Colorado's Big-Money Senate Race
These days, political interest groups with names like the Coalition to Protect Seniors come with a caveat: Figuring out who's backing them financially is nearly impossible. That's because rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court recently made it easier for individuals, corporations, and other interests to give unlimited amounts of money to such groups so they can spend it on ads that vilify candidates with opposing worldviews. A trade association based in Virginia called Americans For Job Security, for instance, funneled some $2 million into Ken Buck's coffers to help him beat Jane Norton during the Colorado Republican Party's most recent primary, notes The Denver Post, which reports that since early August, about $6.5 million has flowed into Colorado's U.S. Senate race.
While Democrat Michael Bennet is fighting to hang on to his seat, outsiders have invested more than twice the amount of cash into the race than the Buck and Bennet campaigns, ranking it the top contest in the country for such contributions.
In June, the U.S. House passed legislation that would have required more openness from donors, but the Senate killed the measure (via The Associated Press). The effects of giving without having to disclose political preferences publicly are hard to discern, but if polls are any indication, conservatives have the advantage.
Unaffiliated voters are turning their backs on Democrats, according to a 9News/Denver Post poll by Survey USA that has Buck leading Bennet 48 percent to 43 percent. Another poll by McClatchy-Marist shows Buck ahead 50 percent to Bennet’s 42 (via CNN).
If Obama hadn't Stolen the Senate Primary for Bennet...
liberals and progressives wouldn't be abandoning our party. Some are leaving the party, some are spliting their ballots. There is a great anger in the Colorado Party among the rank and file over the theft of our primary nomination for Michael Bennet. To those that say our Colorado Democratic Primary was not stolen, we offer the following evidence:
Gov. Ritter appointed Bennet even though none of the recommendation emails that Ritter asked for mentioned Bennet even once. The Denver Post said that the Obama White House pressured Ritter to appoint Bennet.
Prior to our primary vote:
Obama endorsed Bennet prior to our Caucus, County Assemblies or Primary vote.
Obama directly raised Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars for Bennet in Denver.
Obama Personally Campaigned for Bennet in Colorado and elsewhere.
Obama caused 460,000 Robo-Calls to be placed to Corado Dems with his endorsement.
Obama Joined a 20,000+ telephone conference call to Colorado Dems with his endorsement.
Obama caused thousands of Telemarketing Calls to be made to Colorado Dems From Washington DC, just prior to the Primary on Aug. 10.
Our corrupt State Democratic Party leaders allowed OFA to officially organize for Bennet and do it out of the State Democratic Party offices.
The DNC and DSCC gave all their Colorado Senate race money to Bennet, thus financially handicapping Romanoff and removing him from prime individual donor lists and preferential media treatment,
A huge Breach Of Trust With Rank & File Colorado Dems.
To get our Honest Primary back send a strong message to our Corrupt State and National Party Officials by
WRITING-IN "Romanoff"
or
Just Leaving the Space next to Bennet's Name "BLANK"
We need an Honest Primary in 2012.
OUR RIGHT to a fair and honest primary is too precious to lose over your fear of Republicans.