Republicans vs. Tea Party 1st shot fired in Colorado

[Lamar Mundane]

Somehow the Colorado Republicans ended up with a purely establishment candidate vs. a Tea Party candidate with an incredibly thin record in the primary. Big mistake. The establishment candidate turns out to be a plagiarist (paid $300K for someone else's work) while the Tea Party choice seems to have taken some serious liberty on his resume regarding his business success and his football prowess.

Failed presidential candidate Tom Tancredo has stepped in to the mess, demanding that the two Republicans drop out of the race or he will run on the ticket of the American Constitution Party. The chairman of the Colorado Republican Party is furious:

I am terribly disappointed in Tom Tancredo’s announcement that he has made a backroom deal with a minor political party to run for governor.

Tom Tancredo used the Colorado Republican Party to get elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in the 1970’s, to work as a political appointee in the Reagan administration in the 1980’s, and to get elected to Congress from 1998 to 2008. But now it appears he wants to destroy Republican chances to win a governor’s race after four failed years of Bill Ritter.

This past December, Tom Tancredo wrote a compelling op-ed calling on Tea Party and 9-12 activists to not form a third party because previous conservative third parties "succeeded in electing the more liberal candidate after many conservatives waste their votes on a third party candidate." Tom Tancredo should remember his own words.

Let there be no mistake about it: Regardless of who our nominee is for governor after the primary, if Tom Tancredo carries through on his threat to run as a third party candidate, he will be responsible for the election of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper as governor and for other races that will be imperiled as well.

The American Constitution Party’s platform calls for the elimination of congressional salaries and pensions. I assume when Tom Tancredo becomes that minor party’s nominee, he will forego his own congressional pension and will reimburse American taxpayers for the ten years of congressional salary he drew.

Body
Not long ago, state Republicans stood a decent chance at taking the Governor's mansion when the current occupant, Dem Bill Ritter, left it at the end of his first term. Then the front runner in the Republican primary, Scott McInnes, self-immolated with the disclosure that he was paid $300,000 for a few essays on water rights that he in fact didn't write and were plagiarised. The second candidate, Dan Maes, has a number of questionable assertions on his resume, including his record as a "sucessful" businessman (his reported income on his tax returns were below the poverty line for a couple of years) and his reported football prowess that nobody can find a record of.
<strong>
Enter Tom Tancredo.</strong>

In a stunning late afternoon development, Tancredo has demanded that both candidates must drop out of the race or he will enter it as the candidate of the American Constitution Party, whatever that is. Tancredo has effectively engineered that first great split between the Teabaggers and the Republican establishment, and the establishment is pissed. This is a complete meltdown of the right, and the best part is that Colorado's next Governor, John Hickenlooper, hasn't had to spend a dime to make it happen. Tom Tancredo always comes through in the clutch with a crazy move or statement.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/...r-im-in/12223/

Statement from Colorado Republican Chairman Dick Wadhams:

<strong>I am terribly disappointed in Tom Tancredo’s announcement that he has made a backroom deal with a minor political party to run for governor.</strong>

Tom Tancredo used the Colorado Republican Party to get elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in the 1970’s, to work as a political appointee in the Reagan administration in the 1980’s, and to get elected to Congress from 1998 to 2008. But now it appears he wants to destroy Republican chances to win a governor’s race after four failed years of Bill Ritter.

This past December, Tom Tancredo wrote a compelling op-ed calling on Tea Party and 9-12 activists to not form a third party because previous conservative third parties “succeeded in electing the more liberal candidate after many conservatives waste their votes on a third party candidate.” Tom Tancredo should remember his own words.

Let there be no mistake about it: Regardless of who our nominee is for governor after the primary, if Tom Tancredo carries through on his threat to run as a third party candidate, he will be responsible for the election of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper as governor and for other races that will be imperiled as well.

The American Constitution Party’s platform calls for the elimination of congressional salaries and pensions. I assume when Tom Tancredo becomes that minor party’s nominee, he will forego his own congressional pension and will reimburse American taxpayers for the ten years of congressional salary he drew.

[Todderbob]

Where'd you. Copy/paste this from?

You left in HTML markings.

[Lamar Mundane]

Sorry that it's all messed up. Moderator cleanup on aisle GD?

[Todderbob]

Apparently you're not the only one having formatting issues today. Half my post went missing and the other half... Well, random punctuation is random.

This guy seems like a hypocritical douche. Could he really be a spoiler after such hypocrisy?

[Kolga]

I tell you what, this election season in Colorado has been entertaining, to say the least. At this point, it seems like a three-way WTF between Tancredo, McInnis, and the Tea Party candidate, Dan Maes, who recently had to pay $17,500 for financial impropriety.

Although Colorado politics are always a bit murky, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Governor Hick is the future of CO for the next 6 years.

[Robot Arm]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

Failed presidential candidate Tom Tancredo has stepped in to the mess, demanding that the two Republicans drop out of the race or he will run on the ticket of the American Constitution Party. The chairman of the Colorado Republican Party is furious:

I am terribly disappointed in Tom Tancredo’s announcement that he has made a backroom deal with a minor political party to run for governor.

How did this become "Republicans vs. Tea Party"? It seems like they should both be pissed at Tancredo, not at each other.

For that matter, how much leeway do the Republicans have in the matter? Aren't they governed by some sort of bylaws? Why bother holding a primary if they can just run whatever candidate they want? Is it part of Tancredo's challenge that those candidates drop out and then he'll be the Republican candidate?

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Originally Posted by Robot Arm

How did this become "Republicans vs. Tea Party"? It seems like they should both be pissed at Tancredo, not at each other.

For that matter, how much leeway do the Republicans have in the matter? Aren't they governed by some sort of bylaws? Why bother holding a primary if they can just run whatever candidate they want? Is it part of Tancredo's challenge that those candidates drop out and then he'll be the Republican candidate?

I'll bet that it's a nominating convention.

[Ludovic]

9-12 activists? Is that a formatting issue or a real group?

[Zebra]

Originally Posted by Ludovic

9-12 activists? Is that a formatting issue or a real group?

That is a real group. They want America to be like we were on 9/12/2001. United, and terribly depressed and in deep shock.

[BobLibDem]

Originally Posted by Zebra

That is a real group. They want America to be like we were on 9/12/2001. United, and terribly depressed and in deep shock.

and wanting to kill every Muslim.

[descamisado]

And not shopping. Don't forgot not shopping.

[Chronos]

What's so bad about Tancredo running? If, as you say, the Tea Partier is a liar about his success, and the Republican is a plagiarist, then the Democrat would have an easy enough time beating either or both of them. From what you say, Tancredo is the only conservative with a realistic chance of winning. I mean, it's not his fault that the other guys are sabotaging his ideology's success.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Least Original User Name Ever

I'll bet that it's a nominating convention.

They already had it. That determined that Maes and McInnis would be in the primary.

If after the primary the winner drops out, a new nominee would be selected by a vacancy comittee, and that is what Tancredo would like to see. His name has been mentioned as a possible substitute. Tancredo could never win a state-wide race, but if he runs as a third-party candidate, he could certainly ensure that Hickenlooper wins.

I am vastly amused by this whole thing. The next edition of the dictionary will offer this story as the definition of circular firing squad.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Chronos

What's so bad about Tancredo running?

If he wanted to run as a Republican, he had his chance. He could have attempted to gain a spot on the primary ballot via either the nominating convention or by petition. Now he thinks he sees a chance to strongarm his way in without actually having to do the work, and he's using an unusually noxious (even for him) tactic in that attempt.

If he wants to run as a third-party or independent candidate, that's certainly fine by me, but I can see why the Colorado Republican party leaders are peeved.

And he has no realistic chance of winning a state-wide race, not even one-on-one against Hickenlooper and not in a million years if the Republicans turn fratricidal.

[Lamar Mundane]

Originally Posted by Robot Arm

How did this become "Republicans vs. Tea Party"? It seems like they should both be pissed at Tancredo, not at each other.

Tancredo initially declined to run, so the Tea Partiers went with Maes. Tancredo is really the hero of the Tea Party with his rants about Obama and illegal aliens. They love Tancredo. Assuming the two don't drop out (and they won't), the Tea Party people will all flock to the American Constitution Party and cut the Republicans off at the knees.

A lot of people will be disgusted and just stay home, hurting Republican prospects all down the ticket.

[Darth Nader]

So what's Dick Lamm up to nowadays, that this shit continues on?
Someone go wake him up, quick!

[Really Not All That Bright]

[/quote]How did this become "Republicans vs. Tea Party"? It seems like they should both be pissed at Tancredo, not at each other.[/quote]
"Tea Party vs. Republicans vs. Sort-of-Tea-Party" was a bit unwieldy.

[Frank]

From the Denver Post:

Tancredo said Monday he intends to officially become the Constitution Party candidate as soon as a number of legal requirements are fulfilled.

Apparently, he can strongarm the Constitution Party candidate into withdrawing.

[State GOP chairman Dick] Wadhams said Tancredo's candidacy had nothing to do with Republicans and everything to do with self-interest.

"He is a maniacal egotist whose only goal is to get media attention," Wadhams said.

Well, duh. Some of us have known that for years.

[Kolga]

In case someone might be interested, Tancredo and Wadhams were on Peter Boyles on Monday, and it totally degenerated into a three-for-all. Here's the link if anyone wants to listen (and laugh while saying "WTF?"): Wadhams and Tancredo call each other liars on air

And yea, the Post reported today that Goss, the former Constitution Party candidate, has agreed to step aside.

This is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Kolga

And yea, the Post reported today that Goss, the former Constitution Party candidate, has agreed to step aside.

Tancredo will definitely draw more votes that Goss would have. His votes will also ensure that Hickenlooper is elected.

I think Goss and the party expect from this a long term improvement, and they shouldn't. See Nader/Green Party in 2000 for an example.

I'll be very interested in seeing how this shakes out down-ticket. If I were Romanoff, I'd sell my house if that's what it took to win the Senate nomination against Bennet.

It could also help Betsy Markey in the 4th district if it discourages regular Republicans from voting in a district that, given a sound candidate, I would expect to return to Republican.

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by Ludovic

9-12 activists? Is that a formatting issue or a real group?

It's Glenn Beck's baby.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Originally Posted by Frank

They already had it. That determined that Maes and McInnis would be in the primary.

If after the primary the winner drops out, a new nominee would be selected by a vacancy comittee, and that is what Tancredo would like to see. His name has been mentioned as a possible substitute. Tancredo could never win a state-wide race, but if he runs as a third-party candidate, he could certainly ensure that Hickenlooper wins.

I am vastly amused by this whole thing. The next edition of the dictionary will offer this story as the definition of circular firing squad.

Interesting. So this is just a clusterfuck.

[Kolga]

Originally Posted by Frank

Tancredo will definitely draw more votes that Goss would have. His votes will also ensure that Hickenlooper is elected.

I think at this point it's almost a foregone conclusion that Hick will win. Tancredo, even if he pulled out (which his ego won't allow), will confuzzle the Republicans enough to freak everybody out, and McInnis' continued stubborn insistence that plagiarism isn't a big deal isn't going to help him at all.

Originally Posted by Frank

I'll be very interested in seeing how this shakes out down-ticket. If I were Romanoff, I'd sell my house if that's what it took to win the Senate nomination against Bennet.

I don't know if you were kidding or not, but that's exactly what Romanoff just did - sold his house and lent $325,000 to his own campaign

Originally Posted by Frank

It could also help Betsy Markey in the 4th district if it discourages regular Republicans from voting in a district that, given a sound candidate, I would expect to return to Republican.

Dick Wadhams has intimated, and other political watchers have said outright, that this is what Tancredo's going to do, if he already hasn't done it - disgust so many Republicans with his antics that they'll just stay home.

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by Kolga

This is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Atomic-testing mutant monkeys, with rabies, on an LSD-methedrine speedball.

[Kolga]

Originally Posted by BrainGlutton

Atomic-testing mutant monkeys, with rabies, on an LSD-methedrine speedball.

Listen to the link I gave of the two of them squaring off on talk radio on Monday, and once the host (Peter Boyles, a raving loon if there ever was one) gets involved, it does kinda sound like your description.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Kolga

I don't know if you were kidding or not, but that's exactly what Romanoff just did - sold his house and lent $325,000 to his own campaign

Yeppers. Saw the headline, but didn't read the article.

If he loses, I can recommend a not too bad dive on Capitol Hill where I used to live for cheap.

[Lamar Mundane]

I think Romanoff's going to beat Bennet. I don't know anyone who really likes Bennet, and even the party leadership sounds really tepid in their support. It sounds like they are hedging their bets - privately hoping that Romanoff wins, while sticking to the party line of supporting the incumbent.

Romanoff's been all over the media, while Bennet is only seen and heard from in commercials.

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

I don't know anyone who really likes Bennet, and even the party leadership sounds really tepid in their support. It sounds like they are hedging their bets - privately hoping that Romanoff wins, while sticking to the party line of supporting the incumbent.

That's also the impression I get from a distance.

You're in the 4th district aren't you? What are Gardner's chances looking like?

[Peremensoe]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

Let there be no mistake about it: Regardless of who our nominee is for governor after the primary, if Tom Tancredo carries through on his threat to run as a third party candidate, he will be responsible for the election of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper as governor

Your description of the Republicans makes it sound like neither of them is a good bet to win anyway, even if Tancredo disappears or had never been involved.

[Lamar Mundane]

Originally Posted by Frank

That's also the impression I get from a distance.

You're in the 4th district aren't you? What are Gardner's chances looking like?

You must be thinking of someone else. I'm in the Boulder area. No idea who Gardner is.

[DanBlather]

Originally Posted by Chronos

What's so bad about Tancredo running? If, as you say, the Tea Partier is a liar about his success, and the Republican is a plagiarist, then the Democrat would have an easy enough time beating either or both of them. From what you say, Tancredo is the only conservative with a realistic chance of winning. I mean, it's not his fault that the other guys are sabotaging his ideology's success.

That's my take. Should he let one of the two buffoons win instead?

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

You must be thinking of someone else.

I must be; I thought you were in Sterling.

Gardner is the Republican candidate for the 4th district, running against Markey.

[MizTina]

My new favorite political commercial has been of accused plagiarist Scott McInniss holding up a pen, and declaring it will be the pen he will use to slash taxes and create new jobs. I always ask him (or rather the image on tv) if that's the pen he used for the alleged plagiarism. And then I just crack up.

I really think whoever thought that spot up wasn't thinking properly.

[Measure for Measure]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

The American Constitution Party’s platform calls for the elimination of congressional salaries and pensions. I assume when Tom Tancredo becomes that minor party’s nominee, he will forego his own congressional pension and will reimburse American taxpayers for the ten years of congressional salary he drew.

I understand that ACP's platform only calls for the elimination of congressional pensions, not salaries. Be that as it may, I can't see anything wrong with Tancredo keeping the pay package that he agreed to when elected Congressman.

Personally, I think the Republican Party should be dismantled -- any party that claims to have a budget alternative that inspection shows has not a single budget item or estimate deserves to be laughed out of the room.

OTOH, I see that the Constitution Party seems to believe that 16th Amendment was never legally ratified; they appear to be in touch with their inner crank. They may very well lay claim to a substantial fraction of tea partiers. Good for them. It would be even better if the Republican candidate could explain why they make no sense.

Originally Posted by Frank

Gardner is the Republican candidate for the 4th district, running against Markey.

Gardner's ACP opponent is Doug Aden. http://www.adenforcongress.com/

[New Deal Democrat]

Originally Posted by Zebra

That is a real group. They want America to be like we were on 9/12/2001. United, and terribly depressed and in deep shock.

That attitude will not come back. The Bush administration exploited those sentiments to invade Iraq while cutting taxes.

[New Deal Democrat]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

Let there be no mistake about it: Regardless of who our nominee is for governor after the primary, if Tom Tancredo carries through on his threat to run as a third party candidate, he will be responsible for the election of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper as governor and for other races that will be imperiled as well.

I welcome disunity on the right.

[The Facts]

You know, every time I see this thread title, I wish it was litterally true...

[descamisado]

Originally Posted by The Facts

You know, every time I see this thread title, I wish it was litterally true...

Perhaps they'll be firing minié balls.

[Lamar Mundane]

Originally Posted by Frank

That's also the impression I get from a distance.

You're in the 4th district aren't you? What are Gardner's chances looking like?

Pretty stunning poll in the Denver Post today. Romanoff has pulled ahead of Bennet, 48-45.

Stunning because Bennet was the White House's chosen candidate, is the incumbent, and has eight times as much money as Romanoff. He was also 17 points ahead a month and a half ago.

[Measure for Measure]

Originally Posted by Lamar Mundane

Pretty stunning poll in the Denver Post today. Romanoff has pulled ahead of Bennet, 48-45.

Stunning because Bennet was the White House's chosen candidate, is the incumbent, and has eight times as much money as Romanoff. He was also 17 points ahead a month and a half ago.

Well the sample size is 536 (smallish) and that's just one poll by Zata3, an outfit that I've never heard of.[1] Here's how the poll tracks: http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.../2010-co-sen-d

Calling it "Stunning" may be premature. Until a second poll comes out or an independent statistician weighs in, I'd characterize the results as "Interesting if true".


[1] But the article says the poll was done by SurveyUSA, which I *have* heard of.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Originally Posted by Frank

Yeppers. Saw the headline, but didn't read the article.

If he loses, I can recommend a not too bad dive on Capitol Hill where I used to live for cheap.

Hopefully after November, I may need to speak with you about this.

[Frank]

For those keeping score at home, the Tea Party supported candidates won the governor (Maes) and Senate (Buck) primaries, both close. There's still speculation that the establishment will try to push Maes out and replace him. I don't see that happening.

Bennet beat Romanoff handily for the Dem Senate nod.

These will be two of the more interesting elections come November.

[Frank]

A last-second blitz to push out Maes before the ballot certification deadline yesterday failed. Developments this week included the revelation that the already bruised and battered Maes had "embellished" his year-and-a-half long career as a police officer in Kansas.

That caused his last few establishment endorsements to throw up their hands and give up. He lost endorsements from Hank Brown, Ken Buck, Mike Coffman, and John Andrews, all major figures in the Colorado Republican party. Even some Tea Party groups have renounced him.

Mesa County commissioner and Tea Party organizer Janet Rowland called Maes a "fraud" in an e-mail sent to thousands of grassroots supporters and asked them not to support his candidacy. Hear Us Now!, which bills itself as the original tax-day Tea Party group, rescinded its endorsement.

Here's what the state GOP chairman had to say:

"I am very disappointed in the decision by Dan Maes to continue his candidacy for governor," Wadhams said. "Revelations before and especially after the Aug. 10 primary have raised serious questions about the veracity of how he has presented his professional background and career and have virtually destroyed any possibility of running a viable campaign."

Tom Tancredo also stayed in the race. I expect Hickenlooper to drop by the Governor's Mansion this weekend and start measuring for curtains.

It'll be interesting to see if this affects down-ballot candidates. The Republicans have a reasonable shot at taking Bennet's Senate seat, and a less reasonable shot at taking back the State House. This incredibly amusing circular firing squad can't be doing them any good.

[MizTina]

I think Hickenlooper is one smart cookie for taking the higher road with his ads, and unless something godawful secret comes slithering out from under a rock about him, he'll win handily.

The senator race is another matter, it's staying ugly. But every time I see one of those commercials from Crossroad Grassroots Policy Strategies,(backed by our smarmy buddy Karl Rove)that encourage voters to call Michael Bennett's office and tell him what a rotten job he's doing, I pick up the phone and call. I tell them not to bow down to Rove and his poli-thugs and that he has my vote.

I've made so many calls that the operators are getting to recognize my voice.

[Honesty]

Originally Posted by MizTina

My new favorite political commercial has been of accused plagiarist Scott McInniss holding up a pen, and declaring it will be the pen he will use to slash taxes and create new jobs. I always ask him (or rather the image on tv) if that's the pen he used for the alleged plagiarism. And then I just crack up.

I really think whoever thought that spot up wasn't thinking properly.

That sounds hilarious. Provide linky?

[MizTina]

[quote=Honesty;12883353]

Originally Posted by MizTina

My new favorite political commercial has been of accused plagiarist Scott McInniss holding up a pen, and declaring it will be the pen he will use to slash taxes and create new jobs. I always ask him (or rather the image on tv) if that's the pen he used for the alleged plagiarism. And then I just crack up.
That sounds hilarious. Provide linky?

http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/...dnesday/11889/ Yep, and if you read the article, it touches on the plagiarism dust up. But it's a non-issue now, he's out of the race. Hallelujah!

[Kolga]

Frankly, I think the Hickenlooper commercials are boring and a bit...I don't know what the word is. Parochial? Focused on minutiae? The one I've seen the most is him wandering through city hall with pitchers of water talking about how he saved money doing away with things like bottled water at city meetings and other random cost-saving measures.

I mean, he's not going to lose (unless, as they say, he's caught with a dead girl or a live boy), but still, they don't wow me with a feeling that he's focused on things outside of Denver.

But at least I can relax a little about my job still being around in four years

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by Kolga

Frankly, I think the Hickenlooper commercials are boring and a bit...I don't know what the word is. Parochial? Focused on minutiae? The one I've seen the most is him wandering through city hall with pitchers of water talking about how he saved money doing away with things like bottled water at city meetings and other random cost-saving measures.

I think the word you're looking for is "picayune."

[Measure for Measure]

Originally Posted by Measure for Measure

Gardner's ACP opponent is Doug Aden. http://www.adenforcongress.com/

In the fourth district, it's a 4-way race between the incumbent Betsy Markey (D), Doug Aden (ACP), Gardner (R) and Ken "Wasko" Waszkiewicz (Indep). Markey advocates a 4 way debate, but the anti-Tea Party media is insisting that candidates reach a 10% threshold in the polls before appearing on TeeVee. Wasko asks, "Is this a debate or an infomerical for the 2 parties?"

Wasko has an interesting website, mostly made up YouTube clips of him proffering solutions to unemployment, Colorado energy, illegal immigration, flat taxes, the national debt, social security, health care, the war on terror and other issues of the day. I think the race between Wasko and Doug Aden could be very close.

[Frank]

This is turning out to be closer than expected.

Maes support is dropping like a rock. He's now polling at about 12%, and is raising fears that he will cost the Republican Party its major party status (and thus automatic ballot placement) for next election. (He needs 10% of the vote to maintain that.)

The latest bombshell is that he declared bankruptcy in 1989. This news is peeling off a few more of his supporters. (Denver Post)

This is nothing but good news for Tancredo. I still don't think he'll win; I think he's too extreme for Colorado as a whole, and even if Maes drops out he'll still be on the ballot and will garner some votes. But it's going to be a tighter race than I ever would have imagined a month or two ago.