DENVER—Rebellious Colorado voters in both parties rejected insiders Tuesday as Democrats and Republican began choosing candidates for top races this fall.
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet lost precinct straw polls to former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff as Democrats statewide griped that party leadership has failed to deliver progressive legislation since taking control of Congress and the White House.
“We are in charge now. We should start acting that way,” Romanoff said to cheers from Democratic caucus-goers in his Denver neighborhood.
And on the Republican side for Senate, former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton faced criticism she’s too centrist and was locked in a tight race with Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck and former state senator Tom Wiens.
Both Bennet and Norton have wide fundraising advantages over their main primary opponents. But party loyalists who typically attend caucuses used the informal meetings to show they’re not happy with candidates considered party favorites. With most precincts reporting, Norton was nearly tied with Buck, despite having millions more in campaign cash.
Buck said his showing was evidence of unrest with the GOP.
“Republicans want Republicans to act like Republicans. I say, ‘Game on,'” said Buck, who has described Norton as too cozy with national Republicans.
The caucuses are just a first step for party nominations in Colorado; the nominees won’t be picked until Aug. 10 primaries. And in Colorado, caucus success sometimes bears little influence on who ultimately wins a nomination.
But even the front-runners seemed aware of the discontent among party faithful. Bennet even talks as if he’s not an incumbent in his first television ad, set to air Wednesday in Denver and Colorado Springs. Bennet starts off reminding voters he hasn’t been in Congress long and refers to sitting lawmakers as “them,” not “us.”
“I’ve been in Washington for only a year,” says Bennet, who was appointed last year. “But it didn’t take that long to see the whole place is broken. It’s time to give them a wake-up call.”
Norton spent the caucus evening shaking hands with suburban Denver voters and downplayed her front-runner image.
“I don’t see myself as the front-runner,” Norton said. “I see myself as the one who represents Colorado values.”
Party members also picked favorites in the open upcoming governor’s race, but that contest was less exciting on both sides.
Democrats had no race at all, with Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper having a clear deck so far for the Democratic nod to replace retiring Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter.
Republicans handed former Rep. Scott McInnis a wide victory over little-known Evergreen businessman Dan Maes.
Two northern Colorado counties with a crowded GOP pack of congressional candidates took straw polls on that race, too. In the 4th District—currently held by Democratic Rep. Betsy Markey—state Rep. Cory Gardner was the top vote-getter over three other Republicans for the nomination to challenge Markey in November.
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