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Some Republicans paddling toward middle of stream

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 28, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.
Updated January 28, 2008 at 11:21 a.m.

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Republican Bob Schaffer likely will battle Democratic Rep. Mark Udall in the contest for the U.S. Senate.

Republican Bob Schaffer likely will battle Democratic Rep. Mark Udall in the contest for the U.S. Senate.

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This just in: Some Republicans no longer brag about being conservatives. Now they're centrists. They're mainstream.

If that sounds like an election strategy designed to woo unaffiliated voters, there's a reason for it: Democrats scored huge victories in Colorado in the last two election cycles, thanks to unaffiliated voters, who generally snubbed Republicans.

A hint of how the GOP is trying to woo back unaffiliated voters - the second largest voting block in the state behind Republicans - came this month when Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer welcomed visitors to the grand opening of his campaign headquarters in Greenwood Village.

Schaffer introduced various state lawmakers, including Sen. Dave Schultheis, of Colorado Springs, known as one of the statehouse's most conservative legislators.

"Our legislators down at the state Capitol are doing an excellent job of showing the real contrast of a very centrist, mainstream Republican Party vs. what has captured the majority in both houses, which is kind of an extremist brand of political leadership," Schaffer said.

Schaffer's view elicited a rebuke from Matt Sugar, spokesman for the Colorado Democratic Party.

"What planet is Bob Schaffer on?" he said. "But, then again, Bob Schaffer is so conservative, from where he stands Republican legislators probably do look mainstream."

Schaffer's remarks and the response to them signal that the campaign for the U.S. Senate - as well as legislative races in Colorado - will be defined by familiar themes.

Republicans will try to paint Democrats as take-your-money-and-run liberals with kooky ideas.

Democrats will portray Republicans as out-of-touch right- wingers focused on social issues. Both parties will describe themselves as sympathetic to voters' economic needs.

But this time there's a twist: Rarely do Colorado Republicans run from the conservative label, but Schaffer is doing so despite billing himself as such for years.

Schaffer likely will take on Democratic Congressman Mark Udall, who has no serious contenders, in the Nov. 4 general election.

They are vying for the seat held by U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Loveland, who is retiring.

When Schaffer first ran for Congress in 1996 against two primary opponents, his slogan was "the real Republican, the real conservative."

And four years ago, when running against Pete Coors for the GOP nomination to the U.S. Senate, Schaffer repeatedly touted his conservative credentials.

But in September, Schaffer took issue with the Colorado Statesman for describing him as a conservative. Schaffer told the Statesman he's "mainstream" compared to his "liberal" Senate opponent.

Responded Mike Melanson, Udall's campaign manager: "I'll bet Mark Udall has worked with more centrist Republicans in his career than Bob Schaffer has in his."

At his campaign headquarters opening, Schaffer criticized Democrats nationally and locally, saying they want to "move the wealth out of the pockets of Coloradans and the people who worked hard to run their farms and businesses . . . into the hands of those who tend to see it vanish at the hands of big bureaucracy and government."

State House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, dismissed that characterization as "fantasy." She helped engineer the Democrats' stunning win of the state legislature in 2004 - the first election in which that has happened since 1960. She said voters concurred with the Democratic message that the Republican majority was out of touch.

"The former House majority leader, Keith King, when asked the biggest problem facing this state, responded, 'The question of gay marriage,' " Madden said. "Not health care, not education, not the economy - although the state was in a budget crisis - but gay marriage."

King, a Republican from Colorado Springs, says he never made that comment.

With Democrats in charge, Madden said, the focus now is on health care, better education and renewable energy, an industry that also helps ranch and farm economies.

But Schaffer countered that Democrats are going to have trouble defending their actions over the past two years. Schaffer named Democratic bill after bill that called for regulations or controls, something he said doesn't suit independent-minded Coloradans.

"This Democratic majority and Democratic governor are increasing taxes and catering to union labor bosses," added GOP state party chairman Dick Wadhams. "What's mainstream about that? These are extreme actions catering to their left- wing benefactors."

At the statehouse, Rep. Al White, R-Hayden, was asked whether it was accurate to call the GOP caucus centrist and mainstream.

"I certainly wouldn't describe them that way," said White, who over the years has taken heat for bucking his party on issues ranging from education to gay rights.

But he laughed when he heard that it was Schaffer who used that description. He said Schaffer is doing exactly what Udall is doing.

"They're both going to the middle," White said. "That's what happens in an election year because that's where most Americans exist on the political spectrum."

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327

Comments

  • January 28, 2008

    1:53 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    cyranogo writes:

    What? Schaffer flip flopping on who he is? People in Colorado will never buy that deceptive rhetoric. He has been an extremist uber-Con his entire political career. Way too extreme for the people of Colorado.

  • January 28, 2008

    7:11 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    a_watcher writes:

    Here in Colorado Springs, Senator Morse won by having about four times as much money to spend as his opponent. He never put up an ad that said that he was a Democrat. Where is the news?

    This article is misleading.

  • January 28, 2008

    8:28 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Theoldguy writes:

    Hey, call me a flip-flopper. After voting Republican all my life and being used by corporations I look back and see how the group that I helped succeed has indeed succeeded. My 401(k) has dwindled, my taxes have gone up and the quality of life has slowly trickled downward. Corporate American has become a band of thieves as seen by the Savings and Loan debacle and subsequent government fix, now the atrocious mortgage disaster, collectively we are forced, by government, to put our savings at risk through the stock market (to avoid excessive taxation) and get to watch it dwindle by mis management and greed.
    Well, I've seen the light. In the future I will stop working and keep my earnings below the next step in the progressive tax system. The coming government "hush money" I will send back to the treasury so as to avoid moving up to the next level of taxation. Whenever I see a "government freebie" like the coming health care system I will jump on it. Food stamps are starting to look good. Now is the time for me to get what is coming to me since I was one of many that helped build this present system. It has worked for many minorities before me and now that I am rapidly moving toward that niche I will gladly jump on that wagon and let you all support me. I am flopping toward a more comfortable way of life. Thanks all you Democrats...I sure hope the Republicans see the light. Why fight it...the future of Socialism is coming.

  • January 28, 2008

    9:43 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jgd writes:

    Tbone,

    How do you give tax cuts to people who pay no taxes?
    What exactly is your idea of "rich", would you give me income level you consider the "rich"? Just wondering if it is the same as the party you appear to support.

  • January 28, 2008

    10:35 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    dilligaf writes:

    All I hear you cons complain about is the democrats raising taxes. Well so that don't happen will you please tell Mr Bush to stop spending billions and billions on a war that is lining the pockets of company's like Haliburton. Where the hell do you idiots think we will get the money to pay for it?

  • January 28, 2008

    10:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jgd writes:

    Larrymac

    ***Where the hell do you idiots think we will get the money to pay for it?***

    They are using the money the Dems would giving away on all of their socialist programs.

  • January 28, 2008

    12:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Theoldguy writes:

    All this arguing!!!! Time to roll out the guillotine....and sing, "Let then eat cake!" Yaha!

    Less than a year to vote away your privacy, wealth, health or sanity?

    As silly as I get no one seems to realize what is at stake here.

    No matter WHO gets "The White House" the real change needs to be made in both houses of Congress. Your Representatives. This also goes for the State House which is on the brink of taxing you something fierce.

  • January 28, 2008

    12:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Spencer writes:

    Conservative is turning into a bad word just like liberal. Pretty soon they will all be progressives and centrists. None of the views will change just the names.

  • January 28, 2008

    2:06 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    geriatric1943 writes:

    If McCain and Clinton get the nod for their respective parties, it will not matter which one you vote for because they are so much alike in their viewpoints. Now, if you get Obama and Romney as contestants there will be a difference. Obama is ultra liberal and Romney, while not ultra conservative, is conservative enough to make a big difference between the candidates.

  • January 28, 2008

    2:10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Brockage writes:

    FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS. SALAZAR, RITTER, SCHAFFER, JUST LIKE OBAMA AND MCCAIN --- ARE REDISCOVERING THE GLORIOUS MIDDLE. FINALLY! SORRY FOR ALL YOU WINGNUTS OF LEFT AND RIGHT - A DRY SPELL IS UPCOMING FOR YOU. THE MIDDLE, THE CENTER PARTY -- THE FONT FROM WHICH ALL BLESSINGS FLOW.