A consultant to state Rep. Joe Miklosi’s 6th Congressional District campaign said Monday that state Senate President Brandon Shaffer is “too honorable of a man” to switch congressional races.
“It’s going to be two months next week that the maps were finalized,” said Steve Welchert, noting when the Colorado Supreme Court affirmed the new redistricting maps. “I can’t imagine that over the last two months Shaffer’s campaigned and raised money from people in CD 4, to then turn around and make a decision to run in CD 6.”
It’s a clear effort by the Miklosi campaign to deter Shaffer from making the jump and to seemingly expedite any decision.
News broke this month that Shaffer was polling voters and weighing a run in the 6th District.
If Shaffer were to terminate his candidacy in the 4th Congressional District — a GOP stronghold, where he faces the daunting task of unseating Republican Rep. Cory Gardner — he would ignite a three-way Democratic primary against Miklosi and physician Perry Haney.
Welchert even made reference to Shaffer’s family, saying: “He’s not the kind of person to make his kids and wife leave their home and move to the CD 6 for his own political expediency. He’s too honorable of a man.”
Shaffer lives in Longmont, while the new 6th District is Aurora-based. Miklosi has talked about moving into the district but has yet to do so himself.
Many observers say the new 6th District could make incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Coffman vulnerable, depending on the political climate or his opponent, because it is split evenly among Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters.
Sources close to Shaffer’s campaign say a decision is expected this week.
Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or
