Green Party to kick off Colo. convention season

Five candidates to be nominated at weekend meet

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Bob Kinsey, a 70-year-old retired teacher, is running for U.S. Senate.

Colorado's Green Party -- at times dubbed "The Spoilers" by Democrats - hosts its statewide convention this weekend, the first of several political conventions to be held in Colorado this year.

The Green Party will nominate Bob Kinsey, a 70-year-old retired teacher, as its U.S. Senate candidate.

Green Party co-chairman Dave Chandler said the party also will nominate four other candidates, including colorful San Miguel County Commissioner Art Goodtimes, who is seeking a fourth term.

The Green Party bills itself as a "political alternative for those committed to building a sustainable and just society." About 4,800 Coloradans are registered as Green Party members, according to the secretary of state's office.

Kinsey, of Denver, said the continued funding of the Iraq War is one of his concerns.

"Americans are dying for bad reasons and for an unwinnable cause," he said.

Some Democrats fear that a Green Party candidate in the Senate race helps Republican Bob Schaffer and hurts Democrat Mark Udall.

"It can't be a good thing," said Democrat Mike Feeley, of Lakewood, who lost his 2002 congressional bid by 121 votes.

The Green Party candidate in his race, Chandler, got 3,274 votes, which Feeley said "probably made a difference."

Asked if he has been called a spoiler, Chandler responded: "Only a million times."

"There is this assumption among Democrats that every left-of-center vote somehow belongs to them," Chandler said. "It's the usual third-party kind of spoiler argument that you hear. It's the same with Republicans and Libertarians."

Chandler said he believes there are only "marginal" differences between Udall and Schaffer, and both are likely to do the bidding of lobbyists once they are elected.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327

Political conventions

* Saturday - Green Party, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Littleton Preparatory Charter School, 5151 S. Federal Blvd.

* May 16-17 - Colorado Democratic Party, Colorado Springs World Arena

* May 22-26 - Libertarian National Convention, Denver Sheraton

* May 30-31 - Colorado Republican Party, Broomfield Event Center and Westin Westminster

* Aug. 25-28 - Democratic National Convention, Pepsi Center, Denver

* Sept. 1-4 - Republican National Convention, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

Voter breakdown

* Republican 1,017,738

* Unaffiliated 1,013,548

* Democrat 900,823

* Libertarian 7,092

* Green 4,802

* Other 509

* Total 2,944,512