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Rove: Colorado a swing state

'You can't take it for granted,' Bush aide says during visit

Michael Malik And Stuart Steers, Rocky Mountain News

Published July 11, 2006 at midnight

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Karl Rove came to town Monday to appear at a fundraiser for the state Republican Party, and President Bush's top political adviser made it clear that Colorado has become a crucial swing state in national politics.

"It's a swing state, no ifs, ands or buts about it," Rove said in a meeting with the Rocky Mountain News editorial board. "It's a competitive state. You can't take it for granted."

Rove is a hero to Republicans and a villain to Democrats for his success at helping Bush win two terms in office. He appeared Monday night at a GOP pep rally at the Wildlife Experience museum in Parker.

Rove struck some familiar chords as he roused the audience of about 200 people.

He said the Bush administration has cut taxes and lowered the deficit, and he discussed what Bush has done to make the economy grow. Rove also bashed Democrats for having a "cut and run" policy toward Iraq, said The New York Times couldn't keep a secret and applauded the work volunteers have done to get Bush elected.

State Republican Party Chairman Bob Martinez acknowledged Colorado's potential as a swing state and said in the next election the party should focus a little less on the presidential race and more on the congressional, legislative and gubernatorial races.

Colorado's swing-state status has made it an important stop for political heavyweights. On Friday, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., came to Denver for a fundraiser for her re-election campaign.

"It's a place people of both parties are coming to raise big checks," said Denver political analyst Eric Sondermann. "Colorado is increasingly regarded as a swing state. I think you will see an increasing number of political celebrities come through here."

Many people began to view Colorado as a "purple" state in 2004, when voters went for Bush and gave the Democrats a U.S. Senate and U.S. House seat, as well as control of both houses of the state legislature for the first time in years. After a decade in which Republicans dominated state politics, the 2004 elections gave Colorado Democrats a major boost.

"I view 2004 as our debut in purple," said Denver pollster Lori Weigel. "Colorado is a maverick state."

Weigel said Colorado's demographics have shifted in recent years, with an influx of younger voters from other states and a growing Hispanic population. She noted that the same factors were seen in other mountain states that have also come to be regarded as swing states.

"The face of Colorado today is very different than what you might have seen before," she said.

In a wide-ranging discussion at the News, Rove alluded to many of those changes. He said the recent debate over illegal immigration held a risk for Republicans.

"We will suffer politically if it looks like we don't want people who are brown and speak Spanish," Rove said.

However, Rove added that he was optimistic that Republicans in Congress would work out their differences over immigration and unite behind some kind of comprehensive reform.

The wild card in this year's election may be the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq.

Rove said Republicans must reject a "cut and run" strategy of setting a deadline to withdraw troops. He said Republican candidates who emphasize their resolve to stay in Iraq until the situation stabilizes will still have an edge over the Democrats, who lack a consistent message on what to do.

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