With Sal "The Fist" Pace announcing his Congressional campaign today, there have been a spate of perfunctory announcement stories that have seemingly amounted to fluff pieces that lack answers to key questions or let Pace float his spin without an attempt to question the validity of his statements.

Numerous articles have said that Pace has refused to hit Tipton and include his claim that he has been a bipartisan, consensus-building leader who wants to focus on local issues. While we have no doubt that sound bite poll tests well, it's not reflective of reality. The first substantive paragraph of Pace's announcement email is about his attacks on Tipton. Before he even talks about why he would be good for the district, he assaults Tipton. That's not refusing to hit Tipton in our book.

In order to help the press as they cover the early days of "The Fist's" Congressional campaign, we have compiled a list of questions that might provide useful answers for citizens of the 3rd Congressional District. Feel free to use them without attribution. 

1. Minority Leader Pace, did you oppose your party's chopping up of the West Slope and putting the Pinon Canyon expansion area in with military-heaving El Paso County during redistricting? If not, why did you not publicly oppose these efforts?

2. If you let your fellow Democrats abuse key constituencies of the 3rd Congressional District to suit their political goals in Denver, how can you be trusted to protect the 3rd CD when Washington, DC Democrats try to pass legislation that would harm the district? After all, you were a member of the Democrat leadership in Denver, and you would be a young freshman in Congress. 

3. Do you support Rollie Heath's tax hike initiative?

4. You voted for the candy and soda tax last year despite businesses like Enstrom's candy in the 3rd CD saying it would cost jobs. Why did you vote for a tax that would cost local jobs?

5. Did you support Bill Ritter's oil and gas regulations? Do you support drilling on the Roan Plateau?

6. You voted for a tax increase on energy consumption that would add $2 million to Ersaz Rocky Mountain Steel mill's tax bill at the urging of Governor Ritter. What kind of tax increases on 3rd CD businesses would you support if pressured by Nancy Pelosi?

7. John Salazar was criticized by Scott Tipton last year for voting for Obamacare. If you were in Congress in 2010, would you have voted for or against Obamacare? Do you support requesting an Obamacare waiver for Colorado?

8. What is your plan to save Medicare?

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