Colorado voters go to the polls Tuesday to cast primary ballots for candidates running for everything from local sheriff to state senator. But national attention is on the Democratic primary in the 7th Congressional District.
Three Democrats – Peggy Lamm, Ed Perlmutter and Herb Rubenstein – are jockeying to take on Republican Rick O’Donnell in the general election.
The contest to replace U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, a Republican who is running for governor, is often labeled the most competitive race in the country. And it is a critical component of the Democrats’ plan to take back the U.S. House of Representatives.
“It’s huge,” said U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., who is leading the Democratic quest to take back the House. “There are defining issues in this race and others, like stem-cell research, which are going to help us.”
The Democrats need to pick up six Senate seats and 15 House seats to take control of Congress.
Whomever emerges Tuesday night with the nomination is expected to have some momentum, but little money. However, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has promised whatever resources are needed. The group has already reserved six weeks of ad time in the Denver market leading up to the November election. And some of the state’s well-heeled Democratic backers – who have stayed out of the primary – will likely begin pouring money into the race after the primary.
On Tuesday, Colorado voters are also casting ballots to pick a Republican nominee in the 5th Congressional District, as well as candidates for a number of state House and Senate races. In November, Republicans need to hold all their statehouse seats plus pick up one Senate and three House seats to regain control of both chambers.
Many primaries are expected to be tight, especially since the secretary of state’s office has projected only a 15 percent voter turnout.
The 7th District, carved out during redistricting four years ago, is the most evenly split congressional district in the state, with equal parts Republican, Democratic and unaffiliated voters. It encompasses parts of Adams, Arapahoe and Jefferson counties.
The split among voters has often led to unpredictable results. For instance, Beauprez beat Democratic opponent Mike Feeley by only 121 votes in 2002. Two years later, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry won the district.
Although primaries often have a clear front-runner, this one is still wide open. Most political observers agree that Rubenstein, a lawyer and an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Colorado State University, is a long shot. He may be a spoiler, though, for Lamm or Perlmutter, who have engaged in a nasty battle for the Democratic nomination.
Lamm is a former state representative, and Perlmutter is a former state senator.
Along with her experience in the House, Lamm has touted her 2004 appointment as co-chair of the commission to investigate the University of Colorado athletic recruiting scandal and her efforts to pass the state’s no-call list for telemarketers.
And after being married to the brother of former Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm for 23 years, she also has one of the most highly recognized last names in the state. The couple divorced three years ago.
Perlmutter, who is a lawyer, often points to his accomplishments during the eight years he served in the state Senate, including carrying legislation promoting renewable energy, consumer protection and responsible growth. He has also emphasized his support for federally backed embryonic stem-cell research. He has the backing of the so-called Democratic establishment, including a number of unions, elected officials and community leaders.
“It’s going to be a close race,” said Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli. “Perlmutter knows a lot of Democrats and has a host of support from Democratic leadership and interest groups. Lamm is a woman, has a great last name and is arguably a little independent.”
Differing little on substantive policy issues, the two candidates have attempted to separate themselves through attack ads and biting remarks.
Lamm released a commercial criticizing Perlmutter for being one of three lawmakers opposing legislation that eliminated the statute of limitations for most sexual assault crimes when DNA evidence is available.
She has also accused Perlmutter of being in the pocket of the oil and gas industry.
Perlmutter has accused Lamm of siding with the Republican gun lobby and denounced her for supporting GOP Gov. Bill Owens and contributing to a handful of Republican candidates.
“It’s no surprise that the fight for the Democratic nomination is this intense,” said Amy Walter, senior editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington, D.C. “The stakes are huge.”
Rubenstein has put up his own ad, contending that he is the only candidate talking about issues, such as health care reform, ending the Iraq war and creating a national energy policy. He is the only candidate in the state that has a term-limit pledge under his name on the ballot.
All three candidates have said they oppose the war, but Rubenstein is the only candidate who believes troops should be withdrawn immediately.
The winner on Tuesday will face Republican O’Donnell, 35, who recently headed the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.
Staff writer Karen Crummy can be reached at 303-820-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com.
