They may have tried, but Republican insiders couldn’t keep Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Paschall out of the race for Colorado’s 7th Congressional District.
Rick O’Donnell, a favorite of Gov. Bill Owens and the party brass (even VP Dick Cheney made a fundraising stop), was the pre-ordained GOP candidate to replace Congressman Bob Beauprez as representative for Denver’s western and northern suburbs. O’Donnell quickly racked up impressive big-name endorsements and donations, and some hoped that would muscle Paschall out of the race. But he’s challenging O’Donnell anyway.
Paschall is conservative, and GOP strategists worry his far-right leanings may force O’Donnell too far to the right in a primary. The 7th CD is just about evenly divided between Republican, Democrat and unaffiliated voters and could be a tough district to win for a far- right conservative. (That said, Beauprez, the current office-holder, is hardly Diana DeGette.)
Paschall didn’t return a phone call last week, but according to his first filing with the FEC, he’s raised about $12,000. O’Donnell’s last filing had him close to half a million.
Boost for Lamm?
Speaking of the 7th CD, rumor has it Sheila MacDonald, fresh off her victory as the Referendum C campaign manager, is going to work for Peggy Lamm. Lamm, a former state representative now with the Bighorn Center for Public Policy, is running against Ed Perlmutter in the Democratic primary for the seat. MacDonald has had a recent string of successes, helping to push the Denver city jail initiative and FasTracks.
Swan song?
Denver’s Clarinet Man, who’s been tooting his own horn on the 16th Street Mall and near Coors Field for years, could end up a victim of one of Denver’s proposed panhandling ordinances.
The ordinances go before the Denver City Council tonight for a public hearing and possible vote. One of them would make it illegal for anyone to sit or lie on any sidewalk downtown from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Because the law can’t differentiate between beggars and musicians, it also applies to those street performers who add some flavor to downtown Denver. The widely known Clarinet Man, Adam Stawinski, sits while he plays.
He could choose to sit on a city bench to avoid breaking the proposed law, or he could stand. But if it passes, his gig could be up.
Contender in town
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, considered a contender for president in 2008, is in town this week.
State Democrats are hosting a reception for Richardson from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the downtown Courtyard Marriott. Cost is $100.
While Republicans have been roiling in scandals lately, Richardson has had his own troubles, finally admitting he was never drafted.
As a major league pitcher, that is.
An Albuquerque Journal investigation found no record of Richardson being drafted by the Kansas City Athletics in 1966, as he’s long claimed. “After being notified of the situation [by the Journal] and after researching the matter … I came to the conclusion that I was not drafted by the A’s,” he said.
Starring Bill Owens
Speaking of sports, perhaps Gov. Bill Owens has found his post-gubernatorial career. His stint as host of “Bill Owens’ Sports Connection,” which began in October 2004, was originally designed to last one year but has continued, his spokesman Dan Hopkins said.
The governor doesn’t have a contract per se with Altitude, which airs the show, but so as long as they want him, he’ll be there. “He enjoys doing it,” Hopkins said.
Owens is paid $1,000 a month, which he gives to Catholic Charities’ Samaritan House and his Our Lady of Loreto parish.
He tapes the December show today. His guest? No, not new buddy and House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. It’s Avs player Joe Sakic.
Friend of Sam
When Judge Samuel Alito goes before the Senate Judiciary Committee, he’ll have a friend in Colorado pulling for him. Lawyer Mike Norton, a former U.S. Attorney for Colorado and Lt. Gov. Jane Norton‘s other half, has known Alito since they were both U.S. attorneys in the 1980s.
Dan Haley (dhaley@denverpost.com) is a member of The Post’s editorial board.
