ProgressNow.org Daily News Digest

Bennet’s 2010 run under way : Updates : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/04/bennets-team-2010-senate-campaign-taking-shape/ The 2010 U.S. Senate race got under way even before the last hours of 2008 ticked off the clock. On New Year's Eve, preparations were being made to announce Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet as a replacement for Interior Secretary-nominee Ken Salazar. And by the next morning a team was quietly being assembled for Bennet's first-ever election campaign in two years. "I had just unpacked my bags in D.C. and got a call asking if I could jump on a plane and come back to Colorado to help out," said Matt Chandler, the onetime spokesman for President-elect Barack Obama's Colorado campaign. By Saturday, Chandler had issued the first press release on behalf of the Bennet for Colorado campaign, which unveiled a bare- bones Web site, a 23-page media kit and a way for people to sign up for campaign updates.

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Colorado Independent » Bennet launches campaign site

http://coloradoindependent.com/18719/bennet-launches-campaign-site-says-he-intends-to-win-re-election-in-2010 Simultaneously with his nomination to become Colorado’s newest U.S. senator, Michael Bennet unveiled BennetforColorado.com, a campaign Web site aimed at winning re-election to the seat in 2010. The rudimentary site, labeled “under construction,” includes a sign-up form for updates and a biography of the Denver Democrat, who is currently superintendent for Denver Public Schools. There’s also a fresh endorsement from President-elect Barack Obama, who called Bennet “a breath of fresh air in Washington.” The site put to rest speculation Bennet might dither on whether to seek a full term in the Senate. “I absolutely intend to win re-election,” he told a press conference Saturday afternoon at the Colorado State Capitol. Republicans began circling Friday when news of Bennet’s nomination leaked.

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GJSentinel.com: Bennet’s lack of experience could be blessing for GOP

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/01/02/010309_1a_Bennet___GOP_react.html Michael Bennet, Gov. Bill Ritter’s pick to replace outgoing U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., is a blessing in disguise for Republicans eager to win back one of Colorado’s Senate seats next year, according to GOP political observers. Bennet, superintendent for the Denver Public Schools, lacks legislative experience to truly succeed in Washington, according to Mike Hesse, a Republican political consultant. Hesse said Bennet’s lack of statewide name recognition will leave him in danger at the polls in 2010. “Even the average Denver resident, if you walk down the street, wouldn’t know who he is,” he said. Mark Hillman, a member of the Republican National Committee and a former state senator, praised Bennet as “a sharp guy,” but said his lack of legislative experience will be a boon for Republicans.

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Odds don’t favor Bennet holding onto seat : Politics : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/02/odds-dont-favor-bennet-holding-seat/ When Michael Bennet assumes the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Ken Salazar, he'll be part of a deliberative body trying to rescue the nation from its worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. But he'll also have to immediately begin working on a campaign for 2010 — a prospect that history shows can be daunting for appointed senators. According to Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com, a Web site that analyzes political data, only 40 percent of appointed senators seeking election since 1956 hung onto their seat. Silver points out that seven of the 49 senators who were appointed by governors didn't even make it out of their party's primary and that 13 lost in a general election. Another 10 didn't seek election after their appointment.

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GJSentinel.com: 18- to 24-year-olds did not show up at polls as expected

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/01/04/010509_3a_Election_numbers.html Youth were supposed to turn out in masses for the election of 2008. That did not happen in Mesa County. From the general election of 2004 to 2008 the youth vote, those aged 18 to 24, actually decreased by 600. “Which really runs counter to the prevailing wisdom, I think,” said Gay Hammer, a consultant to local political campaigns. “With (Barack) Obama, quite frankly, I was one of the people who thought the 18 to 24 age group would be much more intense in registering and voting in Mesa County.” Ralph D’Andrea, a political writer and part-time campaign consultant, agreed that the youth vote did not materialize in Mesa County. But the next oldest age bracket, those between the age of 25 to 44, did increase by 1,664 votes in 2008 compared to 2004.

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Springs considers plan to repeal TABOR - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11364942 A battle is brewing over a possible ballot measure that would repeal the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights in Colorado Springs, home of the author of the law that limits government taxing and spending. The City Council is expected to meet Tuesday with a volunteer group that's been studying how the city raises and spends money. The council likely will decide whether to put a plan repealing TABOR to a vote in the April election.

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GJSentinel.com: Coons to run for re-election

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2009/01/03/010409_2A_Coons_running.html Staring down the possibility that the majority of the Grand Junction City Council could be first-timers in four months, Teresa Coons decided she wanted to try to create some continuity on the board. After taking time over the holidays to talk with her husband and her new employer, the councilwoman said she will seek re-election.

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Fort Collins mayor puts hat in for 3rd term | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan,

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20090104/NEWS01/901040344/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson announced Saturday morning he'll run for a third and final term. Hutchinson was elected to the post in 2005 and 2007. Tom Griggs, a University of Northern Colorado education professor and Fort Collins resident, announced last month he would run for mayor. Griggs ran unsuccessfully in 2006 for the 4th Congressional District State Board of Education seat. Hutchinson's 2005 election coincided with a shift in the City Council that created a 4-3 majority of members backed by the business community. The 2007 election flipped that majority. City elections are nonpartisan, and Hutchinson said he will not run with a political party affiliation and will not ask for endorsements.

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Ritter to announce new secretary of state - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_11270304 Gov. Bill Ritter will announce his choice for Colorado's new secretary of state Friday morning. Ritter, a Democrat, is choosing a replacement for Republican Mike Coffman, who was elected to Congress last month. A vacancy committee appointed by Ritter has suggested three Democrats for the job: Rep. Bernie Buescher of Grand Junction, Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon of Denver and House Speaker Andrew Romanoff of Denver. Romanoff has also been mentioned as a possible replacement for U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, who's been nominated as President-elect Barack Obama's interior secretary. Ritter's spokesman, Evan Dreyer, said the vacancy committee wasn't required by law, and that Ritter isn't required to pick one of the panel's choices.

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Judge fines D-11 for campaign flier |Gazette.com

http://www.gazette.com/articles/district_45074___article.html/bruce_mailer.html A judge has fined Colorado Springs School District 11 $1,000 for violating a campaign finance law that bans using public money to urge voters to approve a ballot measure. The case concerns a mailer sent to voters in September that discussed a ballot measure to increase the district's property tax rate. The mailer included information about how the district planned to use the $21.5 million in new taxes that would have been raised had Question 3E passed on the Nov. 4 ballot. The measure failed with 56 percent of voters saying "no." Administrative Law Judge Robert Spencer ruled Wednesday the mailer violated Colorado's Fair Campaign Practices Act.

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GJSentinel.com: At least two won’t return to Grand Junction City Council

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/12/18/121908_3a_council_seats.html The Grand Junction City Council could have a significantly different look in 2009, as two council members will not seek re-election in April and a third is undecided. Meanwhile, retired bank president Sam Susuras on Thursday became the first person to declare his candidacy for the council. Councilman Jim Doody told fellow council members during Wednesday night’s meeting he will not run for a second four-year term to represent Redlands residents in District A. Doody, who served two years as mayor from 2006 to this year, said he wants to spend more time with his wife and “doing a little more light lifting.”

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Another election if Gov. picks John - Telluride, CO - The Daily Planet

http://www.telluridenews.com/news/x1720700113/Another-election-if-Gov-picks-John Ready for another election? When Sen. Ken Salazar was named to the Obama cabinet as Secretary of the Interior, it opened up the possibility that rural Colorado — and Telluride — may have another election this winter. That’s because Colorado Governor Bill Ritter will name Salazar’s replacement in the senate, and among the names being mentioned in newspapers and political blogs is Ken’s brother, John, a three-term congressman from the third congressional district. The third district includes Telluride, most of the Western Slope and the southern parts of the state. John Salazar was also repeatedly mentioned as a possibility to fill the post of Secretary of Agriculture, a job that eventually went to the Iowa governor.

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Despite numbers, GOP floundered | coloradoan.com

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20081218/NEWS01/812180385/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02 Republicans had a huge turnout advantage over Democrats in Larimer County and Northern Colorado last month, but the GOP candidates still struggled in the most high-profile races, according to numbers released this week by the secretary of state. More than 61,000 Republicans voted in Larimer County in the Nov. 4 election, compared to 50,600 Democrats and 54,000 unaffiliated voters. Despite the huge partisan disadvantage, Democratic candidates for president, U.S. Senate and Congress all carried the county by healthy margins. Kirk Brush, chairman of the Larimer County Republican Party, said Democratic candidates at the top of the ticket won over unaffiliated voters with false portrayals of themselves as moderate to conservative on energy and economic issues. "It's true you can take advantage of people who don't have as much time to dig as deep on issues and voting records," Brush said. He said Republicans will be able to focus on the Democratic record in 2010 because the Democrats control the executive and legislative branches at the state and national level.

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GOP backs photo ID, citizenship proof for voters | Politics West

http://www.politicswest.com/33702/republicans_pushing_photo_id_citizenship_proof_voters Republican lawmakers today said they'll push bills in the 2009 session requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polls and mandating Coloradans give proof of citizenship to register. “Voting is a fundamental part of our democracy," said Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch. "As legislators, we must do everything in our power to protect the integrity of the proces. This includes making sure voting is fair, and reserved for only those who are eligible.” McNulty and Sen.-elect Mark Scheffel, R-Parker, are expected to sponsor the proof-of-citizenship-to-register bill. The legislation would designate which documents could be used to prove citizenship, Republicans said, though they did not offer specifics. Meanwhile, Rep. Ken Summers, R-Lakewood, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, are to sponsor the photo ID legislation. Republicans said outgoing Secretary of State Mike Coffman, a Republican just elected to Congress, supports the measures.

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Renfroe says he’ll try again on voter ID bill | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081218/NEWS/812189987/1002/NONE State Sen. Scott Renfroe will carry a bill when the 2009 legislature begins in January that would require voters to present photo identification at the polls to vote. Renfroe joined other Republicans in presenting bills they say will safeguard elections in Colorado by requiring photo ID of voters at the polls to prove they are legal residents. A similar bill to be debated in the upcoming session will require potential voters to present certification by way of birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization documents or other federal forms of identification in order to register to vote. Renfroe said that right now, all voters need at the polls is identification that shows their address. They can even use a utility bill or basically a government document that has their name and address to prove they live in the district. That’s insufficient, Renfroe said.

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McInnis discusses Salazar appointment | PostIndependent.com

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20081217/VALLEYNEWS/812169962/1001 “Who knows how the chairs fall,” he said Tuesday of the political consequences of Salazar’s move and Colo. Gov. Bill Ritter’s eventual appointment of his successor. “It has got big ripple effects, and how that plays out really kind of determines what the future looks like.” Already, several names of prominent Democrats, including Ken Salazar’s brother Rep. John Salazar, D-Manassa, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, have been floated as potential candidates to succeed Salazar in the Senate. McInnis, a Glenwood Springs native, said that it seemed that Hickenlooper has “consistently high” popularity ratings in Denver. “That is the name I have heard most prominently,” he said. “But you know, the governor has a lot of freedom here. He can come out of left field and just name someone he thinks that is very capable but doesn’t hold political office.” But whomever is named to replace Salazar, he or she will face significant challenges in 2010 when Salazar’s term expires. Those include fundraising the millions of dollars for a statewide Senate race and the ability to draw support from across Colorado.

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GJSentinel.com: Ritter looks to fill Senate seat

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/12/16/121708_1a_contenders_analysis.html Ritter has a series of strong choices to fill the seat, including several not named here, but Republicans should see Salazar’s departure as a chance to take back one of Colorado’s Senate seats. “I think this definitely puts the seat in play,” Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams said, “and I have no doubt that we have several people that could win the seat.” John Redifer, political science professor at Mesa State College, said Republicans leery about running uphill against Salazar — a well-known and well-liked moderate Democrat — will feel more comfortable running against an appointee. “I definitely think a Republican candidate thinking about running will see this as a wide-open opportunity, rather than going against an entrenched incumbent,” he said.

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Seat, to worry of Dems, now open : More Politics : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/16/gop-eyes-salazars-senate-seat-2010/ Republican Dick Wadhams is smiling again, which must mean the look on many Democrats' faces is one of unease. Sen. Ken Salazar's decision to join President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet has opened a variety of possibilities for Democrats, who know it'll be tougher to keep Salazar's U.S. Senate seat than it was just a few days ago. That prospect has Wadhams, the state's party chairman, grinning. "Incumbency is a powerful weapon even for an appointed senator, but an appointed senator is going to be more vulnerable than an elected senator," Wadhams said Tuesday. Salazar was expected to comfortably win re-election in 2010, allowing Democrats to keep control of both U.S. Senate seats. His decision to join the Cabinet has some local Democrats wondering why Obama would plan to tap a senator from a Western swing state - a place Democrats have begun to do well with consistency. "It certainly has crossed my mind," said Denver political consultant Steve Welchert.

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Colorado election turned out surprises - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11248097 The instant history of the 2008 election in Colorado reads like this: Democrats, using massive voter-registration and get-out-the -vote campaigns, swept to historic victories and turned the state deep blue. Well, maybe not quite. According to new numbers from the Colorado secretary of state's office, Republicans in November voted in greater numbers than Democrats and — even more surprising — also turned out in higher percentages when compared with the parties' numbers of registered voters. In a state at the heart of the Democrats' Western strategy, Republicans still accounted for the largest voting bloc and yet lost in all of the highest-profile races. That brain-twister, say political pundits, underscores the challenges both parties face moving toward what are expected to be equally contentious 2010 races for governor and U.S. Senate in a state that is now of decidedly mixed political leanings. "Looking at 2010, you would at least say at this point there is a slight edge for the Democrats," said pollster Floyd Ciruli. "But it is very slight. This is now truly a competitive state."

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New election panel looking to end uncertainty : Elections : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/17/new-election-panel-looking-to-end-uncertainty/ State and county election officials face more uncertainty next year over whether they can continue to use millions of dollars of electronic voting and tallying machines, many just three years old. The problem centers on a law passed in February that gave Secretary of State Mike Coffman more flexibility to approve e-voting equipment for use in this year's elections. The law was passed in the midst of turmoil created by Coffman's decertification of thousands of e-voting and counting machines because of security and accuracy problems. House Bill 1155 paved the way for Coffman to approve those machines for use in the August and November elections with restrictions. But the law is set to expire July 1.

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Study: Coloradans like their election system | Politics West

http://www.politicswest.com/33674/study_coloradans_their_election_system Members of a state panel charged with fixing Colorado’s election system got a bit of a jolt from a study unveiled today: Voters think the system ain’t broke. Rice University political-science professor Robert Stein told the panel that exit polling he and local pollster Floyd Ciruli did in Colorado on Election Day this year shows a large percentage of people in Colorado are happy with their voting options. Stein said more than 80 percent of voters interviewed said they agreed that the voting system was easy to use and that they would use the system again. Nearly 80 percent of people interviewed said they were confident their vote would be counted accurately. The numbers were similar regardless of whether the person interviewed voted on an electronic voting machine or with a paper ballot. “My sense is voters in Colorado, relative to the other states I’ve looked at, are reasonably satisfied,” Stein said. “... Whatever you’ve done, it’s worked.”

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Gambling towns up the ante : Skiing

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/17/gambling-towns-up-the-ante/ Excitement over the idea of looser gambling restrictions in Cripple Creek after 17 years of limited stakes has given way to anxiety about the economy. "We're hoping for the best," City Manager Bill McPherson said. "But do people have the money to come and gamble? That's the question now." The residents of Cripple Creek, population 1,100, voted Tuesday to give local casinos the green light to raise minimum bets to $100 from $5, to stay open 24 hours a day and to add craps and roulette. The measure passed easily, 267 to 13. "Are you kidding me? Only 13 'no's'?" Cripple Creek Mayor Dan Baader said. "It was excellent, as we hoped. Everybody's looking for very good things to happen."

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Cripple Creek expands gambling - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11249512 Cripple Creek voters gave a resounding OK to expanded gambling Tuesday. More games, longer hours and higher bets passed in a landslide, 267 for it and 13 against in the Teller County town of 1,200 people. City leaders have said the change, which takes effect July 1, will mean more tourists, more tax revenue and more jobs. Cripple Creek will be the first of the state's three casino towns to raise betting limits from $5 to $100, add games such as craps and roulette, and keep gambling hall doors open around the clock. Before Tuesday's vote, casinos had to close between 2 and 8 a.m., and only slots, blackjack and poker were allowed.

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The Pueblo Chieftain :: Electoral College makes it official for Obama

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/12/16/news/denver_bureau/doc494746f1e73c3138105509.txt President-elect Barack Obama officially won all nine of Colorado's electoral votes on Monday. At what is largely a ceremonial meeting, the state's nine Electoral College delegates officially cast their ballots for Obama as president and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his vice president. Similar meetings were held across the nation Monday to formalize what voters already decided on Nov. 4, that Obama had won 365 of the 538 electoral votes. His Republican rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, took 173 votes. It takes 270 to win.

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Electors affirm Colo. vote - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11240858 Nine Coloradans solidified history Monday, putting in their electoral votes for President-elect Barack Obama. The nine electors cast their official ballots in a ceremony at the governor's office at noon. Camilla Auger of Aspen, Polly Baca and Wellington Webb of Denver, Ann Knollman of Arvada, Terry Phillips of Louisville, Pam Shaddock of Greeley, Don Strickland of Centennial and Jennifer Trujillo-Sanchez of Colorado Springs were all present. Margaret Atencio of Denver was hospitalized over the weekend and could not cast her vote. Her place was taken by Vivian Stovall. Gov. Bill Ritter, Secretary of State Mike Coffman and Colorado Chief Justice Mary J. Mullarkey presided over the ceremony.

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