PAGE 3 ★ THE COLORADO STATESMAN ★ FEB. 11, 2011 “Lincoln was not a type. He stands alone — no ancestors, no fellows, no successors.” — Robert G. Ingersoll
...Wadhams ends bid, Call joins Harvey, Baron in GOP race Continued from Page 1
party is that we are all a group of principled and independent-minded individuals,” Call wrote in a letter sent Tuesday afternoon to state GOP central committee members. “That sometimes makes it a challenge to build consensus and agreement, but I believe we need a broad and welcoming Party in order to win elections and govern effectively — the stakes are just too high for us to be divided.” Call’s chief rival for the GOP’s top spot is conservative stalwart state Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, who unveiled his candidacy for state chair last week along with the endorsements of roughly half the state’s Republican legislators. Wadhams has been under fire from conservative Republicans and Tea Party activists for much of his second term — alternately for pulling strings to sway which candidates ran in GOP primaries and for not interfering enough by failing to vet candidates. In the 2010 election, state Republicans scored historic wins by taking two congressional seats, two statewide offices and the majority in the state House from Democrats. But in the same election, as GOP candidates swept into office across the country, Colorado Republicans lost a tight contest for U.S. Senate and finished third in the governor’s race, a debacle Wadhams termed a “soap opera” in his reelection announcement. Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Maes won just 11 percent of the vote — against the winning Democrat, former Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and a third-party challenge by former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, who temporarily left the GOP to mount his campaign — coming within 20,000 votes of costing state Republicans major-party status under state law. Just weeks after declaring he wanted another two-year term — and only days
after drawing a challenge from Harvey “I have nothing but great admiration — Wadhams wrote that he enjoyed the for Dick and saw first-hand the amount support of a “clear majority” of central of hard work and the difficult spot he committee members but, after giving it was put in the last couple of years,” some thought, he could do without the Call said. “I think every Republican in headaches caused by his critics. Colorado should be grateful.” He One of the state’s top Democrats, added: “There’s no criticism from me former House Speaker Terrance for Dick, but this does present an Carroll, called Wadhams’ announceopportunity to turn the page and look ment the “most surprising political ahead.” news of 2011 so far” in a post to his In his announcement letter, Call said Twitter account on Monday night. his experience as the state party’s legal Meanwhile, two lesser-known candidates who have nothing but great admiration had been vying for Dick and saw first-hand the for Wadhams’ job combined forces amount of hard work and the difficult spot with a third he was put in the last couple of years.” Republican on Wednesday to offer a slate under the “Elect Respect” banner. counsel — including work helping Retired engineer Barton Baron, a “candidates fix problems if they ever recent transplant from Michigan and get into any trouble” — along with a past congressional candidate in that history of grassroots organizing and a state, is the chairman candidate on a commitment to developing and ticket with former rival turned vicesupporting county parties are among chairman hopeful John Wagner, who his qualifications. managed the U.S. Senate campaign of Call told The Statesman his work as also-ran Cleve Tidwell last year. Cohort an organizer — including a stint Jeremy Goodall is running for state running the state College Republicans party secretary along with the other and two years as National Cotwo. Chairman of the College Republican The day before he announced his National Committee — and his bid, Call told The Colorado Statesman expertise “navigating increasingly he would bring a lot to table as complex campaign finance and organichairman but needed to first check with zational rules that govern our party” his young family and clients at Hale are key assets he brings to the state Westfall, the LoDo law firm where he chair race. Then he added that the serves of-counsel. (Richard Westfall, a state chairman should “focus the core partner in the firm, is the appointed operations on operational pursuits treasurer for the state Republican rather than ideological ones.” Party.) That’s a direct challenge to Harvey’s “I think I do bring a unique and campaign, which enjoys the support of valuable skill-set to the job,” Call said. Republicans who believe the party loses He went on to praise Wadhams while elections because it doesn’t draw a clear at the same time making clear he enough distinction with Democrats. would offer more than just a continua“We have to recognize in the state, tion of the current regime. in every single county, you win elec-
“I
tions by building coalitions,” Call said, “by demonstrating that our message of limited government, fiscal responsibility and fiscal discipline is something that leads to good government.” “In Colorado,” Call continued, “we have to understand there’s a very broad section of the electorate that sees themselves as independent-minded. That independence is also at the core and is the strength of the Republican and conservative moment. That’s why the party needs to focus its efforts on those things that unite us.” He added that the disagreement with GOP purists would be “part of the healthy discussion the leadership election and chairman’s race will bring out.” It’s similar to the criticism Wadhams leveled at his Republican opponents in the letter announcing his withdrawal from the chairman’s race. Though he didn’t mention Harvey by name, much of Wadhams’ message was clearly aimed at the conservative lawmaker, who charged when he launched his campaign that Wadhams has lost the confidence of grassroots Republicans. “I intend to unite our base and return authentic conservative leadership to the Party structure,” Harvey said in his announcement. That’s not enough, Call said. “We need to reach out to many folks — not just in the party, but outside the party as well,” Call said. “We win by building and growing the party, and bringing people into the party, rather than by becoming narrow.” The GOP central committee meets to pick officers on March 26 at Douglas County High School in Castle Rock. County parties are spending the next couple weeks selecting officers and other state central committee members, a process that winds up Feb. 22 when Arapahoe County Republicans convene. — Ernest@coloradostatesman.com
...County parties pick officers and delegates this month Continued from Page 1
for the next two years. In addition to electing a county chair, vice chair and secretary — who then sit on the state central committee — county Democrats and Republicans pick district captains, other officers, and name vacancy committees. Counties also get to select so-called bonus delegates to the state central committee, which is the governing body for the state party. But the diverging fates of the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates in the last election spells very different situations for bonus delegates between the parties. Those delegates are allotted by county based on each party’s turnout in the governor’s race — basically, each county gets two delegates for every 10,000 votes cast — so the historically low vote for Republican nominee Dan Maes means there won’t be very many bonus delegates to the GOP state central committee. In fact, only five of Colorado’s 64 counties — Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson and Larimer — get to pick state bonus delegates on the Republican side, and between them they only get 18. Democrats, on the other hand, will be seating as many as 244 bonus delegates from across the state, based on votes for Gov. John Hickenlooper, the Democratic nominee. The low number of GOP bonus delegates could swing influence in the Republican state chair race to smaller, rural counties, since every county — no matter what the size — gets to send its chair, vice chair and secretary as voting members of the central committee. (Other members are current state party officers, Colorado’s two Republican National Committee delegates, congressional district chairs and elected officials, from district attorneys and legislators to statewide officials and members of Congress.) County reorgs wrap up by Feb. 15 for Democrats, who convene to elect state officers on March 5 in Denver, and a week later for Republicans, who gather on March 26 in Castle Rock. (The Arapahoe County GOP has the latest scheduled reorg, moved from a frigid Feb. 8 to Feb. 22, closer to spring.) Arapahoe County Democrats met Feb. 5 at Rangeview High School in Aurora. In addition to the 155 Arapahoe County Central Committee members, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter showed up, along with the
three announced candidates for state party chair, Polly Baca, Adam Bowen, and Rick Palacio. Incumbent party officers didn’t seek additional terms, so an entirely new slate was elected. None of the races were contested. Todd Mata is the new chair, Pam Gail is 1st vice chair, John Buckley is 2nd vice chair, Mary Pritchard is secretary and Matt Salek is treasurer. “Despite a bruising U.S. Senate primary battle just six months ago between U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, there was little sign of any remaining friction in the auditorium,” Mata reported. He said Arapahoe Democrats are “fiercely united” for next year’s elections. Nearly 100 Boulder County Republicans braved a terrible storm the night of Feb. 3 to convene at the Longmont Public Library. State Party Executive Director James Garcia showed up to thank outgoing county Chairman Scott Starin — who also mounted a campaign against Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis — and state Party Chairman Dick Wadhams told Republicans the 2012 election could be the most important election yet, one that could determine the future direction of the country. All the new officers were elected unanimously. Joel Champion is the new chairman; Gregory Carlson, Ellyn Hilliard and Chad Rathbun are all vice chairs; and Al Kolwicz was named secretary. Among district officers, former state lawmaker Betty Swenson was named vice chair for House District 11, along with Chair Cathy Jarrett. El Paso County Democrats met Feb. 5 at the Hillside Community Center in Colorado Springs and had a few contested races for party officers. County Chair Kathleen Ricker ran unopposed for chair. Incumbent 1st Vice Chair Judi Ingalido survived a challenge from Dave Bryan. The 2nd vice chair spot was also a race, with Chuck Bader winning over Robert Nemanich. Treasurer Bob Dyer ran unopposed. Incumbent party Secretary Carolyn Cathey will be serving another term, besting Nancy Jo Morris in the vote. Mesa County Democrats got together on Feb. 5 at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall in Clifton and picked a set of fresh faces to run the party. Karl Castleton and Arn McConnell were named co-chairs; Claudette Konola was elected treas-
urer; Laura Fowler becomes secretary; and four Democrats will be vice chairs, in descending order: Rick Baer, JoLynn Phillips, James Milligan, and Judy Hegge. “I feel the new central and executive committees are a good mix of new volunteers and past committee members,” Castleton told The Colorado Statesman. His co-chair, McConnell, had this to say: “The new officers are smart and technologically savvy. We see real opportunities to grow the party during the coming years.” Denver Republicans elected a new chairman on Feb. 5 at Hill Middle School. The previous chair, Ryan Call, didn’t seek a second term but announced this week he’s in the running for state party chair. Past state House candidate Danny Stroud defeated Bob Lane, who also ran for a House seat in last year’s election, for chairman. The county will have three vice chairs: Michelle Lyng, Jeff Krump and Pauline Olvera. Brett Moore was elected secretary. Adams County Democrats picked new officers — and a few assistants — on Feb. 6 at the county fairgrounds in Brighton. Marty Wisniewski is chair; Richard McCutcheon is 1st vice chair; Larry Pace is 2nd vice chair; Michael Scanlon is secretary; Tove Forgo is assistant secretary; Diane Christner is treasurer; and Aurita Apodaca is assistant treasurer. Broomfield Democrats spent the morning of Feb. 5 at Sill-TerHar Ford. Matt Gray is the new chair, Judy Enderle is 1st vice chair, Dottie Rawsky is 2nd vice chair, Mike Byrne is treasurer, and Jim Holitza is secretary. Democrats also named Tom Parsons to be publicity chair and Mark Snook to run the county party’s website. Larimer County Democrats gathered on Feb. 5 at Boltz Middle School in Fort Collins. William Russell is the new chair, Charlotte Miller is vice chair, Anne Wilseck is secretary, and Lynn Aldrin is treasurer. Boulder County Democrats had some contests for party officers when they met on Feb. 6 at New Vista High School in Boulder. Dan Gould won the office of chair over Harry Hempy. Laura Spicer was elected vice chair in a race against Alan Rosenfeld. Tricia Olson ran unopposed for treasurer. Linda Cornett overcame a couple of hopefuls for the secretary job. — Ernest@coloradostatesman.com