What’s with the dwindling number of Republican women in Colorado politics?
In 1998, there were 21 Republican women in the state legislature. Now there are six. Democratic women have increased from 15 to 28 in that same period.
Colorado State University political scientist John Straayer compiled the data. He questions whether the “candidate gatekeepers in the Republican Party are keeping women out of the game.”
Former Republican Sen. Norma Anderson says her party has shifted hard right. GOP women, generally speaking, tend to be more practical and more moderate and “can’t get elected” through the caucus system, she says. Many won’t even try.
Two decades ago, most legislative committees were chaired by women. Last year, Anderson was the only woman in her caucus. Viewed as “too conservative” two decades ago, Anderson says she’s now called liberal by fellow Republicans. “If I had to start over again, I wouldn’t get elected,” she said.
As to the increase in Democratic women, state Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak said women candidates are appealing to voters on basic issues: liveable wages, health care, education and opposition to the war in Iraq. Until the GOP moderates its hard line, Anderson predicts, women will continue to stay away.
Still no endorsement
With less than five months before the November election, the only high-profile Democratic politician who hasn’t endorsed Bill Ritter for governor is Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. He recently attended a fundraiser for state Senate candidate Chris Romer, a “loyal supporter who early on approached citizen Hickenlooper with the crazy idea that he should run for mayor,” a source said. But not a peep about Ritter.
The buzz persists in Republican circles that GOP Gov. Bill Owens has convinced his mayoral pal to withhold his endorsement or flit over to GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez, but Hickenlooper insiders say that’s “not true.”
One source predicted that the mayor eventually will endorse Ritter but prefers to do so “at a time when it can be leveraged the most.”
Vigil challenges Tochtrop
Democratic colleagues rarely challenge one another for a legislative seat. But this year, state Rep. Val Vigil is taking on former Rep. Lois Tochtrop for the Senate seat that Tochtrop filled by appointment two years ago.
Vigil says the Adams County district seat is technically open, since Tochtrop wasn’t elected.
Tochtrop is a conservative Democrat who has voted with Republicans on issues of guns, smoking and eminent domain.
Vigil has opposed liberalizing gun laws, sides with local government on eminent domain, and voted in favor of the statewide smoking ban.
The two also disagree on a pending initiative to prohibit taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants. Tochtrop wants the issue to go before voters. Vigil doesn’t. Illegals should not – and do not – get services prohibited by law, he says.
Turnout in the August primary will be the key in a district where the last four Democratic primaries were decided by about 400 voters.
Campbell makes rounds
Now that the one-year cooling- off period for lawmakers- turned-lobbyists is over, former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell is out of the gate and making the rounds of congressional offices.
At the moment he’s shopping a bill for Sen. John McCain on the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a bill he once sponsored. He’s also lobbying for a new $40 million water system for the Jicarilla Apache Nation in New Mexico.
His new firm, Holland & Knight, lists Campbell on its website as “one of 44 chiefs of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.”
Julia C. Martinez (jmartinez@denverpost.com) is a member of The Denver Post editorial board.
