Broomfield – The mayor accused of having an affair with two of the city’s councilmen – one of them her opponent – was re-elected Tuesday night amid voter concerns that the alleged trysts have given the city a black eye.
Karen Stuart defeated councilman Clark Griep and a third challenger, Paul Madigan – unofficially getting 51 percent of the vote in an election that more resembled a soap opera script than a mayoral race.
“Running a negative campaign doesn’t pay off, and that showed tonight,” Stuart said. “The damage is done … to everybody involved.”
Griep claimed last month that he had an affair with Stuart eight years ago, admitted the alleged affair to his wife in February and briefly was kicked out of his house. Griep also claimed that councilman Vince Buzek tried to bully him out of the race to end rumors that Buzek and Stuart were having an affair.
Stuart and Buzek have said Griep made up the stories to attack the mayor’s character.
“Did it have an impact? I don’t know,” said Griep, who received 32 percent of the more than 12,000 votes cast. “It’s unfortunate if it did, because there are other important issues about how this city and county should be run.”
Though Stuart and Griep were council veterans and helped oversee Broomfield as it became a city and county in 2001, many voters said the alleged affair between the two cast a cloud over usually professional politics in the city.
“This has happened in other communities, I’m sure,” Juanita Cravens, a 60-year-old registered nurse, said after voting at the Broomfield Community Center. “But it certainly makes people look at our community and say, ‘Oh, my.”‘
Shane Gilmore, 28, a car salesman, voted for Madigan even though he once supported Stuart and considers her a “really good mayor.”
“I’m disappointed that an election here would turn so negative,” Gilmore said. “We’re a good community, and we don’t need this kind of stuff.”
Madigan, meanwhile tried to distance himself from the argument, posting the message “No Gossip Allowed; Just The Facts Please!” on his website before the election.
Stuart, who was unsure if the allegations hurt support, said the victory was “bittersweet,” considering she earlier anticipated a larger win.
For his part, Griep, who is finished with his council duties, said he might join a nonprofit agency in the city. “There are lots of positive things that can still happen in Broomfield.”
Robert Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-1282 or at rsanchez@denverpost.com.
