Hitting a wall

Republicans lick wounds, focus on potential new stars for future battles

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 6, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Photo by Javier Manzano / The Rocky

Leslie Miley holds twin daughters Sophie and Rhi, 11, as they watch presidential election results at a GOP party Tuesday night at the Denver Marriott. Democrats took the state's nine Electoral College votes, a U.S. Senate seat and another congressional seat.

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Now what?

The Colorado Republican Party goes back to the drawing board - just as it did in 2004 after getting blindsided by Democrats.

Just as it did in 2006, when Republicans knew they were going to lose the governor's seat and more legislative races.

And just as it's been doing since Tuesday, when Democrats took the state's nine Electoral College votes, the other U.S. Senate seat and another congressional seat.

"I'm amazingly optimistic - but that's probably because I didn't have to run for re-election Tuesday," said Attorney General John Suthers, a Colorado Springs Republican.

"But there is no place to go but up."

U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, who is retiring this year, said the Republican Party has lost its message of "less government, taxes and regulations" and has not been as successful as Democrats at fundraising.

The Republicans' gnashing is familiar to Democrats, who in 1996 lost a U.S. Senate race they thought was theirs and in 1998 lost the governor's seat for the first time in 24 years.

"There was all this talk about we don't have a bench and what we have is too young or inexperienced," recalled Democratic political consultant Steve Welchert.

"It's a cyclical thing in Colorado. The pendulum swings and one party falls out of power."

Now the attention is focused on the Republicans' bench of veterans and newcomers with star potential - or, as Republican Jon Caldara, president of the Golden-based Independence Institute, likes to call them, the adults and the kids.

The veterans include Suthers, Allard and retiring Congressman Tom Tancredo.

The new guard includes a slew of state lawmakers and Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, who helped put a right-to-work measure on Tuesday's ballot.

Then there's the category Caldara likes to call the "wild cards."

It includes Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck and even Caldara himself.

"I'm sure there are some surprises out there," Suthers said.

Democrats can attest to that. In discussing their bench a few years ago, rarely did anyone mention Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter. Now he's governor.

Which direction should Republicans head?

"I think they'd be wise to look at someone totally new," Welchert said. "At some level they have to reinvent the Republican brand. If they give us Tom Tancredo for governor in 2010, we'll know what choice they made."

As part of their rebuilding, Republicans are mindful that the key to winning elections in Colorado is wooing unaffiliated voters because the voting blocs among Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters is almost identical.

Democrats in 2004 successfully portrayed Republicans as too concerned with social issues and oblivious to a $1 billion state budget crisis.

Suthers said Republicans in 2010 have to persuade unaffiliated voters that "it's not in their interest to have a government structure that is as far left as it is now."

He also mentioned avoiding the two kinds of candidates who have turned off unaffiliated voters in the past: the in-your-face social conservative and the candidate who believes all government is bad.

This year's losses fell under the leadership of Dick Wadhams, who assumed chairmanship of the state Republican Party in March 2007. His term is up in March.

If anyone's suggesting he's to blame for the losses, Wadhams said, they haven't done it to his face.

Wadhams also managed the campaign for Bob Schaffer, who lost the U.S. Senate race to Democrat Mark Udall.

Wadhams said he doesn't believe - as some Republicans and many Democrats suggest - that Schaffer was too conservative a candidate. Instead, Wadhams said, Schaffer was done in by a "perfect storm."

"Only in a year like this would Colorado elect - and this is the last time I'll say it - a Boulder liberal to the U.S. Senate," Wadhams said.

When Wadhams assumed the chairmanship, he predicted 2010 would be the Republicans' year. He still believes it.

"We will have tremendous opportunities," he said. "There is no permanent victory in politics and no permanent defeat, especially in Colorado."

Staff writer Chris Walsh contributed to this report.

Republicans on the GOP bench

Old guard

* U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard Retires this year.

* Bob Beauprez Gave up his congressional seat to run for governor in 2006 but lost and might be thinking of a rematch in 2010.

* Mike Coffman

Secretary of state, was just elected to Congress.

* Mark Hillman

Ran for state treasurer in 2006 and lost.

* Scott McInnis

Talks about running but so far hasn't; the former congressman has upset some Republicans with comments about their campaigns.

* Bill Owens

Says he loves being in the private sector as much as he used to love being governor.

* Bob Schaffer

Lost his bid for the U.S. Senate Tuesday. Few believe he would run statewide again.

* John Suthers

Makes only $80,000 a year as Colorado's attorney general and may be interested in private practice and making some money.

* Tom Tancredo

Retiring from Congress this year and made friends and enemies with his illegal immigration crusade.

New guard

* Troy Eid

Likely out of a job as U.S. attorney in general D.C. party change.

* Ryan Frazier

Aurora city councilman who helped put "right to work" on the ballot.

* Rep. Cory Gardner

The Yuma lawmaker already is lining up to run against Betsy Markey in 2010.

* Rep. Frank McNulty

of Highlands Ranch, is considered an up and coming leader.

* Sen. Josh Penry

The Grand Junction lawmaker lost his ballot measure Tuesday but is credited with helping defeat the Democrat in line to become speaker of the state House.

* Rep. Ellen Roberts

Durango lawmaker who might be considered too moderate to win a primary but moderate enough to win statewide.

* Rep. Rob Witwer

Genesee lawmaker who didn't run for re-election this year, citing his four young sons, but politicos expect him back on the scene.

Wild cards

* Ken Buck

Weld County district attorney whose wife is the deputy state party chairwoman.

* John Lynch

Former Broncos safety who rallied for John McCain.

* Frances and Monica Owens Former first lady and her daughter are visible at numerous political events.

* Walker Stapleton Grandson of the former legendary Denver mayor.

* Ed Tauer Mayor of Aurora.