State Sen. Ellen Roberts
Several newspapers are confirming rumors that State Sen. Ellen Roberts is considering a U.S. Senate run. Just as Morgan Carroll is attracting only the cream of the Republican crop to run against her, it would appear that embattled Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet is having the same effect. Earlier this week, we speculated that Rep. Coffman would be a formidable opponent against Bennet. The same holds true of Roberts.
Bennet and his team have been working overtime to portray him as a moderate in order to appeal to the centrist steak that Coloradans embrace, but some of his votes pandering to the far left enviro nut wing of the Democratic reveal otherwise. Roberts’ biggest challenge will be that she’s from the West Slope and may not have the name recognition of other Front Range politicians. That said, she’s made a name for herself under the Gold Dome as Senate President Pro Tem.
Roberts, a lawyer, is known for her independent streak in her voting record, something the Durango Herald inexplicably seems to see as a negative. In highlighting that her votes swung right last year, Peter Marcus actually shows her libertarian nature. Increased rights for parents? Sounds like a good idea. Pro-choice legislator Roberts supporting the fetal homicide bill? Sounds like she can think for herself. Standing up against federal overreach? We should send a thank you note.
Or, maybe it’s just best to quote political analyst Eric Sondermann, who told the Durango Herald: “She would be the last candidate that Michael Bennet would want to face.”
Cheers to another bumper crop of top GOP candidates in 2016.