Favoritism. Harassment. Police reports.
Three Denver primaries for state House seats are steeped in intrigue and accusations.
The players will meet Saturday when Denver Democrats and Republicans hold their county assemblies and determine which candidates have the most support from delegates.
The three races are in House District 4, in the northwest part of the city; District 5, in downtown and north Denver; and District 9, in the southeast section of the city.
District 4
Three Democrats are running in the primary: Jennifer Coken, Dan Pabon and Amber Tafoya.
Cindy Lowery, chairwoman of the Denver County Democrats, said she was hit with a flurry of complaints after the District 4 caucus and feared the results would have to be thrown out.
The complaints varied but centered on the issue that Pabon seemed to get preferential treatment, she said. Pabon and his supporters are the House district officers and oversaw the caucus.
Pabon said he got no special breaks and noted that no formal complaints or grievances were lodged after the caucus and the results stood.
“I’ve done an excellent job of keeping my House district duties separate from campaign activities,” he said.
Tafoya said she considered filing a challenge, but nothing in the rules prevents a candidate from serving as a House officer. Said Coken: “Voters don’t want favoritism. The voters are tired of the politics of politics.”
District 5
Four Democrats are running in the primary: Crisanta Duran, Jose Silva, J.J. Swiontek and Mark Thrun.
In February, Silva engaged in a series of e-mail exchanges with Duran supporter Luis Espinoza.
Mentioned in their war of words was Silva’s police record and Duran’s connection to her former employer, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7. Her father, Ernie Duran Jr., was ousted as union president last year amid allegations of nepotism and improper expenses.
Silva said voters were aware of his record and it’s “minor stuff.” He wanted the secretary of state to investigate Espinoza and Duran for harassment because of the e-mails, but the office “has no oversight on harassment complaints,” spokesman Rich Coolidge said.
Espinoza declined to comment. Duran said he is not affiliated with her campaign team. The e-mails, she said, are “distracting from an honest debate over vital issues.”
District 9
Two Republicans are running in the primary: Bob Lane and C.J. Garbo.
Lane said Ryan Call, chairman of Denver County Republicans, appeared at a candidate forum and launched a “character-smearing assault on me because of a very minor incident that occurred with a lady I was dating last summer.”
Lane is on probation after pleading guilty in municipal court to a petty offense of disturbing the peace.
Call said he raised the issue because he thought Republicans should know whether there was anything in the candidates’ backgrounds that would “reflect poorly on the party or their candidacy.”
“That’s why we have these assemblies, so that the party faithful have a chance to determine who is the best candidate to be our standard-bearer,” Call said.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
