Colorado’s U.S. Senate race is similar to the GOP presidential contest because each feature 12 candidates. But the similarities are more than numbers.
The political landscape is shaping the Senate candidates into categories based on the presidential contenders, according to voters and conversations with a dozen Republican operatives. (Read the full story here.) And certain candidates are courting the connection to the White House race.
So at the risk of stretching the comparisons too far for fun, let’s create a new political parlor game: Match the Colorado U.S. Senate candidate to the Republican presidential candidate.
Here’s the best early guess — again based on the candidate’s own words and conversations with Republican consultants. (Offer your matchmaking picks in the comments section below!)
Robert Blaha: Donald Trump
Robert Blaha
Donald Trump
The comparisons in style and issues are what make this connection. Blaha is focused on Iran, immigration and the deficit. He touts himself as a successful businessman who’s never held public office. And he’s running an eye-popping TV ad with his own money.
The one catch is that Blaha told me his model senator is Republican Ben Sasse, who is opposing Trump. Also, at least one member of his campaign team worked for the Nebraska senator.
Jon Keyser: Marco Rubio
Jon Keyser
Marco Rubio
Keyser’s presidential doppelganger is still emerging. His youth and representation as the “future of the GOP” puts him squarely in . Keyser’s photogenic family, which he took on the trail Saturday, also helps in the comparison. And the two candidates also their .
The possible alternative is Jeb Bush — a comparison Keyser’s camp probably wants to avoid. But he is getting attention from major GOP donors and veteran GOP hands, just like Bush.
Tim Neville: Rand Paul (or possibly Ted Cruz)
Tim Neville
Rand Paul
The Paul-Neville ties are easy to identify. Neville’s campaign team and supporters overlap with Ron Paul and Rand Paul. The two also frequently cite the U.S. Constitution and talk about “liberty” the most often in their stump speeches.
The caveat here is Neville’s social issue focus on abortion and religion, which may shift him toward Cruz. Like Cruz, Neville would surely be a thorn in the GOP leadership’s side in the Senate. He already won’t commit to supporting Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Ryan Frazier: Ben Carson
Ryan Frazier
Ben Carson
In his stump speech in Colorado Springs, Frazier focused on his bootstrap story — mom who worked two and three jobs to make ends meet — and invoked his faith in God at the outset. (The fact both are African Americans is not a factor here.)
Frazier can also get wonky, like Carson at times. But their speaking styles are night (Carson) and day (Frazier).
Other possibilities: Frazier is young and personable and energetic, so a Rubio or Cruz comparison may work.
Peg Littleton: Carly Fiorina
Peg Littleton
Carly Fiorina
Both women are emphasizing their gender as a top asset that sets them apart in their campaigns. “It’s going to be a female year,” Littleton told me recently. Both are also emphasizing their personal experiences, even more than their ideology.
Littleton is definitely not Bush or John Kasich in one regard: Common Core. She’s making her opposition to the education standards a central issue.
Darryl Glenn: Chris Christie? (Or Jim Gilmore?)
Darryl Glenn
Chris Christie
The El Paso County commissioner is hard to put in one camp. His politics probably align more with Trump or Cruz. Glenn’s no stranger at a tea party meeting, for sure. But his main theme: Who is ready to go on Day 1? In this he emphasizes his military experience. This sounds more like a Christie refrain. Or maybe like Gilmore and other candidates (now out of the race) who have made the same case that they are best prepared.
There are at least six other candidates who filed candidacy papers or announced their intention to run. But most of them have yet to build an organization or raise money, two key factors needed to challenge the Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.
Again, this is just a parlor guessing game based on the very early campaign intel to date. Offer your suggestions in the comments below.
