re-Election Of Mike Coffman & Scott Tipton?

Published on October 12, 2012 by

If Joe Coors manages to pull off the upset of the season and defeat Congressman Edwin Perlmutter, Coors will more than likely be the only man in Congress responsible for the election of three different Republican Members of Congress…himself, Mike Coffman and Scott Tipton.

A Coors victory is anything but assured at this point, though it is still in the realm of the very possible. With Mitt Romney pulling ahead and Ed Perlmutter constantly on the defense, a Coors win looks like a 50-50 proposition to us.

The outcome hasn’t yet been determined for Perlmutter and Coors, but what is sure is that Mr. “I Am Not A Beer” has run such a fantastic race that it has forced Democratic donors and Democratic Independent Expenders to focus unexpectedly large sums of money defending a wobbly Perlmutter.

Just ask Sal Pace and Joe Miklosi. They will tell you. Every dollar spent by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Nancy Pelosi’s House Majority PAC attacking Joe Coors is a dollar that isn’t spent attacking Mike Coffman and Scott Tipton.

continue…

 

PACE PUBLIC PEE BLACKOUT OVER: GJ Sentinel Drops Urination Bomb On Pueblo Democrat

Published on September 18, 2012 by

Nearly a year after we broke the news of Congressional candidate Sal Pace’s second arrest for public urination, a mainstream media publication has finally acknowledged the criminal act in print.

In an article about Pace’s meeting with the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel’s editorial board, Gary Harmon touches on Pace’s biggest Google problem.

Sal Pace, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Scott Tipton, painted himself as a maverick unafraid to defy his own party leaders.

Pace also told The Daily Sentinel editorial board Monday he regretted two incidents when he was younger.

Pace, twice, was charged with public urination: once as a Fort Lewis College student in Durango and, more recently, in downtown Denver in 2003, when he was working as a staffer on a campaign against Referendum A, which was to build unspecified water projects around the state.

“The hardest part was telling my parents and some day I’m going to have to explain it to my kids,” Pace said.

As the Sentinel is one of the biggest publications in the conservative 3rd Congressional District, you can be sure more than a few folks will be learning of this incident through today’s paper. That is, if they hadn’t tried to type Sal Pace’s name into Google, only to have the first auto-suggestion be “sal pace criminal record.”

As we noted last week, the CD3 race is increasingly becoming a lock for incumbent Republican Congressman Scott Tipton. Outside groups haven’t been spending money, Pace recently lost his Communications Director and overall the race seems to be drifting away from competitive territory.

Even if Pace were doing better, this race would not be leaning in Pace’s favor with his full criminal record reaching print for the first time less than 50 days out from the election. Maybe Pace should have addressed this last year.

 

CRAPTASTIC ADS: Miklosi and Pace Release Lame New Spots

Published on September 17, 2012 by

Democratic Congressional challengers Sal Pace and Joe Miklosi released what are best described as “craptastic” new ads today.

For Miklosi, it is the first ad of his vastly underfunded campaign, and as The Denver Post‘s Kurtis Lee notes, it doesn’t even try to introduce the little-known Denver State Representative. It’s an odd choice considering Miklosi just moved into the 6th Congressional District in February, and he currently represents a Denver House District that has virtually no overlap with the Congressional District he’s running in, giving him little built-in name ID.

The spot itself is painful to watch. Miklosi’s acting feels like it belongs in a late-night infomercial rather than a contested Congressional race ad. Tell us more, Joe, about how the Juice Cleanse 4000 saved your life.

continue…

 

MESSAGE MELTDOWN: Comms Director Departure Precedes Pace Debate Difficulties

Published on September 13, 2012 by

(Credit: Twitter)


UPDATE: The Federal Election Commission website further confirms that outside groups have abandoned Pace. There has not been a single dollar spent on advertising in his CD3 race in all of 2012.

Sal Pace’s embarrassing debate performance at the Club 20 debate last Saturday, where he refused to let the words “Barack Obama” pass his lips, may be a harbinger of things to come. His campaign has been slowly collapsing, going from the top targeted race in the state a few months ago, to practically an afterthought for national party committees and outside groups.

The latest sign in the Pace campaign collapse is the departure of his Communications Director, Megan Dubray, who, according to Colorado Peak Politics sources, left the campaign the week before the Club 20 debacle.

Dubray was previously the Deputy Communications Director for the State House Democrats. An email to the Pace campaign to confirm Dubray’s departure was not returned.

Our sources tell us Chad Obermiller, Pace’s campaign manager, has been forced into double duty with Dubray’s departure. Based on Pace’s performance at Club 20, it doesn’t appear communications is Chad’s strength.

Revealing Politics brings us video of that awkward moment Pace was asked who he is endorsing for President.

The message meltdown over at Team Pace follows a meltdown in outside group support as well. Over the last couple of months when outside liberal groups, like Nancy Pelosi’s House Majority PAC, spent money on Colorado Congressional races, Pace’s CD3 never seemed to make the cut. Recently, money has been going to defend Ed Perlmutter in CD7 or prop up Joe Miklosi in CD6. Pace, it seems, hasn’t been given a pot to piss in (get it?).

With Pace’s campaign seemingly collapsing — losing staff and outside support — it makes more sense why he was buying advertising time in the Denver media market recently. It wasn’t going to touch a lot of his persuadable voters, as the Denver media market covers barely any of CD3, but maybe it was intended to remind the Denver establishment he still exists. Hey guys — don’t forget about me!

 

TV AD TSUNAMI: All Three Competitive Congressional Races In Colorado See Ads Unleashed Today

Published on September 4, 2012 by

Colorado is home to three competitive Congressional races — CDs 3, 6 & 7 — and they have all TV ads dropping this week.

From Joe Coors in CD7, a brilliant ad playing on Coors' likeability that will make it hard to pigeonhole him on energy policy:


Fearful that Coors is posing a serious threat to incumbent Democrat Congressman Edwin Perlmutter, Nancy Pelosi's House Majority PAC is out with an ad slamming Coors for a ballot initiative that didn't even make the ballot this year:


In CD6, Congressman Mike Coffman is also out with an ad, which relies heavily on his impressive and long military record:

In CD3, serial public urinator Sal Pace, is also up with his first spot:

 

MISSING IN ACTION: Pace Campaign Lies To Post, Says Candidate Wasn’t Invited To Obama Pueblo Rally

Published on August 9, 2012 by

In Pueblo today at the Obama rally, The Denver Post's Sara Burnett reports that Democrat Congressional candidate Sal Pace is nowhere to be found. His reason? A complete lie. When asked on Twitter if Pace had been spotted at the rally, Burnett responded:

Not invited is a complete and unadulterated lie, and a terribly constructed one at that. Everyone was invited according to Obama’s campaign website.

The truth is Pace’s biggest enemy in this election is not his opponent, Congressman Scott Tipton, but the man atop the ticket, President Barack Obama. Widely reviled across the conservative 3rd Congressional District, Obama acts as a serious down ticket drag to Democrats.

In the Democrat wave year of 2008, Obama still lost the 3rd CD. Sources familiar with polling predict Obama will lose the 3rd CD in 2012 by double digits. That means Pace has to keep his distance, even if it requires having his campaign manager straight up lie to a reporter for the state’s flagship newspaper.

Somebody should ask Pace for an honest answer as to why he ditched the President’s speech only blocks from his Congressional campaign office. After all, he ditched two days at his job at the State Legislature to attend Obama’s State of the Union in January.  

 

MESA COUNTY GOP VICTORY OFFICE OPENS WITH STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD

Published on July 7, 2012 by

The Mesa County Republican Victory Office held its grand opening today with a standing-room-only crowd in attendance. Ruth Ehlers, Mesa County Republican Chairman, her officers, and about 150 people welcomed Colorado Republican leaders and campaigners to their headquarters which are located centrally in Grand Junction.  Several press outlets, including television stations, were present. The leader of the Democrat party from San Miguel county was also huddled in the crowd, apparently tracking the words and activities of the GOP candidates present.

The Victory Headquarters will serve as both the home of the Mesa County Republican Party and the Romney for President Campaign in Western Colorado. The Romney Campaign has called upon the GOP Chairs in each Colorado county to oversee its efforts.

Jared Wright, the candidate for State House District 54 spoke first, urging those present to be active in getting their friends and neighbors to register to vote in November. 

Ray Scott, the incumbent candidate for Colorado House District 55, spoke briefly about his doings in the State House over the last two years. Ray Scott was selected by the American Conservative Union as one of the most Conservative members of the Colorado State Assembly. He received this recognition, along with several other Republican Assemblymen, at the Western Conservative Summit last weekend in Denver. Congressman Scott emphasized the need for an economic boon in Western Colorado in the form of busines-friendly legislation. He called out Governor Hickenlooper to use his influence to spur the energy sector.  Ray Scott detailed his tireless work on behalf of small-business and conservative interests in the state.

State Senator Steve King of Grand Junction, also a recepient of the ACU's Most Conservative Colorado Legislator award, gave some remarks about the economy, the burdensome regulations that the federal government has imposed on Colorado industries, and the need for the Colorado Senate to have a Republican majority as a result of the November elections.

Rose Pugliese, the candidate for Mesa County Commissioner in District 3, spoke about her plan to decrease local regulations that currently inhibit business growth in Mesa County.

Scott Tipton, the incumbent candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Colorado's District 3, one of the largest Congressional districts in the country, spoke emphatically about the potential of Colorado's energy economy.  Tipton, a small-business owner and long-time resident of rural Western Colorado, hammered home the message that the Federal Government has done more to destroy small-businesses that it has to help them. The energy economy, he said, just needs government and the Obama Administration to get out of the way. He recalled that President Obama has subsidized other countries, like Brazil, that received 2 billion dollars of American tax-payer money, to help them expand their off-shore oil industries, while simultaneously blocking energy exploration and expansion in the United States. 

The overarching theme of the speeches give by Colorado Republican candidates who were present was the need for jobs on the Westen Slope, which has languished with an adjusted unemployment rate of 10.8 percent, and an actual jobless rate around 20 percent.

The Romney Victory Team coordinators were present. They recruited several enthusiastic attendees to walk precincts and man the headquarters phone bank, which was immediately abuzz with volunteers making phone calls, assembling yard signs, and planning the election season activities.

The Mesa County Republican Party opened the official election headquarters with a sense of unity and optimism.  The board of directors of the MCRP has worked hard to unify the party and pull together people of diverse political stripes, from Republicans, to Libertarians, to Independents, to ensure that the principles of individual liberty and limited government win the day on November 6th, 2012.


 
© 2011-2013 Colorado Peak Politics