Colorado Caucus Gains Importance; **Update: Super Tuesday

**Updated and bumped to the top through Super Tuesday--scroll for caucus info**

<---Please take a moment to vote in SP's GOP poll, located to the left in the sidebar. Democrat caucus info/Republican caucus info

9NEWS has a short primer on caucus procedures for Democrats and Republicans

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With the Super Duper Tsunami Tuesday Caucus/Primary Electionpalooza (or whatever the MSM is calling it) only 26 days away (thanks Ben for the reminder!), Colorado's relatively obscure caucus should garner not only record turnout with both parties lacking a clear frontrunner, but also increased attention from the candidates:

Colorado is bracing for possible record turnouts in the Feb. 5 presidential caucuses, as state voters get swept up in the country's election fever.

Massive turnouts at the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary indicate that voters want to play a pivotal role in the country's most open presidential seat in more than 50 years. And Colorado voters — on both sides of the aisle — are no different.
. . .
GOP and Democratic Party officials say they are expecting much higher participation at the caucuses than they have had in years. State GOP head Dick Wadhams said the intensity of the race was certain to bring out new attendees.

State Democrats have told their county precincts "to prepare for record turnout," said spokesman Matt Sugar, who noted that his party is involved in numerous caucus trainings.
. . .
Unlike Iowa and New Hampshire, Colorado does not have so-called open caucuses. Only those who registered as a Democrat or Republican by the first week in December can attend the caucuses. Unaffiliateds — the state's second-largest registered group — cannot show up and vote.

The state currently boasts just over 1 million Republicans, 994,575 unaffiliateds and 875,650 Democrats. Unaffiliateds have increased by about 50,000 since March, while Democrats went up about 25,000 and Republicans 12,000.

Colorado is one of more than 20 states taking part in what's known as Super Tuesday. The front-loaded nomination schedule has accelerated the process, which may potentially result in both parties producing a nominee by dawn on Feb. 6.

The country would then have a two-candidate race for nine months — a historical first.

Having a closed caucus will prevent unaffiliateds from skewing either party's selection--giving a clearer picture of what rank-and-file Colorado Democrats and Republicans view as their ideal candidate, while leaving pollsters and bloggers to speculate on just how the 2nd largest voting bloc in Colorado will break come November.

Ben DeGrow has a good roundup of Colorado caucus information, including Jefferson and Douglas County GOP caucus gathering information and links. More from Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams.

Denver County GOP caucuses are arranged geographically, centered in the 9 State House districts that comprise the county:

District 1 - Kennedy High School
District 2 - Colorado Automobile Dealers Association offices
District 3 - Harvard Gulch Recreation Center, 550 East Iliff (Logan & Iliff)
District 4 - Lake Middle School
District 5 - Tivoli Auditorium, Auraria Campus
District 6 - Location 1: Windsor Gardens, 595 S. Clinton Street (Clinton & Alameda)
Location 2: Central Christian Church, 3690 Cherry Creek Drive South (Garfield & Cherry Creek Drive South)
District 7 - location TBD
District 8 - Park Hill Methodist Church, 5209 Montview Boulevard
District 9 - Hamilton Middle School, 8600 Dartmouth

DemNotes captures the excitement felt on the other side. Not every Democrat, however, knows which lever they will pull in the upcoming election:

Cory Madden, a student at the University of Denver, said part of his class is engaged in a youth voting project to get people involved in the presidential race.

He hasn't registered yet but plans to as a Democrat. However, he doesn't know which Democrat will get his vote.

"[Dude--ed.] I'm just not getting a huge political vibe yet," said Madden, 19, who is originally from Ohio.

Election '08--Colorado's Bloggers Analyze Iowa, Critique The Debates, And Back Their Favorite GOP Candidates

For the first week of 2008, the conservative blogosphere in Colorado has issued prognostications, offered analysis, and revealed who they think the frontrunners are (or should be). A few have even endorsed their primary candidate, or more importantly, detailed who they won't be voting for should that candidate receive the GOP nomination.

Michael at Best Destiny insightfully details more ground that ALL of the GOP candidates should be steadfast in not ceding to the Democrats this election cycle.

Mr. Bob at the Daily Blogster explains his (well-reasoned, IMO) to back Mitt Romney, and also his distaste for the over-the-top antics of radio personality Hugh Hewitt.

Jim at ThinkingRight also believes that Romney is the best of the leading candidates, and has analysis as well.

Meanwhile, Ben DeGrow remains a FredHead for as long as he sticks in the race.

Clay Calhoun, after an extended blog hiatus, offers his rundown of the marathon two-party debate Saturday evening--he likes Fred and Huck, can't stand Romney or Giuliani, and thinks McCain will get the GOP nod.

Phil Mella at ClearCommentary takes Barack Obama's foreign policy philosophy to task--would we be safe (from external threats/attacks) with Obama in the White House?

Iowa Caucus Roundup

**Update (via Drudge)

Obama 37.36; Edwards 29.97; Clinton 29.45
Huckabee 34; Romney 25; Thompson 14; McCain 13%; Paul 10%

Initial thoughts--nice finish for Fred Thompson

Michelle Malkin has a roundup, liveblogging

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This post will be updated and amended as the results from the Iowa Caucus--the official start to this year's Presidential battle--come in this evening.

First, a comprehensive PJM roundup on all things Iowa.

Ben DeGrow has been following Fred Thompson's campaign, and did a little bit of results blognostication himself.

Michael at Best Destiny has a few thoughts as well.

Of course, 2008 will not only just be about electing a new commander-in-chief. Colorado's GOP has set its sights on reclaiming both houses of Colorado's legislature, by laying the groundwork for in this election and the mid-term 2010 election, targeting the Democrat-held Senate seat and the governor's mansion. Political cycles are no longer confined to the election year itself or even the normal two-year pattern (off year elections notwithstanding). The campaign for '08 began as soon as John Kerry conceded in November 2004. Republicans, having learned that their vaunted GOTV campaigns can not rescue hapless candidates in a poor political climate, must set to work building, or in some cases, re-building the grassroots elements of the party, and move away from the intraparty bickering and recriminations that have come to define recent primary campaigns, on both a local and national level. This will be put to the clearest test this year in the Presidential campaign, but will also have ramifications for GOP candidates on all levels. A permanent fracture would leave the GOP in permanent minority status, giving Democrats the keys to our government--and our future--not by losing the battle of ideas, but simply by default.

Wash Park Prophet has a post on the "irrational" voters--often those self-proclaimed "unaffiliateds" or "independents"--which might explain the rise of Ron Paul.

Thoughts On The Primary--Fred! Not Huckabee

**Update 2--another Fred! endorsement

**Update--Iowa Rep. Steve King endorses Fred Thompson, in clear and forceful terms (via Michelle Malkin)

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Haven't had too much time finishing up this semester's work to keep up with the GOP primary--and since the first votes are literally just weeks away, the importance cannot be understated.

Ben at Mount Virtus has done a little looking, and his post on Fred Thompson (and his primary endorsement of Fred!) are certainly echoed here.

More primary thoughts over the next few weeks.

Allard Stumps For Romney In Iowa

Sen. Wayne Allard hasn't done much in the way of endorsements, but Mitt Romney picked up the conservative's support in yesterday's trip to Iowa:

Allard, considered one of the more consistent conservatives in Congress, is here to tell Iowans that Romney is OK by him - on tax and budget issues, on family values issues, the whole gamut.

At Sunday night's low-key dinner, local chiropractor Sara Mesick asked Allard how Romney, who is Morman, can overcome skepticism from some evangelical Christians who have openly questioned the beliefs of his religion.

Allard said that if the campaign devolves into a fight over religion "there'd never be a Jew or you-name-it" who is elected to political office. He defended the values Romney has shown during his life and said, "If they carry your values, that's what it's all about."

This is the first time Allard has been on the campaign trail at this stage of a presidential election. He said the work isn't hard, especially for a trained veterinarian.

After all, Allard said, "When your conversation lags, you talk about their pets."

And given the recent attention paid to Romney's dog, having a veterinarian's endorsement can't hurt.

What is interesting is Allard throwing his support behind the former governor, and not Fred Thompson, his one-time colleague in the U.S. Senate. Does the Colorado Senator doubt Thompson's conservative credentials, or doubt his ability to win? It's not like he is trying to pick a candidate for his coat-tails, since he is retiring and not running for reelection.