Romney still strong in Mesa County

By Gary Harmon
Saturday, February 4, 2012

Four years ago in the Mesa County caucuses, Mitt Romney made mincemeat of his Republican opposition in the race for the Republican nomination for the presidency.

Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, garnered 1,189 votes, or 67 percent, from Mesa County Republicans in the state’s presidential preference poll, according to Colorado Republican Party records. John McCain pulled 275 votes, or 15.5 percent, barely ahead of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Two days later, Romney withdrew from the race, and McCain captured the nomination, only to lose to Democrat Barack Obama in November.

This time around, the same Romney machinery is in place in Mesa County. Only one other candidate who was on the Republican radar screen then, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, is there again this time around.

Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, however, are in the 2012 mix. There is scant evidence of a Gingrich campaign in Mesa County, while Santorum pitched his bid to western Colorado voters with a campaign stop Saturday in Montrose.

Romney, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, enjoys substantial support from other Mormons, said Barbara Brewer, chairwoman of his Mesa County campaign, but she insisted Romney’s appeal extends beyond religious beliefs.

“We’ve made a concerted effort to make sure that there’s a wide range of support for Gov. Romney,” Brewer said.

“It can be quite a voting bloc,” Ed Stephens, a county commission candidate and longtime party official, said of the LDS membership in the Grand Valley.

Romney’s caucus forces won’t go unchallenged in Mesa County, Paul backer David Cox said.

As many as 50 people have attended Paul campaign organizational meetings, Cox said, noting people who already are familiar with caucus procedures, and the persuading that goes on in them, haven’t needed to be trained, so Paul’s numbers could be larger.

Last time around, Paul garnered 81 votes, or 4.6 percent, in Mesa County.

Local candidates’ hurdle

Romney and Paul forces won’t be the only Republicans angling for support at the caucuses, which begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday in 32 locations across the county.

A flock of candidates is working to acquaint voters with the caucus system, in which there are now 57 instead of 82 precincts. Party officials fretted that voters might be unaware of the caucuses because the county only approved the new lines early this year. Voter change cards, which are to be sent to all voters notifying them of their new precincts, had yet to arrive last week.

The caucuses mark the first hurdle for the five Republicans vying for the nomination for Mesa County Commissioner District 3, the west side of the county, and the three candidates in Commissioner District 1, the east end of the county.

Wes D’Aponti, one of the five in District 3, said he is mounting a two-pronged effort, one with himself and more than a dozen surrogates trying to hit as may caucuses as possible. He has sponsored three meet-and-greet events later this month in hopes of gaining greater voter, and delegate, recognition.

The results of caucuses aren’t as clear cut as the presidential preference poll. The idea is to garner the support of delegates to the county convention, where contenders will face off for spots on the August primary ballot.

Delegates, however, often are fair game to be persuaded after they’re chosen from their precincts, making the process more dicey for the candidates who need their votes.

Candidates who fall short at the convention have to file petitions to secure room on the ballot, a move often frowned on by party regulars.

Many possible participants in the caucuses are unaware the political season is fast upon them, said Fruita Mayor Ken Henry, a candidate for the Commissioner District 3 spot.

“I have to say, please give me five hours, two on Tuesday and three on a Saturday morning” at the county convention, Henry said.

“I sure am” working to get people to do just that, he said.

Fruita-area farmer John Justman opted for an agricultural allusion for his caucus preparations.

“We’re plowing,” Justman said.

East valley race

Many voters already are looking forward to the election and past the caucuses, District 3 candidate Christi Flynn said.

“Everyboy is looking forward to getting rid of the old and have the new come in, even if the old did pretty well,” Flynn said.

On the east end of the valley, Paul Nelson, Rose Pugliese and Woody Walcher are trying to secure their own spots for Commission District 1.

Nelson and Pugliese said they picked up on strong grass-roots interest in the caucuses,  which is good, but newcomers might struggle to understand the rules of the caucuses.

“Some people understand that, but there is a ton who don’t,” Nelson said.

Most of the people with whom she’s working have been to caucuses before, Pugliese said, adding she hopes frustrations among political conservatives will turn into energy she can tap at the caucuses.

“People are fired up and want to get involved,” Pugliese said.

“Our boat’s making a wake in the water,” Nelson said.

Woody Walcher, the third Republican in District 3, said he had “no definitive plan” for the caucus, but he is providing pamphlets to voters and in precinct packets.

“If people want to vote for a business person, they can vote for me,” Walcher said. “Or they can vote for the lawyer (Pugliese) or the Realtor (Nelson,) I guess.”