Barring a last-minute appeal, Marc Holtzman has failed to petition his way onto the ballot for the Republican gubernatorial primary. But many other politicians have successfully used that tool to bypass nominating assemblies. The result is that several key races this year may be decided in crowded primaries where a candidate supported by a strong minority may triumph in a fractured field.
The highest profile duels will be the six-way Republican melee for U.S. representative in the 5th Congressional District and a three- way fight for the Democratic nod in the 7th CD.
Joel Hefley opened up the Republican field when he announced his retirement earlier this year and endorsed a former aide, Jeff Crank, as his successor. Hefley’s influence won Crank top line at the GOP assembly where state Sen. Doug Lamborn also won a spot on the ballot. But what briefly looked like a face-off between two conservatives became a six-way melee as four more candidates petitioned on: retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bentley Rayburn; former El Paso County Sheriff J.W. Anderson, former El Paso County Commissioner Duncan Bremer; and Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera.
Like Lamborn and Crank, Anderson, Bremer and Rayburn also represent variants of conservative thought. Rivera is a more moderate figure who joined Gov. Bill Owens in helping lead Referendum C to victory last fall. Conservatives normally dominate the 5th, but the popular Rivera could win if their vote splits five ways.
Democrats pray for a divisive struggle that would give their candidate, Jay Fawcett, a chance in November. That’s unlikely in this heavily Republican redoubt.
The Democratic struggle for the 7th Congressional District nomination to replace outgoing Republican Bob Beauprez lacks the ideological overtones of the 5th District struggle since assembly-nominated Ed Perlmutter and petition- nominated Peggy Lamm and Herb Rubenstein are all fairly conventional liberals.
Even so, Perlmutter supporters have tried hard to paint Peggy as a Republican in Lamm’s clothing because she supported Gov. Bill Owens for re-election in 2002. But since practically everybody except the Democratic candidate, doughty but underfinanced Rollie Heath, also voted for Owens, this issue hasn’t caught on.
Rubenstein, the longshot in the race, has campaigned on a stridently anti-war theme and may pull Perlmutter and Lamm to the left on that issue. But with Lamm and Perlmutter both claiming frontrunner status, the real question is from whom will Rubenstein pull votes. Because Lamm is endorsed by the feminist EMILY’s list, she could gain an edge simply as the only woman against two men.
The winner will face Republican Rick O’Donnell in November in what, despite recent modest Democratic registration gains, remains one of the nation’s most evenly balanced political battlegrounds.
Both gender and ideology are on display in another three-way Republican primary, the state Senate District 22 race. Incumbent Kiki Traylor was appointed to the seat last January when the redoubtable Norma Anderson resigned. Like Anderson, Traylor is considered a moderate, which would normally be anathema in a Jefferson County GOP primary. But after starboard- tilting Mike Kopp was the sole candidate qualified at the assembly, Traylor successfully petitioned on the ballot. Then she caught a break when another conservative, Justin Everett, also successfully petitioned on.
One moderate woman versus two conservative men could spell victory for Traylor, who would then probably triumph in November against Democrat Paula Noonan in this normally GOP district.
Finally, Chris Romer successfully petitioned onto the ballot in state Senate Senate District 32, shared by Denver and Jefferson counties. That sets up a three-way contest between top-line Jennifer Mello and term-limited state Rep. Fran Coleman, who is trying to move up from her House District 1 seat. Whoever wins will be the favorite against Republican Dave Lewis in the fall.
Romer, son of former governor Roy, brings a famous name to the race. But Mello’s tireless campaigning has most observers rating her as the favorite.
In these multiple candidate fields, uncertainty looms large.
Bob Ewegen (bewegen@denverpost.com) is The Denver Post’s deputy editorial page editor.
