Republican Bob Beauprez this week said he didn’t recall debating Marc Holtzman when they ran for governor but it turns out they did.
The two squared off in the spring of 2006 at Club 20 in Grand Junction and at a Denver Tech Center hotel at at event sponsored by a business group.
After the DTC debate, Beauprez’s campaign accused Holtzman of name calling and said there would be no future debates until Holtzman agreed to engage in “civil” fashion.
But debates became a moot point after Holtzman failed to make the ballot in June.
This year, Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis has refused to debate his two Republican opponents, citing the damage done during the Beauprez-Holtzman battle.
McInnis said he doesn’t want to give Democrats any ammunition.
Beauprez earlier this week said he was surprised to see his name mentioned by McInnis’ campaign, and he didn’t recall having any debates.
He also said that it was other events on the campaign trail that inflicted the damage.
The Holtzman campaign labeled Beauprez “Both Ways Bob,” an image he couldn’t shake. But Beauprez picked up that nickname long before he and Holtzman ever stood on a stage together to debate.
“Both Ways Bob” was coined in 2005, a year before the election, by Holtzman’s campaign manager, Dick Leggitt. He used it to describe Beauprez’s position on the ballot measure Referendum C. Leggitt accused Beauprez of opposing the tax measure — as did Holtzman — but of doing nothing to try to defeat it.
Beauprez said of Leggitt: “They pulled out the Doberman and the rest is history.”
As for debates, political consultant Eric Sondermann in 2006 said the Beauprez campaign probably felt it was was far enough ahead in the polls that it didn’t need to give a Holtzman a forum to “throw grenades.”
Political consultant Steve Welchert recently said it was a smart move for McInnis to avoid debates because he is ahead in the polls.
McInnis has agreed to some gubernatorial forums, including one he attended Saturday in El Paso County, and one scheduled for Tuesday at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood.
Also running for the GOP nomination for governor are Josh Penry and Dan Maes.
Penry’s campaign manager Mike Britt said he believes McInnis, a former six-term congressman, is afraid to debate Penry because of Penry’s knowledge about state government. Penry is the state Senate minority leader.
The winner of the 2010 August primary faces Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter in November.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
