GOB United; GOP Undecided

By Julian Dunraven, J.D., M.P.A.

Honorable Friends:

I learned from yesterday’s front page headline of The Denver Post that my party now stands united behind former Rep. Scott McInnis in the Colorado gubernatorial race. Odd that. I used to think we had primary elections for this sort of thing, but it seems they have fallen out of fashion in Colorado. It is, after all, far more efficient for the Party’s leaders to simply anoint a candidate. I am certain that Mr. Dan Maes would be overjoyed to know that he need not bother with a primary. Afflicted with the woeful ignorance of fashion so typical of Republicans these days, however, he still seems to be campaigning. I am sure someone will point out the faux pas, though.

I also learned that we have a new platform, again courtesy of Atty. McInnis and the GOP leadership, saving the rest of us a great deal of time and consideration. The Post even published a nice ten point summary of it on the front page. In fact, many of my Independent and Democrat friends called to chat about these bullets before I even finished reading the article. Although they are each greatly dissatisfied with Gov. Bill Ritter, and despite the fact that they agree with most of those ten points listed in the article, my honorable friends told me they were going to abstain from voting entirely, or else reluctantly support Mr. Ritter again, due to the fact that two of those bullet points were dedicated, yet again, to social issues. They had hoped the GOP would focus entirely on economic and liberty issues.

Hoping to restore the confidence of my honorable friends in the GOP’s potential, I visited Atty. McInnis’s web page to examine the full text of this new platform. Interestingly, what I found was substantially different from what the Post article reported. The Post reports that this new, “Contract for Colorado” includes promises to appoint conservative judges to state courts, to establish a school voucher program, to restore Former Gov. Owens’s ban on state funding for Planned Parenthood, and to establish a general statement defending the sanctity of human life.

In contrast, the “Platform for Prosperity,” on Atty. McInnis’s web page makes no mention of judges or the judicial system whatsoever. It speaks of school vouchers not at all. While it does indeed promise to revive the Owens era ban on state funding for abortion providers, a general statement defending the sanctity of human life is nowhere to be found.

I do not know whether these discrepancies are the result of poor reporting on the part of the Post, or whether Atty. McInnis and the GOP leadership who authored this plan simply provided the Post with faulty information. However, with such noticeable inconsistencies in the commitments of Atty. McInnis and the Party leadership, I can hardly blame my honorable friends for being distrustful. Indeed, many Republicans remain wary as well. Whatever they may think of any particular issue, they have had few reasons to trust the Party leadership and its mothballed candidates who so often seem far more interested in the politics of pull than in principled policy.

While it may be true that the Good Old Boys (GOB) of the Party leadership have united behind Atty. McInnis, the Grand Old Party (GOP) remains undecided and skeptical. Moreover, as the GOP has never been known for its fashion sense, it may well ignore the new trend against primary elections and continue to consider the candidacy of Mr. Maes. If Atty. McInnis truly wishes to unify the GOP and Independents in support of his candidacy, he should strive to show firm and consistent commitment to principle. That has never been his strong point, but I have always believed people are capable of positive change.

Senate 2010: Ryan Frazier--"A New Way Forward"

Quite impressive effort to kick off Frazier's broader introduction to Colorado's voter population--combining stirring clips from his stump speech and a nice blend of visual imagery in a longer format than the soundbite campaign ads we are accustomed to:



"Capitalism over socialism, freedom over slavery, life over death, and states' rights ove central planning"--sounds like an excellent place to start.

DMYR June Meeting Featuring Lynn Bartels And David Harsanyi

Join Denver Metro Young Republicans on June 23rd for our June General Meeting. This month we are pleased to welcome members of the local Media, including Lynn Bartels (formerly of the Rocky Mountain News) and David Harsanyi, reporters from the Denver Post. They will discuss the media’s role in politics help us break down the current state of the Republican Party in Colorado.





HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS READY for these Colorado media standouts!

Our Agenda will also include election of 7 County Directors from each of our member counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson). See By-laws for qualifications of officers.

These individuals will be responsible for coordinating DMYR activities in their county, providing communication between their County Chairmen/officers and the DMYR board, and tracking DMYR activism in their county in conjunction with the DMYR Activism Director. If you are ready to step up and play a critical role in your County and THE top Young Republican Organization in Colorado, we encourage you to run for these positions!

As always, if you have questions about politics, the party, or the political process in general, we are always ready to listen and answer your questions. We are ready to help YOU make a difference in your Community and the Republican Party through Education and Activism!

Meeting Date: Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Meeting Time: social hour begins at 5:30pm, meeting starts at 6:30pm
Meeting Location: Club M @ Hamburger Mary’s, 700 East 17th Avenue, Denver, CO 80203 [map] — Our own private bar! Entrance on the NorthEast corner of the building.

***Please be sure to join the DMYR Group and RSVP for this event on Facebook! And come hungry, as Mary’s has the best burgers in town!!***

"The Big List": 2010 State House And Senate Races

Jeremy Pelzer (formerly of PolitickerCO and 5280) has a complete rundown of announced, projected, and speculative candidates for Colorado House and Senate in 2010 (to be continuously updated):

2010 House Candidates

2010 Senate Candidates

Jeremy's blog Mile High Politics is sure to be a key source for political news for 2010, so be sure to bookmark it and check back frequently.

Upcoming Events--May 2009 Edition (Continuously Updated)

Please Join
R Block Party
to continue our discussion about the future of the Republican Party in Colorado
strategies to take Colorado back

Who are the Progressives and what are we up against?
Our strengths and how to use them
Building our infrastructure

**********************************
join us in welcoming

Ryan Frazier, Aurora City Councilman and candidate for US Senate
on our advantages and how we can win

Isaac Smith, former intern for the Bighorn Center
on exposing the Progressive movement in Colorado

**********************************
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
6:30 pm mingle, 7:00 pm start

Glenmoor Country Club
110 Glenmoor Drive
Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113


please feel free to forward this invitation to any friends or acquaintances that might be interested in joining us!

RSVP
rblockparty@comcast.net
Nikki Mata, 303-770-5533
Lori Horn, 303-777-3600

hosted by: Lori Horn, Susie McKinney, Madelaine Rohan, & Nikki Mata

Union Goons' Alleged Intimidation At Event Attended By Sen. Michael Bennet Caught On Tape

"You gotta delete that."


Michael Ramirez

From CompleteColorado.com, an update on the event attended by Sen. Michael Bennet where a GOP operative alleged intimidation by union members who forced him to delete the contents of a video shot at the event as a condition for leaving:

CompleteColorado.com is first to obtain and publish the full 911 calls made by GOP operative Matt Milner at a union event featuring Senator Michael Bennet.

On April 25th, Milner went to a meeting at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' Local 68 union hall on North Logan Street. Milner admits he was being paid by the Colorado Republican Party to video tape remarks by Democrat U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. However, Milner claims he was prevented from leaving the union hall of his own accord for a period of time after some union officials became interested in how much information Milner had recorded. Milner called 911 to report that he felt as though he was being intimidated.

The story was originally reported by Jessica Fender of the Denver Post.
. . .
"You gotta delete that." Milner responds, "I'm taking my camera with me," to which the unidentified voice apparently responds, "Well, just delete what you...taped."

The event appears to have been open to the public, and by all accounts, Milner had taped the event without incident until confronted as he tried to exit the venue.

From Fender's Post report:

State GOP aide Matt Milner dialed 911 because he said union organizers blocked his exit and demanded he erase a video recording of Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet on Saturday afternoon following a townhall meeting sponsored by the AFL-CIO.

Mike Cerbo, executive director of Colorado AFL-CIO, said Milner came looking for trouble, but he wasn't forced to erase the tape or barred from leaving. It's now a matter for the Adams County Sheriff's Office, where authorities Sunday confirmed that they received a complaint from Milner. Police also confirmed his Saturday emergency call.

"I feared for my safety. Period," the 25-year-old Milner said Sunday.

Neither Bennet nor his staff was present at the altercation, said both Milner and a representative for the senator.

Milner has been a familiar face at about a dozen official Bennet events. The state Republican Party confirmed that it pays him to shadow and videotape the freshman senator in a practice known as "tracking."

There was no reason to think Saturday's gathering at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' Local 68 union hall — billed as an "everyone's welcome" affair on the invitation — would vary from the typically uneventful routine. And for several hours it didn't, Milner said.

But Milner, with his tripod and video camera, garnered the attention of event organizers just as Bennet bid his adieu to hundreds of audience members, some of whom had grown passionate over politically tricky labor issues, such as the Employee Free Choice Act.

CompleteColorado.com also has audio of Milner's interview with local radio hosts, relating his impression of events, some of which appears to be clearly corroborated by the 9-11 audio.

This story should be considered "in development" as the investigation is still "active." Colorado law requires only one party give consent (no illegal wiretapping) in order to tape conversations, and appears to give new organizations the ability to record at "public," "newsworthy" events:

However, nothing in these statutes "shall be interpreted to prevent a news agency, or an employee thereof, from using the accepted tools and equipment of that news medium in the course of reporting or investigating a public and newsworthy event." Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-9-305.

Should Milner's recording be in the clear (the event was touted as open--"everyone's welcome"), anyone demanding that he erase video as a condition of release can be considered "false imprisonment."

Sen. Bennet faced a tough crowd at the event. Are these thuggish tactics--employed by a Democrat constituency, big labor--indicative of what we as Coloradans should expect to influence a vote on EFCW, and a window into things to come with a Democrat win in 2010?

Colorado 2010 US Senate Race: Ryan Frazier An "Untraditional" Candidate

The local media (InDenver Times) has picked up on the increasing profile of Ryan Frazier in an update on the looming GOP primary for the opportunity to unseat the appointed Michael Bennet:

Republican Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier said Wednesday he is “seriously considering” running for U.S. Senate in 2010, though he acknowledged his toughest fight may come from the more conservative wing of his own party.

Frazier stopped short of saying he will definitely run. But the 31-year-old Navy veteran has been making the rounds, meeting with potential supporters and attending county party gatherings. At a dinner in Douglas County – one of the state’s most conservative areas – Frazier got about 60 percent of the vote in a straw poll, besting more conservative Republicans such as radio host and attorney Dan Caplis, former Congressman Bob Beauprez and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck.
. . .
A native of North Carolina who has lived in Colorado for 12 years, Frazier describes himself as “not a typical Republican” and “very independent.” He knows his stance on certain issues, such as benefits for same-sex partners, may rankle the far right. But he believes he is better positioned to win statewide, much as Democrats have dominated recent elections with more centrist candidates such as former Sen. Ken Salazar.

“It’s going to be a real question for the Republican Party: ‘Are they ready for someone like me?’ ” Frazier said. “It shouldn’t be a question of surviving a primary. It should be, ‘Are you ready to win? Or do you want to continue down the road of a string of losses?’”

That's up to the Colorado GOP--establishment vs. activists, and the mythical "base" of social conservatives vs. center-right, fiscally conservative voters statewide. The GOP primary, depending on who actually jumps in, should give us a clearer picture of where the party insiders stand, as well as where the rank-and-file Republicans are leaning. Expect more libertarian-minded folks and those "unaffiliateds" to take a good look at Frazier's "live-and-let-live," limited government, and economically-minded positions over other potential GOP competitors.

That won't stop the criticism, however:

Most recently, Frazier was one of the driving forces behind the “right-to-work” initiative known as Amendment 47. Voters rejected the measure, which would have banned agreements that require workers to pay union dues if they fall under a collective bargaining contract.

But Frazier also supported benefits for same-sex partners of city of Aurora employees. And in 2006, he joined with Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper – a Democrat – to publicly endorse Referendum I, which would have given domestic-partner benefits to same-sex couples statewide.

Frazier said he’s been told by many people – inside and outside his own party – that his support for those measures will be “the arrow on my back” in a primary battle.

“They will come at me hard on that,” he said.

Based on the somewhat coordinated comments seen so far, they sure will.

But Frazier's initial strength lies in being outside the traditional party structure that ultimately alleviates any associated baggage from a recently weak Colorado GOP, and is more concerned with moving forward than looking back a decade:

“These are untraditional times that call for untraditional people to step forward,” he said.

Frazier said his top issues would be the same issues he believes are most important to voters: the economy, energy, education, defense and government reform.

Frazier also said he isn’t dissuaded by Bennet’s stellar fundraising in the most recent quarter, in which the former Denver Public Schools chief and businessman raked in nearly $1.4 million.

It’s a good start, Frazier said, but added that whichever Republican takes Bennet on, “the money will come.” And he said he has had Democrats and unaffiliated voters encourage him to run.

Regardless of the candidate, the GOP will push hard for this Senate seat--the question of degree of broader support will ultimately depend on what kind of candidate the GOP settles upon, both for Senate and for Governor.

Real grassroots support will play an extremely large role in this primary--although there will be the temptation to coordinate astroturfing campaigns in order to "demonstrate" real support among GOP voters, however far-fetched.

Incidentally (via RockyMountainRight), at the most recent Denver County GOP First Thursday Breakfast (April 2), Frazier and State Sen. Josh Penry won informal straw polls for Senate and Governor, respectively. Penry spoke at the breakfast, and Frazier is scheduled for the May meeting. While the results are unscientific and very, very early, it looks more and more likely that many Republicans are at least prepared to take a look at younger, next-generation, not-as-established candidates. Much will depend, as indicated earlier, on who eventually runs and who can create the necessary ground game for primary victory. Fundraising and messaging will be important as each candidate seeks to establish his own "base" within the party.

If the party truly wants to create a 64-county, all district, renew-the-bench strategy to reinvigorate GOP voters, increase registration, and re-connect with unaffiliateds, then it will need a fresh vision for the state. Relying on late '90s electoral messaging, final-weekend get-out-the-vote campaigning, and retread candidates will not be the way to electoral victory in the critical 2010 election. With redistricting looming and five state-wide offices up for grabs, the top of the ticket--the U.S. Senate and Governor--should be viewed as the vehicles for electoral coat-tails. Mediocre and uninspiring candidates will be shunned by activists, won't attract much national attention or fundraising, and will depress voter turnout if they can't engage on a meaningful level, especially on economic issues. Elections have consequences, and Colorado can't afford a repeat of the 2004, 2006, and 2008 elections.

Upcoming Events--April Edition (Continuously Updated)

April 16--
Please Join R Block Party
--To continue our discussion about the future of the Republican Party in Colorado

State & local politics: what the state can do for us & what we must do for ourselves--the importance of local elections staying involved candidate development & support

**********************************
Join us in welcoming:

Michael Britt, Executive Director, Colorado GOP
--On state party structure: what the state can and cannot do

Cathy Noon, candidate for Mayor of Centennial
--On why her previous campaign failed & how she will adapt in her run for mayor
**********************************
Thursday, April 16, 2009
6:30 pm mingle, 7:00 pm start

Southpark Clubhouse
2850 W Long Ave
SE corner Mineral & Santa Fe
in the Southpark development
Littleton, CO 80120

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any friends or acquaintances that might be interested in joining us!

RSVP:
rblockparty@comcast.net
Nikki Mata

hosted by:
Lori Horn, Susie McKinney, Madelaine Rohan, Elise Marks, Carol Kaferle, Carol Harangody, Christine Hart & Nikki Mata

---

April 2--
DENVER COUNTY GOP FIRST THURSDAY BREAKFAST

Please join us this week for a special First Thursday Breakfast
Thursday, April 2nd from 7:00 - 8:30 am, featuring:

Senator Josh Penry, Senate Republican Minority Leader and potential candidate for Governor

JW MARRIOTT at 150 CLAYTON LANE, on block north of the Cherry Creek Mall. $10 covers the cost of your breakfast. You can park for FREE on Clayton Lane, or use the hotel's valet parking (there may be a charge). We are working on approval to also allow parking at the mall, and will send an update via e-mail when details are finalized.

RSVP HERE or send a quick note to vice.chairman@denvergop.org

Denver Metro Young Republicans Legislative Reception 2009

Join Denver Metro Young Republicans on April 7 for our Third Annual Legislative Reception.

Meet your Colorado GOP representatives and senators, along with other Republican officials and VIPs, over cocktails and desserts including (in no particular order)--Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams, Rep. Cory Gardner, CU Regent Tom Lucero, Attorney General John Suthers, Aurora Citycouncilman Ryan Frazier, Independence Institute President Jon Caldara, and many many more representatives, senators, and other past elected officials and prospective 2010 candidates from around the state, not just the Denver Metro Area.

Where: Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, 290 E. Speer Blvd. (parking available behind the building)

When: Tuesday, April 7, at 6:00pm

Admission - pay online through PayPal or at the door:

* Current DMYR members: $10
* Non-members: $15
* Joining members: $30 ($25 membership plus half-price admission - save $5!)

Colorado 2010 US Senate Race Update: Ryan Frazier's Ascent Part II

A new direction for the GOP?--Ryan Frazier speaks at the March 1 Gadsden Society "Rally for Freedom"

Yesterday, SP noted that Ryan Frazier had won the straw poll at the Douglas County Lincoln Day dinner.

What we didn't know was how big.

Then we received the numbers--this was more than a plurality--it was a clear majority of attendees:

171 votes cast in straw poll....

Frazier 102 = 59.6%
Caplis 34 = 19.9%
Beauprez 22 = 12.9%
Tidwell 4 = 2.3%
Buck 9 = 5.3%

Given that the average Lincoln Day dinner is populated by GOP faithful, including operatives and activists, and not fly-by-night grassroots supporters organized by the candidate him/herself**, and also given that Douglas County isn't exactly RINO territory, this informal poll says quite a bit. Frazier has the clear ability to draw broad-based support in a fairly conservative county that will be one of the keys to any GOP victories in the state. There are many counties that will play a part in the five state wide elections in 2010 (US Senate, Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer), but how Douglas County goes, so goes . . .

Initial impressions for this race have yet to be firmly cemented, but GOP voters like what they see in Frazier--one among the next generation of GOP leadership. As mentioned yesterday the hard part will come in spreading that visibility and familiarity state wide, establishing solid policy chops, and raising the campaign dollars necessary to win.

Frazier's speech from Saturday's Lincoln Day dinner:





Previous Frazier-blogging.

**an earlier version alluded to Ron Paul's supporters, not to reflect on RP himself or his message, just the tactics of some supporters who occasionally "gamed" online or straw polls

Colorado 2010 US Senate Race Update: Ryan Frazier's Ascent

**Update--Buzz from Douglas County Lincoln Day dinner indicates that Frazier won the night's straw poll--exact numbers to follow this evening.

From Chris Cillizza's "The Fix" at the Washington Post:

9. Colorado (D): Appointed Sen. Michael Bennet has made a solid debut so far although his wishy-washiness on the Employee Free Choice Act has turned him into something of public punching bag on the right and the left. Bennet, a virtual unknown before he was named to replace Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, is clearly vulnerable in 2010. But, there doesn't appear to be a serious primary challenge in the offing (does former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff really want to risk his "rising star" status on a race against a sitting senator?) and the Republican field has been slow to take shape. The most likely GOP candidate seems to be former Rep. Bob Beauprez but his disastrous 2006 run for governor raises questions about his political strength. Some within the GOP are excited about the possible candidacy of Ryan Frazier, a 31-year old African American member of the Aurora City Council. (Previous ranking: 10)

The seat could quickly become a real toss-up as Frazier's visibility within the party increases. GOP grassroots activists, many of whom supported Leondray Gholston's successful vice chair candidacy at the state level (Gholston served as Frazier's reelection campaign manager), have identified Frazier as a strong contender for the GOP's 2010 U.S. Senate nomination. They believe that Frazier carries none of the negatives of the other potential candidates whose names have been bandied about for the seat, and argue that he has a greater potential for reestablishing and mobilizing a "big tent" for conservatives/GOP/libertarians in the state. His main task will be in establishing brand awareness across Colorado in the coming months, along with building a sufficient campaign war chest to tackle a contested primary and Sen. Bennet in 2010.

SP has been tracking Frazier's potential candidacy for months.

Dick Wadhams Decisively Reelected Colorado GOP Chair, Leondray Gholston Pulls Off Third Round Upset For Vice Chair

**Update 3--Scott McInnis "in" for Governor?

**Update 2--Lynn Bartels doesn't disappoint . . . Dick Wadhams accused of being "liberal"--heh.

**Update--photos posted (scroll).

Ben DeGrow was able to post before I got home from a long day at the state central committee organizational meeting, but his report is accurate.

I would like, however, to elaborate on the proceedings.

The vote totals for state chair were immaterial, but Christine Tucker's last-minute withdrawal appeared to boost Tom Stone's bid against current chair Dick Wadhams, and drew a round of gasps from the crowd. In the end, Wadhams was comfortably reelected. Both Tucker and Stone emphasized expanding the appeal of the GOP, with Tucker adamantly calling for attention to the youth within the party.

With Wadhams' reelection assured, the attention quickly turned to the crowded field for vice-chair, with Arapahoe County's Nathan Chambers (who appeared to be the establishment candidate) arguing that experience trumped vision, dismissing his main opponent's appeal as nothing more than "oratory." Chambers' speech, preceded by nomination from Attorney General John Suthers and a second from former Congressman Tom Tancredo, was tinged with self-importance. Leondray Gholston, on the other hand, continued his impassioned plea to build a strong fundraising campaign designed to turn Republicans into "shareholders" of the party. Following a first round vote without a majority (simple majority required, otherwise another round of balloting would ensue), Chambers' slight lead gave way to Gholston's second round improvement, a mere two votes from a majority necessary for victory. The remaining candidates for vice-chair, Curt Grina and Marti Albright, dropped out before the third round, throwing their support behind Chambers and Gholston respectively. Needing 175 votes for a majority, Gholston took the vice-chair position with 190+ votes, leaving many in the crowd shocked by the events that had just transpired.

The Wadhams-Gholston team, as Ben points out, has quite a task ahead of them--to make inroads in the Democrat-controlled state and federal legislative contingencies, as well as the five state-wide offices of Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Governor, and U.S. Senator. The GOP will not be starting out from zero, as modest victories in the Colorado House in 2008 showed that a Republican comeback is not out of the question. The party also starts out this election cycle with no debt, and a headstart on political infrastructure. Needless to say, Republicans have a long road back to parity within the state, much less control. But the road to political dominance starts with the smallest of steps, and the new leadership team marries a vast amount of electoral and organizational experience in Wadhams with an impassioned infusion of vision, enthusiasm, and grassroots support in Gholston.

Waiting for the Lynn Bartels update on today's affairs, the Denver Post offers up the lame AP snippet--proving once again how much superior the Rocky Mountain News was in providing on-the-ground updates to local stories instead of relying on AP newsfeeds. Let's hope they return Bartels to the quicker turnaround we were used to seeing from her at the RMN.

---

Click to enlarge:


Starting bright and early, a very busy schedule.


Volunteers conduct credential check-in.


Rep. Cory Gardner chats with folks outside the auditorium


David K. Williams at the Leadership Program of the Rockies table.


National Committeewoman Lily Nunez.


The photo captions itself--Mark Hillman.


GOP Executive Director Michael Britt.


Tom Stone, candidate for GOP State Chair.


Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry places current State Chair Dick Wadhams' name into nomination.


Wadhams accepts the nomination.


The vote.


Attorney General John Suthers pleads with Republicans to make him less lonely by helping to elect more GOPers to state-wide office.


Rep. Doug Lamborn, CD-5


Rep. Mike Coffman, CD-6--with now former State Vice Chair Perry Buck looking on.


Rep. Cory Gardner fires up the crowd.


Former Rep. Bob Beauprez talks conservative principles.


Former Rep. Bob Schaffer, current chair of Colorado's Board of Education.


CU Regent Tom Lucero, candidate for 4th Congressional District.


Joshua Sharf, Denver County 2nd Vice Chair, speaks on behalf of Jewish Republicans.


Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier.

On Experience And Vision

Nathan Chambers, one of two candidates for Colorado GOP vice chair, appeared on the Rocky Mountain Alliance's radio show last night (final 10 minutes) to discuss his candidacy, vision, and experience.

According to Chambers, he has the "most experience for the job" and has done the "dirty work of grassroots activism" as the Arapahoe County party chair for the last four years. He acknowledged that the GOP possesses "huge technology deficit" (looking good) that can't be addressed at a county or state level (not looking so good). Advocating a national program implemented at the county level, Chambers looks to strengthen Republican voter registration after years of being outpaced in voter registration activities. Chambers experience, to put it bluntly, has been a showcase of just how badly voter registration has gone:

As of 3/13/09, Arapahoe County shows a voter registration breakdown of--
Democrat--119,560
Republican--111,965
Unaffiliated--106,163

From the Colorado Secretary of State's office, the November 2006 voter registration breakdown in Arapahoe County--
Republican--120,179
Democratic--100,476
Unaffiliated--109,109

And from November 2004--
Republican--133,885
Democrat--106,690
Unaffiliated--122,970

Chambers' solution? Look to leadership from the state party and the RNC (again, not good). Arapahoe County, dubbed a "swing" county and barometer of voter sentiment statewide, lurched left drastically in less than three election cycles, two under Chambers' watch. It would be unfair to saddle the county chair with sole responsibility for this rapid change, given the shift felt not only state wide, but nationally as well. But as far as county organizational matters and voter engagement goes, the GOP's recent poor showings can't be blamed entirely on shifting political winds either.

And that, perhaps, is the problem of voting on "experience." Chambers freely admits that he is not an expert in technology (something all too frequent in GOP circles, unfortunately), and looks to find expertise and aptitude in technology and bring that to the table, while being able to look at proposals from the bottom up in an organizational sense. The problem is, how does one who is unfamiliar with technology even begin to assess the implementation of that technology in either county organizational structure or enhanced voter outreach?

There are many different types of experience and all too often simple longevity and connections are touted as the requisite form of experience necessary for a position. And sometimes, that's just enough. In a situation like this, however, where the state party must do what it can through fundraising (limited by campaign finance law), candidate recruitment, and rebuilding the basic functions of voter outreach/registration in a relatively hostile political climate, the "paid dues" candidate--lacking a clearly demonstrable set of achievements--is not going to be enough to turn the tide alone. What is needed at this juncture is vigorous vision married to a specific set of goals and a clear idea of the political/technological infrastructure necessary for achieving them, not organizational stewardship and looking to the outside, especially the national party, for assistance (while this is more appropriate in times of political strength, even then, it is not very responsive to change, or wholly convincing as a strategy in a non-stagnant political world).

The "Colorado Model--so successfully imposed here--is now being exported to other states.

The Colorado GOP needs experience, just not the kind of experience that unfortunately befell the Arapahoe County party chair over the last two cycles.

CPAC 2009 Live Feed

Here is the embedded live feed:

Live video chat by UstreamNot enough? Click for CPAC speaker archives and live chat session.

GOP Clusterfark--Contagious Foot-In-Mouth Syndrome Spreads

The ghost of Douglas Bruce lingers on.

Don Marostica, Scott Renfroe, Dave Schultheis--Ben DeGrow follows up on these "has beens" and "losers" (Marostica's words, not Ben's), and applies the proper treatment.

Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi also takes these tools to the woodshed:

There is really no way around it: The Republican Party, no matter how many fresh or smart ideas it may have, isn’t going to get anywhere in this state — or nationally — if it continues to spew the hateful gibberish we’ve heard from Scott Renfroe and Dave Schultheis the past couple of days.

It’s not even a matter of their opposition to particular bills (one regarding the extension of health benefits to same-sex domestic partners and another one regarding HIV testing) or even the ruthlessly absurd arguments they offer in defense of their positions. It is about common decency and empathy. Either these two are unable to articulate a viewpoint without injecting some twisted lesson they learned at 12, or they aren’t smart enough to know when to keep quiet. Either way, the Republicans should do all they can to condemn them.
. . .
Are these the words of a person who should be representing anyone?

The Republican Party has to get rid of these people, pronto. They aren’t conservatives; they’re nihilists. Can anyone imagine a Ronald Reagan or Barry Goldwater claiming that a child should live with AIDS to teach the mother a lesson? (If that is what Schultheis meant. And I still hold out a slim amount of hope that this was a matter of incoherence.)

Republican majority leader Josh Penry can’t win. If he dictates to his membership what they should be saying, the Left will feed on it and accuse Penry of pulling puppet strings. If he doesn’t control them, however, you will be left with the barbarian wing of the party dominating news cycles. Republicans can’t afford it anymore.

The GOP is already mired in a three-cycle struggle in the wilderness. Continue this type of rhetoric, and it will mean forty years in the desert (a reference for those legislators prone to Biblical allusions).

There are cogent arguments for any number of issues that don't call for resorting to the type of inane, sloppy, and often incoherent rhetoric on display by these legislators in just this past week. This isn't mere soundbite, "gotcha" stuff either.

If the GOP can't argue with decorum and a modicum of decency and respect, in spite of often unbridgeable differences with the opposition, how can we expect the left to do the same?

Someone order the GOP delegation a stack of Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends and Influence People" stat!

Denver Anti-Stimulus Rally: Videos

**Update: All videos locked and loaded (rally in 4 parts, chronologically ordered)

**Welcome Michelle Malkin readers! Thanks Hot Air! Scroll for videos . . .

Featuring Michelle Malkin, Jon Caldara, Jim Pfaff, Tom Tancredo, Dick Wadhams and many others . . .









Here's SP's photo essay of today's anti-stimulus pig roast, along with Peoples Press Collective, and the illustrious Michelle Malkin.

New Faces Launch GOP Efforts In 2010

Rising GOP stars Ryan Frazier, Josh Penry, and Cory Gardner highlight the new crop of Republicans vying for candidacy and a broader appeal to youth beginning in 2010:

Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, 31, has wowed Colorado Republicans at county events in the past few weeks and just recently met with the National Republican Senatorial Committee about a possible run against newly-appointed Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet. Frazier might not have a wealth of experience yet, but neither does Bennet, the 44-year-old former Denver superintendent of schools, a political neophyte.

Frazier has appealed to the party's business base, being one of the driving forces behind last year's failed ballot measure prohibiting mandatory union fees as a condition of employment.

The councilman, who is African-American, said the party needs to show voters it's diverse in "thought, ethnicity and socioeconomics" and make room for disagreement, especially on social issues.

"We need to let people know that we are the party that wants people to have more freedom in how they live their lives and spend their own money — live and let live," he said. "We can keep government involvement, even in people's social lives, to the lowest practical level."

How will the GOP accomplish that? Here's a start:

Brett Moore, political director of the Metro Denver Young Republicans, echoed Frazier's philosophy to focus less on social issues, noting his peers are concentrating on fiscal conservatism, free markets, jobs and other core GOP values.

"Everyone comes together on those issues," said Moore, 28. "On other things — gay marriage, abortion, the more socially charged issues — we need to find a way to work together while letting people have other viewpoints."

That's Denver Metro Young Republicans.

Messaging is one thing--message delivery in the digital era means adding more tools to the arsenal to do everything from fundraising to volunteering to getting-out-the-vote:

More attention on a Ronald Reagan-esque message of personal liberty and rugged individualism is critical in addressing younger voters, said state Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction. With a whole generation of voters, however, who weren't alive during Reagan's presidency, his themes may be more important to stress than the man himself.

"We have to keep things relevant. And those messages are no less appealing now than they were in the past," said Penry, 33, who is considering a run for governor.

Often joking that he is the first Republican Senate leader to own an iPod, Penry said the party must also do a better job at message delivery: Internet, text messages, e-mail, blogs, YouTube, podcasts.

But old-fashioned outreach is also critical, said state Rep. Cory Gardner, a 34-year-old Republican from Yuma who is expected to run for the 4th District congressional seat in 2010.

"In the past, we as Republicans have avoided the younger age groups," he said. "We can't be afraid to go to college campuses and other places and talk about things that matter."

Social networking is no replacement for pounding the pavement, but ignoring online activism, blogging, Twitter, YouTube, etc. rather than incorporating these new technologies has been disastrous to Republicans of late, especially in Colorado.

And no, the GOP doesn't need to be more "moderate" despite what Pat Waak says.

And it is not just technology:

"We have to project, frankly, what President Obama projected: the future. We must recruit candidates that appeal to younger voters. That's one of our greatest challenges," said GOP chairman Dick Wadhams.

But to appeal to younger voters, does the party need younger candidates? Not necessarily.

"We need a combination of those who have served and won in the past and the new blood that is clearly moving up the ladder," said former Republican Gov. Bill Owens.

The strongest possible statewide candidate should win the primary in contested races (Senate and Governor), and not simply be rewarded for "paying dues." Republican grassroots activists aren't interested in pouring time, money, and efforts into another double-digit loss statewide, and we're pretty sure cautious state donors and cash-strapped national organizations won't hesitate to pull back should the GOP candidate fail to build his or her own strong local base.

But until we have a primary in any race, the GOP should focusing on building the technological apparatus--the tools are the means, not the end--to give whoever emerges as the candidate next fall the best ability to run a grassroots, engaging, and invigorated campaign.

2009 County GOP Elections In Colorado Reveal Lingering Tensions Within Party

Recent county elections for GOP leadership--in **Denver, El Paso (h/t The Colorado Index), Douglas, and Larimer County--have revealed that in many ways, the Republicans continue to look both forward to 2010 AND back to the last few election cycles, simultaneously positing the conflicting strategies of the "big tent" approach (Denver) and ideological purity (El Paso). These counties represent four of the top nine counties (along with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, and Jefferson, Weld) by population, and the rifts still in existence will continue to place a drag on the party's prospects as a whole.

It is clear from a couple of the posts above, along with insider information from those attending other county elections (Douglas County in particular), that there is still a drive to enforce an ideological litmus test on those running for party positions of power. Not an explicit standard to be sure, but intimations on the sidelines that working together to effect electoral victory will take more than simply jumping on the party bandwagon, and that in certain counties, particular positions on a variety of issues will be frowned upon by other party activists. How this will play out in contested primaries and the general election in 2010 remains to be seen, but it appears that the tensions between so-called "social" and "fiscal" conservatives will continue to exist.

Note to folks of all stripes in the GOP--the 2008 election cycle is over, as are the heated 2004 Senate and 2006 gubernatorial primaries. 2010, aside from the ever-present foundational fundraising and recruitment challenges, will see five high-profile state-wide elections--Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, U.S. Senate, and Governor. As the Denver County GOP election revealed (short bios of those elected), the focus should be on turnout, and maximizing that turnout in Democrat dominated counties especially. "Turning out the base" has run its course in the Colorado GOP, and as Denver GOP Treasurer Kelly Maher indicated, the party needs to "maximize" its presence everywhere. Reinvigorating Republican voters who have been ignored recently or who have chosen to sit on their hands for any of a variety of reasons will be a top priority. This maximization strategy will obviously extend to returning independent voters (a bloc that has exploded in registration since 2004) to the GOP and particularly those that lean to the center-right, who have either stopped voting for Republican candidates or have actually moved into the Democrats' column over the last decade. And with a probable continuation of the raft of Amendments that have become a biannual ballot challenge, conservatives need to work together on those issues that are not overtly partisan. Transparency is not a Republican or conservative issue, but a good government and accountability issue. Better aggregate turnout percentages are key, and continuing to abandon areas in Denver or elsewhere will not make the task any easier.

None of this will be possible, however, if the party reverts to infighting rather than looking to the base principles of free markets, individual liberty and responsibility, and limited government, and creating policy initiatives instead of becoming a "party of no." Even if the candidates themselves try to remain above the fray, rivalries among the party activists and operatives will slow the party's exit from the wilderness. We know that the key domestic issues will focus on the economy and job creation, and fighting the awful stimulus and pork packages and other Democrat-inspired legislation will continue to be hot-button topics nationally, and some of the same bread-and-butter legislation and rhetoric will be a priority here in Colorado. GOP primaries should be focused on these factors, and not on candidates trying to out-Reagan one another, or devolving into an exercise of "more-conservative-than-thou" mudslinging. The Democrats should provide enough electoral fodder on these issues to last several cycles, and will give the Republicans their clearest path to victory.

Republicans can and should continue the conversation about overall campaign strategies and highly targeted tactics in particular areas. Republicans and their donors also need to figure out how to make use of social networking and new media and better integrate the tools into their campaigns, but even potentially look to leapfrog the left (as success may breed stagnation for Democrats, and failure can only provide opportunity for Republicans). Success in 2010 will necessitate a concerted effort of allied individuals committed to the common principles outlined above. Candidates and elected officials are certainly fair game and should not be above scrutiny; however, applying preemptive preclusionary tactics to fellow party activists smacks of ideological narcissism and a failure to draw better conclusions from the electoral results of the last few years. Let's focus on the 95% common ground we share, and agree to disagree on the other 5%.

**EP was selected as precinct committeeperson and chair of Senate District 34 in Denver at the Denver County GOP election.

Colorado GOP Reacts To Election Of New RNC Chair Michael Steele

Ben DeGrow has an extensive post detailing the voting for RNC Chair that occurred yesterday, including insight from Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams and Colorado RNC Committeeman Mark Hillman, and the reactions from Republican activists who hope that Michael Steele understands what social media and user generated content can offer, and also what Web 2.0 does, and more importantly doesn't do:

This isn’t just about Facebook or Twitter. This isn’t just about how many friends one has on a social network. This is about bottom up collaborative political action. And this collaborative action functions using the tools of social media and the internet as messaging and communication vessels.
. . .
So, in essence, the RNC needs to view the web as a thriving community of activists who want to be involved. We want to be a part of something. We want to take part in projects that we feel ownership of. We want to collaborate and help build things that we believe will further the movement for free-markets and sound government.

In other words, less old-school hierarchy and top-down approaches to messaging, and more interactive and responsive political activism.

And not just on the national level, but in every state. A new playing field derived from an evolution in technology and the successful implementation of new strategies and tactics by Democrats necessitates a rethinking at all levels of the party--from fundraising and recruitment to messaging and campaigning. This isn't an old guard vs. "Young Turks" issue. But expecting different results from the same unsuccessful methods for the last 2 or 3 cycles would be textbook insanity and self-delusion.

Congratulations to Michael Steele. The long road to 2010, which officially began once Sen. John McCain conceded the election to now President Barack Obama, can begin in earnest with a new face for the party at a national level. Local party elections are also coming up soon. Now is the time to get involved--we can't wait until the summer of 2010 to show up.

Night Twister: "Getting Connected In Colorado"

There are blog posts, and then, there are blog posts.

Fellow RMA blogger from Fort Collins, RMA radio co-host, and friend Randy Ketner of Night Twister has produced the THE blog post on the center-right in Colorado--including the GOP, libertarians (big and small L), free marketers, think tanks, etc., as well as city and county government links, local GOP party sites, online political activism, blogger alliances and much, much more.

The explanation:

Political activism is more than waxing philosophical and eviscerating politicians on blog sites and broadcast email messages. Real political activism is hard, time-consuming, and often boring, repetitive work. It means going to city council, county supervisor, and school board meetings. It’s walking precincts, making phone calls, and attending local political meetings. It also means being informed, and joining with others in keeping your representatives accountable. All of these things are the impetus behind this blog.

Knowing where to get timely information about what’s going on in your State is a huge part of the battle, especially in these days of information overload. We all have day jobs, family responsibilities and/or friends, and hopefully other interests. It’s actually alright to not know everything that’s going on everywhere all the time. Having access to the most important information means getting connected. Networking is vital to success in political activism.
. . .
What this means is, with my active involvement I can affect change in my community where it makes the biggest difference. This is not to say that national issues are not important; they most certainly are. The thing is, we can only make real changes there every 2 to 6 years. I can make a difference in my community every single day.

What will you find there? Links to the following:

Government
Political Organizations
Online Colorado Conservative Organizations
Colorado Bloggers & Alliances
Web 2.0
Online National Groups

So check out all this and more at Night Twister.