Posted on 09/16/2009 3:41:56 PM PDT by LdSentinal
Next year’s U.S. Senate race in Colorado is a lot more crowded this week, and incumbent Michael Bennet has some serious competition on hand.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Colorado voters finds Bennet trailing former Republican Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton 45% to 36%. Norton formally announced her candidacy on Tuesday.
In that contest, seven percent (7%) like some other candidate, and 12% are undecided.
Another newcomer, former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, is expected to announce his candidacy today (Wednesday), challenging Bennet for the Democratic Senate nomination next year. In a match-up with Norton, the highest profile Republican in the race so far, Romanoff is down by eight points – 42% to 34%.
Eight percent (8%) prefer some other candidate, and 15% are not sure which candidate they would vote for.
Only 12% undecided?
This early?
That’s unheard of.
Wonder how Bennet is voting on 0bamaScare..?
Think there might be another vote Scarry Reid can’t count on.
I get the feeling the Dems are going to get rolled in ‘10 as a referandum on Obama.
This poll is pretty much as I thought. The Dem Bennet appointed Senator by Ritter is in big trouble.
Then again, on second thought, with a challenger in the Democrat primary, Bennet may be forced to go hard left if he wants a shot at running for a full term in the general.
He's voting for it. He's in a commercial with Senator Udall pushing it.
Is she a conservative or a RINO ?
Also on the Presidential Daily Tracking poll, BHO headed south again. -4 to -6. A 30% drop.
If not, we are going to get rolled with more of his commie agenda.
She said McCain inspired her to run. She also supported Referendum C - the largest tax increase in Colorado's history. You be the judge if she a conservative or a RINO.
I believe this is the true conservative in the race:
Thanks !
“You be the judge if she a conservative or a RINO.”
From what I’ve heard of her, she’s definitely a RINO. And the almighty RNC, which thinks it has the sole authority to anoint and consecreate our candidates, happens to be rallying around her.
The RNC is infected with RINO cancer and needs some chemotherapy.
“Only 12% undecided?
This early?
That’s unheard of.”
Ping
I met him a few weeks ago when he was in town (Grand Junction). What impressed me most about him was that he was on board with state attempts to assert the Tenth Amendment. Most politicians don't seem to know what the Tenth Amendment is.
Frankly, I think any of our Republicans will beat Bennet or Romanoff, nevermind Auggie Ritter, so why go with the ones that put out RINO signals ? I’m probably going to endorse Ryan Frazier (and Josh Penry for Governor).
Awesome! That is music to my ears. Think I'll head on over to his site and give him another donation. Thank you for that info. Conservatives Unite in 2010!
I don’t think that Jane Norton is a RINO. She’s pro-life, pro-gun, and pro-marriage protection. She also supports more emphasis on securing the borders. Also, while I will support Ryan Frazier if he’s the nominee, he’s not as conservative as some think he is.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say that *any* Republican can defeat Bennet, Romanoff or Ritter. I do think, though, that McInnis and Norton can win, and that both are quite conservative (although McInnis is not as pro-life as I would like, and Norton is perhaps not as economically conservative as I would like). I don’t think either one is a RINO.
Ryan Frazier is a 32-year-old city councilman from Aurora. That would be a good launching pad to run for the CO-07 congressional seat (where we need a candidate to take back the seat from Perlmutter), but not really for a Senate run. And, BTW, Frazier does not appear to be as socially conservative as Norton: http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/99772-fraziers-star-rises-gop
I think that, with Norton’s entry into the Senate race, Frazier should switch to the CO-07 House race, where he has a clear path to the nomination and his pro-domestic-partnership views could be a plus, not a minus. If 2010 is as good a year for CO Republicans as it looks, he would have a good shot at defeating Perlmutter in what is basically a 50-50 district. God willing, Frazier wouldn’t be the only black Republican sworn in to the House in 2011.
Beat me by a minute. : )
You found that article, too?
Jane Norton is doing well in the polls due to name id. Currently I lean toward Norton, but could change my mind if the other candidates can do better in fundraising and polling.
If things go well in 2010, it could be the Year of GOP Women with possible victories in CO, NH, and CA. On flip side, the Dems could have their Year of Women victories too in NC, MO, and OH.
No, I found a different article, but made largely the same point you had a minute earlier.
Your article is much more revealing about Frazier’s “moderate” (not to say liberal) positions on social issues. This sentence is a doozy:
“He’s also ambivalent when it comes to pro-life issues: “I am not a fan of abortion, but I struggle with whether it is the appropriate role of the government to place itself there.””
Sounds like he may be an acceptable candidate for the CO-07 House seat, but his shakiness on social issues and lack of experience make him, in my eyes at least, as a bad choice for the Senate.
Good points. I just have concerns about Norton (could some of the public be confusing her with Gale ?) and McInnis.
Well, yes, Norton and McInnis aren’t perfect, but they’re as first-tier as we can expect to get in CO right about now (unless your boy Owens decides to run—I’m sure you’d love that, right? : ), and they’re both conservative enough to energize the base without alienating moderates.
*gagging*
Bennet is a mindless Obamabot. He has supported him on every single issue.
Right. Bennet won’t be returning to the Senate in 2011.
The Democrats’ only chance of retaining the seat is if Romanoff defeats him in the primary, thereby allowing the Democrats to offer a candidate not tainted by 0bamaScare.
And Romanoff’s chances would still be slim to none.
I’m expecting Bennet to keep as far left as he can, as his best chance of fending off Romanoff in the primary, only to checkmate himself in the general election for sure by doing so.
0bamaScare and Cap’n Tax are going to be the defining votes, which will put all vulnerable incumbents between a rock and a hard place. Either they oppose the 0bama agenda and lose their primaries to candidates who smell blood, or they support the 0bama agenda and go down with the ship in the general election.
later
I think it’s important to have as top-tier a candidate as we can get for the Senate race. Norton appears to be okay.
I’m undecided on McInnis-Penry. McInnis’s campaign has been criticized as lackluster. It’s good he has an opponent to test him in the primary.
Penry his former protege is allegedly to his right and is an energetic fresh face.
Ritter looks like toast.
Good candidate, is he ready for prime time?
In the U.S. Senate race in CO, former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton is a first-tier candidate,Weld County DA Ken Buck is a second-tier candidate, and Aurora councilman Ryan Frazier is a third-string candidate. Norton is a solid conservative that will turn out the conservative basa and that also appeals to independents and would be favored in the general election against either Bennet or Romanoff; Weld or (especially) Frazier would be underdogs in the general.
As someone noted, there are several eminently winnable U.S. House districts in CO in need of a good candidate, and I think that it makes sense for Buck and Frazier to switch to one of those congressional races where their odds of success are far higher and where they can be of most help to Colorado and national Republicans and conservatives. Buck should run in the 4th Congressional District, which includes all of Weld County and which is more Republican than Colorado as a whole; he would be favored in the general against freshman liberal Democrat Betsy Markey. As for Frazier, his home district is the swing 7th CD, which is a bit more Democrat than the state and was held by Republican Bob Beauprez until he ran for governor in 2006. Frazier’s more libertarian views on social issues will be an asset in the district (which would not be the case running statewide), and he would have a good chance of defeating the ultraliberal two-term Congressman Ed Perlmutter.
BTW, a new Rasmussen poll of the GOP Senate primary came out and Norton is leading Buck by 46% to 15% (I assumed that Frazier was in single digits). I think Buck and Frazier should seek greener pastures sooner rather than later.
Ken Buck should have run for the House, but I think it’s too late to switch races. Conservatives have mostly rallied around state Rep. Corey Gardner, who has already announced his candidacy.
That’s a good point, as Gardner is a good candidate as well. Still, Buck has a much better chance of beating Gardner than Norton. Buck running for state AG is out of the question, since Republican John Suthers is running for reelection (Suthers, BTW, should be our frontrunner to take on Senator Udall in 2014).
A lot of candidates have delusions of grandeur on what offices they are likely to win.
It seems like Ryan Frazier “took my advice” (I’m sure he scours FR looking for advice from armchair political gurus : ) and will drop out of the CO Senate race to run for the CO-07 House seat. http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/10535/frazier-to-drop-senate-bid-challenge-perlmutter
I disagree with the article’s conclusion that Frazier would have a slim chance of defeating Congressman Ed Perlmutter in the general election. Perlmutter has only been elected twice in the district, in heavily Democrat 2006 and 2008, and the district only slightly leans Democrat. As I posted last month, I hope that Frazier wins and that he isn’t the only black Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2011.
Forgot to ping you.
So far he's a rubber-stamp for Obama.
And he's inept. I called 411 on my cell to get Bennet's DC phone number......they said he doesn't have a listed number (!)...then again that may have been Obama-ites working at ATT
Gosh, I had just decided to support Frazier for Senate, even though I’m a little uneasy with his somewhat weak social conservatism. I guess I’ll have to push him in CD-7 (I’m in CD-5 which is totally GOP safe).
Buck has less than zero charisma (unlike Frazier, who speaks very very well), so probably Norton is going to get the Senate seat. Bennet seems lost in his job. The only thing he has going for him is money from San Francisco.
Last month, Frazier went climbing in the mountains and conquered fourteener Mount Democrat. I liked that photo.
Fauxbama, Pelosi and Reid, and the leftist radicals around them and the agendas they are pushing are ensuring that only Dems from the bluest of blue districts will be safe in 2010.
All the “blue dog” supposedly “moderate” dems are DOA, as are several “moderate” republicans. Any R that sides with these fools will be taken out in the primaries.
Its going to be an absolute blood bath in 2010 for the left. Dumb enough all the other crap they are doing, but now Fauxbama has further awakened the juggernaut with his open gays in the military push.
Already had everyone with a remote sense of economics solidly rallying against him, now he’s rallying the social conservatives to the field.
The Republicans need to be running absolute interference for the next 14 months, on all this liberal claptrap. Any means neccessary, and they will be rewarded greatly. If they don’t, they’ll get tossed out too.
I’m also glad that Ryan Frazier has switched races. The switch could hurt him some, but it’ll likely be old news by next year.
Hopefully Allen West will get elected in Florida also. (no love from CQ politics which calls the race safe rat, he did very well in 2008)
Not to mention Michael Williams for the Texas Senate seat.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/12/carter-obama-allen-west-race-card/
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