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Examining ‘The Colorado Model’
Weekly Standard Executive Editor Fred Barnes penned an article, “The Colorado Model,” in this week’s edition of the magazine that is definitely worth checking out if you are in any way interested in Colorado’s recent electoral trajectory.
The article, which undoubtedly takes a conservative slant on Colorado’s recent blue shift, contained a few paragraphs that are worth highlighting:
“Two policies helped set the stage for the emergence of the Colorado Model. Term limits, enacted in 1990, forced experienced Republicans out of state office, leaving open seats easier for Democrats to win. And a new campaign finance law limited individual contributions to $400. This allowed independent TV and radio ads and direct mail financed by the Gang of Four to have a disproportionate impact on elections.”
[…]
“Absent the Democratic headwind, (Bob) Schaffer would have a reasonable chance of winning. But his prospects could be further hampered by an antiabortion referendum on the ballot this November declaring that life begins at conception. If abortion becomes a major issue, Schaffer, who is pro-life, might lose the votes of suburban Republican women. ‘We don’t need this,’ (Dick) Wadhams says. In recent years, Republican female voters have tended to stray.”
Make of them what you will, but we found them noteworthy.
* * *
One thing the article overlooked and is worth pointing out: Conservative bloggers and what some might call “activists” have answered the call of liberal’s, to this point, strong online presence. One needs only look to Face the State or Schaffer v. Udall to see that conservatives do, in fact, have a voice pushing back.
*Mountain photo from The Daily Sentinel archives.
Comments
By Gary
July 14, 2008 12:33 AM | Link to this
What a brilliant strategic “cold war misinformation” game plan by Dominic DelPapa and Al Yates to leak that “calculatory” memo into Republican hands. Got the Rocky publicizing, Republicans scratching their heads and Fred Barnes praising Democratic smarts and doing their work for them. These guys are geniuses!