Weld County voters might think state Sen. Dave Owen couldn’t care less about breast cancer and that his opponent, Rep. Jim Riesberg, would hand out free-tuition coupons to illegal immigrants.
Neither tidbit is true, but it’s made good fodder for attack ads in Greeley.
The campaigning has been ugly – and expensive – this season as Democrats fight to retain control of the House and Senate, which they won in 2004 for the first time since 1962.
Political analysts predict Democrats could expand their 18-17 advantage by one or two in the state Senate. But their 35-30 lead in the House is more tenuous.
Some candidates are spending more than double what they did two years ago and many have laid down cash for television spots – a realm hardly tapped in 2004.
That doesn’t count the dollars flowing from independent organizations such as the Republican Trailhead Group or the Democratic Main Street Colorado, which says it has spent more than $1 million on statehouse races.
In Weld County, the term-limited Sen. Owen is hoping to unseat incumbent Democrat Riesberg in the House.
Republicans have thrown extra effort at the race because District 50 has about 2,000 more registered Republicans and in the 16 years prior to Riesberg, the seat was held by a Republican.
Owen was “robo-calling” 5,000 voters Friday to tout his bill that rescued funding for a cancer treatment program. The calls came after a television ad showing two bald women saying Owen is against mammograms.
The senator voted to end mandates requiring mammogram coverage on insurance policies for small businesses.
Riesberg, meanwhile, was combating “lies and bogus attacks” that he wants to give free college tuition and Social Security to illegal immigrants.
“They say I’m for amnesty and I’m not,” he said. “They don’t care if they tell the truth.”
Riesberg won two years ago with a budget of $45,000. This time around, he says he’s spent about $105,000.
In Grand Junction, incumbent Rep. Bernie Buescher is on the hit list because he’s a Democrat elected in a predominantly Republican district.
The chairman of the Joint Budget Committee said he has raised more than $200,000 and bought 14 television spots to counter false claims from independent groups that he increased car insurance by $5,000 per year and supports sex-change operations for prisoners.
His opponent, Republican Bob Caskey, is getting hit with ads assailing his consumption-tax proposal. He thinks so-called 527 groups have spent $220,000 campaigning against him.
“It’s backfired on them,” said Caskey, who supports eliminating income tax in favor of a bigger sales tax. “It’s given me a platform to speak about tax reform.”
Another targeted race is the Jefferson County battle between Democratic Rep. Gwyn Green and Republican Ramey Johnson, whom Green ousted two years ago by about 50 votes.
Green said she’s counted 20 “discreet attacks” against her, including phone calls in which a fake poller bad-mouthed her.
As in, “Would you still vote for her even if you knew she murders puppies?” Green said. “They’ve accused me of everything but that.”
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
Other races to watch
House District 29 in Jefferson County: Democratic Rep. Debbie Benefield and Republican Affie Ellis
House District 47 in Fremont and Pueblo counties: Democratic Rep. Buffie McFad yen and Republican Jeffrey Shaw
Senate District 5 in Alamosa, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Mineral, Pitkin, Rio Grande and Saguache counties: Republican Sen. Lew Entz and Democrat Gail Schwartz
Senate District 11 in El Paso County: Republican Ed Jones and Democrat John Morse
Senate District 21 in Jefferson County: Democratic Sen. Betty Boyd and Republican Rep. Matt Knoedler
Senate District 22 in Jefferson County: Democrat Paula Noonan and Republican Mike Kopp
