Two very divisive issues – gay marriage and immigration – could be headed for Colorado’s ballot in 2006. Not only will they stir up a lot of noise, they’ll also help define the races for governor and Colorado’s legislature.
Republicans, with an eye on polling, think the issues will break in their favor. Voters in 11 states in 2004 decisively (often overwhelmingly) approved ballot measures banning gay marriage, and many pundits credit the initiatives with luring more conservative-minded voters to the polls to cast votes for President George W. Bush. (Bush won nine of the states, and increased his 2000 vote total by 12 million votes.)
But the two explosive issues could backfire just as easily.
To keep that from happening, Republican strategists want the marriage amendment tightly defined, saying marriage is between a man and a woman without outlawing civil unions or stripping away gay rights that already exist.
If the initiative overreaches and appears too extreme, it could handicap GOP candidates.
The fight over the initiative also could help drain the resources of Tim Gill, the Quark founder and gay activist instrumental in funding the Democrats’ historic gains in the statehouse last year. And what about the Democratic candidates who support the ban? Would he still fund their campaigns?
Katy Atkinson, a GOP consultant, doesn’t think a gay marriage initiative would be much of a boost for Republican candidates. However, “immigration is different,” she said. “It’s huge.”
The immigration initiative is expected to be similar to Proposition 200 approved by 56 percent of Arizona voters last fall. It cuts off public services to illegal immigrants.
So far no one is circulating petitions for either initiative, according to the Secretary of State’s office, but Focus on the Family confirmed earlier this year it would be involved in similar initiatives in more than a dozen states, including Colorado.
A group called Defend Colorado Now has written the language for an immigration initiative (www.defendcoloradonow.org). It would deny to illegals any public services except those “directly related to public safety or life-threatening emergencies.”
Leadville’s ambassador
Retirement from public service isn’t sitting too well with former state Sen. Ken Chlouber of Leadville. The former miner is actively lobbying President Bush for an ambassadorship to an African country. Any country will do.
“I’m just trying to make my life count,” he said. “I can’t just scratch my tail here in Leadville.”
He’s lined up letters of support from Reps. Joel Hefley and Bob Beauprez, Gov. Bill Owens and U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard. Chlouber’s many years in the statehouse would serve him well anywhere.
Money, money, money
The early campaign activity and fast-paced fundraising for the open governor’s seat and 7th Congressional District seat have stunned many political observers.
Nearly $2 million has been raised so far by the four gubernatorial candidates, unprecedented at this point in a gubernatorial campaign. And no one in recent history has started collecting money for an open congressional seat this early.
So far in the 7th, Democrat Ed Perlmutter has raised just over $215,000, including donations from Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald and former Denver Mayor Federico Peña. Democrat Peggy Lamm has raised $93,000 from the likes of former Lt. Gov. Gail Schoettler and former Gov. Dick Lamm.
And while Republicans are split on Referendum C and the governor’s race, they’re rallying around Rick O’Donnell, who has collected $269,000. He’s received cash from Washington leadership PACs as well as from current Congressman Bob Beauprez, beer giant Pete Coors and incoming University of Colorado president Hank Brown.
Follow-up
A campaign finance complaint against GOP gubernatorial hopeful Marc Holtzman filed with the Secretary of State’s office has been dropped. It turns out the alleged mistake was a technical goof made by the Secretary of State’s office, not Holtzman.
Dan Haley (dhaley@denverpost. com) is a member of the Denver Post’s editorial board.
