Coffman wins 'a positive campaign'
Secretary of state defeats Armstrong, Harvey and Ward
By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 13, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Photo by Barry Gutierrez © The Rocky
Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman chats on his cell phone an hour after delivering a victory speech in his bid for the 6th Congressional District seat.
Secretary of State Mike Coffman won the four-way race for Colorado's 6th Congressional District seat.
Businessman Wil Armstrong trailed Coffman. State Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, and State Sen. Steve Ward, R-Littleton, were far behind.
Coffman said he won because he "ran a positive campaign that stayed focused on the issues."
The candidates held similar positions on the issues, Coffman said. "What I had was a proven conservative track record on those issues," Coffman said.
Armstrong agreed that Coffman ran a clean campaign that didn't divide Republicans going into the general election.
"He's going to be a star back there," Armstrong said shortly after phoning his congratulations to Coffman.
Armstrong campaign manager Jack Stansbery said Coffman's name recognition was difficult to overcome. Coffman was a legislator and state treasurer before winning the secretary of state seat.
Stansbery said many absentee ballots were returned earlier than expected. That helped Coffman, who began running television ads in June. Armstrong's ads didn't begin until July 8.
The 6th District covers Douglas and Elbert counties, plus parts of Arapahoe, Jefferson and Park counties.
Coffman faces Democrat Hank Eng, an engineer who moved to Colorado in 2005.
The winner will replace U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, who is stepping down after five terms.
Registration in the district favors the Republicans.
Eng said he has a chance this year because Americans are dissatisfied with the way the nation is going.
"I'm facing an electorate that's looking for change, that's not sure what they want, that's not sure whether or not the Republican Party is their party," Eng said.
Eng begins the race at a disadvantage in fundraising. He had only $76,000 in cash at the beginning of the month, according to federal filings. Coffman had $148,000 in the bank.
Eng said he will make fundraising a priority. He hopes to raise enough money for television ads.
He also plans to go door-to- door.
Coffman emphasized his service with the Marines in the first Gulf War and again in the current Iraq conflict. He will be the only Republican Iraq veteran in Congress if he wins in Novermber.
He also emphasized his experience in working on complex public policy issues.
Ward, also a Marine who served in Iraq, said he was glad the seat was won by a fellow leatherneck.
"I'm tired of draft-dodging chickenhawks in Congress," Ward said, shortly after congratulating Coffman.
"He'll make a great congressman for Colorado," said Harvey, who also congratulated Coffman.
The race was marred by only one significant instance of mudslinging when a tax-exempt group sent a mailer to voters characterizing Coffman as a big spender and implying that he violated immigration laws.
The head of the group apologized, saying the mailer was the work of a rogue member who had resigned.
morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5209
Registered voter breakdown
Democrat Republican Unaffiliated
* August 2006 115,789 223,168 149,844
* August 2008 127,186 218,050 154,341
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August 13, 2008
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HopiMedicineMan writes:
I guess Coffman will campaign on his record as Secretary of State now that the war in Iraq is essentially over. (I guess Spagnuolo will be protesting, what, sobriety?)