Hefley denies damage

Refusal to support Lamborn won't hurt GOP, he says

Dick Foster, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 8, 2006 at midnight

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COLORADO SPRINGS - Retiring 5th Congressional District Rep. Joel Hefley rejected charges Thursday that his refusal to support Doug Lamborn to succeed him could damage the gubernatorial campaign of Bob Beauprez and other Republicans seeking statewide office.

Hefley scorned attempts by Lamborn's campaign manager to cast him as the villain if Republican voters stay home on Election Day rather than support Lamborn in the heavily Republican 5th Congressional District.

"A lot of people are saying they're going to stay at home, not because of anything I'm doing, but because of the kind of sleazy campaign that Lamborn ran," Hefley said.

"I've been doing everything I can to encourage people not to stay at home. If you don't want to vote in that race, fine, but don't stay at home because it will hurt our statewide candidates," he said.

El Paso County, the heart of Hefley's district, has made the difference between victory and defeat for Gov. Bill Owens and other Republican state office seekers.

Dissension has swirled around Lamborn's candidacy for weeks since he bested Jeff Crank, Hefley's endorsed successor for his seat, and four other candidates in the August primary election.

Hefley repeated his scathing condemnation of Lamborn's campaign Thursday, calling it "one of the sleaziest, most dishonest campaigns I've seen in a long time."

Hefley said that Lamborn never denounced attack ads by the Christian Coalition of Colorado and the Club for Growth that charged that Lamborn's strongest opponents, Crank and Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera, supported higher taxes and gay rights.

Hefley said that he suspected, but couldn't prove, collusion between Lamborn's campaign, which is managed by Jon Hotaling, and the Christian Coalition of Colorado, which is run by Hotaling's brother, Mark.

"I was never able to control what my brother did when we were younger, and I'm not able to control what he does now," said Jon Hotaling, denying collusion.

Hotaling charged Thursday that Hefley's vocal opposition to Lamborn could backfire and affect all Republican statewide races.

"Mr. Hefley's puzzling actions could have the unfortunate effect of driving down turnout, and that will only harm Republican Bob Beauprez's chances of keeping the governor's office," Hotaling said.

So far, he said, Hefley's position has not spread far in the party or seriously eroded Lamborn's support.

"The only ones who seem to be upset about it are Mr. Hefley and a few of Mr. Crank's supporters who apparently are unwilling to accept the will of the voters," said Hotaling.

Lamborn's campaign has been endorsed by the governor and other Republican office holders, he said.

Hotaling also chided Hefley for calling Lamborn's campaign "sleazy" while "conveniently omitting the sleazy ads that his candidate (Crank) ran against Mr. Lamborn."

Those ads, Hotaling said, implied that Lamborn did not support the military because some of his supporters were proponents of military spending cuts.

Last week, Hefley declined a request by some Republicans to initiate a write-in campaign and run for his own seat again.

That request also was made by some of Crank's supporters, Hotaling said.

Republican dissatisfaction with Lamborn could provide an opening for Democrats, who have never held the 5th Congressional District seat since it was created in 1972.

Democratic candidate Jay Fawcett, an Air Force Academy alumnus and retired combat pilot, is one of the most credible Democratic opponents the party has ever put up for the race.

"I don't make any predictions, but this is a race that's never been run before," Fawcett said. "You look at all the issues that are facing the country this year; I don't know anybody who could make book on this."

fosterd@RockyMountainNews.com or 719-633-4442

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