http://www.denverpost.com/news/election/pol0810a.htm
National groups eye Columbine congressional race
By Stacie Oulton, Denver Post Staff Writer
August 10, 2000 - The nation's attention may again turn to the Columbine community this fall.
But it won't be directly because of the horrific high school shootings.
The race for the 6th Congressional District encompassing that area and central Jefferson County is expected to take on national importance as part of a larger battle over which party controls Congress and the omnipresent gun issue, both analysts and the candidates said.
"It's the only race there is," said political consultant Eric Sondermann.
Candidates will face off in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd congressional districts this November, but political observers say the 6th is the focus because money from the national parties and other groups will pour into the contest.
"Look at the money. There is only one race both national parties are investing in," Sondermann said.
Democrat Ken Toltz of Englewood is challenging incumbent Republican Tom Tancredo of Littleton, who won the seat two years ago.
Observers expect the amount of campaign contributions to be near record-breaking levels for a congressional contest. Two years ago in the race for the 2nd Congressional District between Mark Udall and Bob Greenlee, both of Boulder, contributions topped $3 million. It was the most expensive congressional race in Colorado history.
Toltz is an executive in his family dry-cleaning chain, but has vowed to limit contributions from his personal wealth to his initial $35,000. Tancredo has already amassed more than $860,000.
The 6th district, which covers central Arapahoe County and southern and central Jefferson County, is one of six seats nationally that Democrats are fighting hard to win in order to gain control of Congress. Even Republican leadership has tabbed Tancredo as "endangered" and is sinking more money into the race.
Guns - and their link to Columbine - will play a role.
"People all over the country are looking at (the Columbine area) to see what we are going to do about this horrible situation," Toltz said.
Tancredo is confident he will win, an easy position to take since the Democrats have never come close to winning the seat. Created 18 years ago, the seat has always been held by a Republican, the party with the most registered voters in the district.
Tancredo said his opponent's camp will
"mischaracterize" his voting record.
Toltz has called Tancredo's stances
"fringe," but analysts were dubious whether that will have much effect because Tancredo has moved toward the center on some issues.
"Is Tancredo too conservative for the district? He is probably to the right of the center of both the party and the district," said political pollster Floyd Ciruli. "The question is, is he too far?"
Incumbents in the other congressional races should coast to victory because of the dominance of party supporters in the district and powerful war chests, Ciruli said.
In the 1st Congressional District, Democrat incumbent Diana DeGette of is running against Republican Jesse L. Thomas, a health-care executive. Both are from Denver, a district dominated by Democrats.
"She is very, very safe," Ciruli said.
Thomas disagrees, saying DeGette has alienated several groups.
"We are extremely optimistic because we have a vulnerable incumbent," he said.
DeGette countered that any possible rough spots have been smoothed over.
"I always run scared. (But) I feel like I've been doing a good job for my constituents," she said.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Udall, the Democratic incumbent, faces Republican Carolyn Cox, a Louisville retiree largely focused on social security reform through a group called Economic Security 2000. Ciruli said Cox could make it competitive if she could bring national attention and money to that race.
In the 3rd Congressional District, Republican incumbent Scott McInnis of Grand Junction is being challenged by Curtis Imrie of Buena Vista, a donkey racer and documentary film maker. McInnis is a popular five-term incumbent in the district, which covers the Western Slope and Pueblo.
Copyright 2000 The Denver Post.
National groups eye Columbine congressional race
By Stacie Oulton, Denver Post Staff Writer
August 10, 2000 - The nation's attention may again turn to the Columbine community this fall.
But it won't be directly because of the horrific high school shootings.
The race for the 6th Congressional District encompassing that area and central Jefferson County is expected to take on national importance as part of a larger battle over which party controls Congress and the omnipresent gun issue, both analysts and the candidates said.
"It's the only race there is," said political consultant Eric Sondermann.
Candidates will face off in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd congressional districts this November, but political observers say the 6th is the focus because money from the national parties and other groups will pour into the contest.
"Look at the money. There is only one race both national parties are investing in," Sondermann said.
Democrat Ken Toltz of Englewood is challenging incumbent Republican Tom Tancredo of Littleton, who won the seat two years ago.
Observers expect the amount of campaign contributions to be near record-breaking levels for a congressional contest. Two years ago in the race for the 2nd Congressional District between Mark Udall and Bob Greenlee, both of Boulder, contributions topped $3 million. It was the most expensive congressional race in Colorado history.
Toltz is an executive in his family dry-cleaning chain, but has vowed to limit contributions from his personal wealth to his initial $35,000. Tancredo has already amassed more than $860,000.
The 6th district, which covers central Arapahoe County and southern and central Jefferson County, is one of six seats nationally that Democrats are fighting hard to win in order to gain control of Congress. Even Republican leadership has tabbed Tancredo as "endangered" and is sinking more money into the race.
Guns - and their link to Columbine - will play a role.
"People all over the country are looking at (the Columbine area) to see what we are going to do about this horrible situation," Toltz said.
Tancredo is confident he will win, an easy position to take since the Democrats have never come close to winning the seat. Created 18 years ago, the seat has always been held by a Republican, the party with the most registered voters in the district.
Tancredo said his opponent's camp will
"mischaracterize" his voting record.
Toltz has called Tancredo's stances
"fringe," but analysts were dubious whether that will have much effect because Tancredo has moved toward the center on some issues.
"Is Tancredo too conservative for the district? He is probably to the right of the center of both the party and the district," said political pollster Floyd Ciruli. "The question is, is he too far?"
Incumbents in the other congressional races should coast to victory because of the dominance of party supporters in the district and powerful war chests, Ciruli said.
In the 1st Congressional District, Democrat incumbent Diana DeGette of is running against Republican Jesse L. Thomas, a health-care executive. Both are from Denver, a district dominated by Democrats.
"She is very, very safe," Ciruli said.
Thomas disagrees, saying DeGette has alienated several groups.
"We are extremely optimistic because we have a vulnerable incumbent," he said.
DeGette countered that any possible rough spots have been smoothed over.
"I always run scared. (But) I feel like I've been doing a good job for my constituents," she said.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Udall, the Democratic incumbent, faces Republican Carolyn Cox, a Louisville retiree largely focused on social security reform through a group called Economic Security 2000. Ciruli said Cox could make it competitive if she could bring national attention and money to that race.
In the 3rd Congressional District, Republican incumbent Scott McInnis of Grand Junction is being challenged by Curtis Imrie of Buena Vista, a donkey racer and documentary film maker. McInnis is a popular five-term incumbent in the district, which covers the Western Slope and Pueblo.
Copyright 2000 The Denver Post.