U.S. Republican Party

Are Cubans just Mexicans with connections?

Scott Gessler is always right...right?

Fiscal cliff deal: "Borrowing is economic cocaine," says Dick Lamm

Former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm is speaking out about the last-minute deal in Washington D.C. to avert a fiscal cliff -- and backing Senator Michael Bennet, who defied his party and a Senate majority to vote "no." Lamm, who is part of the national Campaign to Fix the Debt effort, slams the plan, ... More >>

CBI homes in on death-threat calls to Scott Gessler

Reader: If Republicans had backed Amendment 64, young people still wouldn't have gone GOP

In an interview last week, former gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo argued that true conservatives should have supported Amendment 64 -- but he doubted that more Republican support would have driven many young voters to the GOP. One reader agrees in language that would likely please the ex-Congre ... More >>

Photos: Mitt Romney loss prompts anger, heartbreak at Colorado Republican watch party

Sell the house. Lay off employees. Shut down the business. Prepare for the children to move back home. These are some of the stories of gloom, doom and dread that Mitt Romney supporters at Denver's official GOP watch party shared as news broke -- rather suddenly, and before they even knew Colorado ... More >>

Why do musicians endorse candidates?

There's probably a certain amount of sincerity involved when a famous musician endorses a political candidate. But even the most un-cynical, democracy-loving patriot will have to admit that there's a hell of a lot more to the rock star/candidate public union than just fiscal policy. Endorsing a poli ... More >>

Photos: Ten Obama supporters on why they've already voted (or not)

In Colorado, there is a roughly even split between Democrats and Republicans registered to vote this election -- but based on a report sent out this morning, 38,059 more Republicans than Democrats have cast ballots so far in early voting, which ends today. Yesterday, at Obama's Boulder rally, we ask ... More >>

Why the Obama campaign might want to rethink continuing to use U2's "City of Blinding Lights"

There's no question that the President -- in town this evening to debate Mitt Romney -- is a huge music fan. From quoting Sam Cooke during his '08 acceptance speech to randomly singing Al Green verses during a fundraiser to citing Stevie Wonder as being responsible for his marriage, Obama is far and ... More >>

Photos: Eva Longoria, Valerie Jarrett come to Colorado to promote Obama 2012

If you're a woman, you would be totally friggin' insane to vote for Mitt Romney. That was the theme of most speeches at the official launch of Obama-campaign-sponsored Women Vote 2012 Summit Tour, which took place in Wheat Ridge yesterday afternoon with celebrity support from actress Eva Longoria.

"Big Bitch" policy divides DA candidates George Brauchler, Leslie Hansen

This week's feature, "Sucker Punch," traces how an assault at a heavy metal concert turned into a habitual criminal prosecution in Arapahoe County, with one of the defendants facing a mountain of time while the other got probation. In the three-way race for district attorney in the 18th Judicial Dis ... More >>

John Hickenlooper, Mike Coffman could see political fallout, pollster says

John Hickenlooper and Mike Coffman aren't exactly ideological twins. But at the end of this big political week in the State of Colorado, they both face political fallout, albeit for very different reasons: a special session that failed to pass civil unions and comments questioning Barack Obama's bir ... More >>

THC driving bill killed in plot that snuffed out civil unions measure

Last night, as One Colorado's Jace Woodrum noted during a talk with supporters, GOP leaders in the House sacrificed dozens of other measures in order to kill a civil unions bill. Prominent among them was the controversial THC driving bill, a version of which died last year. The result was a stunning ... More >>

"Cottage food bill:" Will Laura Bradford's troubles affect home bakers proposal?

GOP lawmaker Laura Bradford has been making headlines lately -- and not for her adorable "cottage food bill," also now being called the "sweet bill," which would allow bakers and cake-makers to sell their delicious wares directly to consumers. Will the future of House Bill 12-1027 be affected by Bra ... More >>

State of the Union: Five drinking games to get you through it

With Denver Mayor Michael Hancock in Washington last week and with the president scheduled to be in Denver this Thursday, we're in a political mindset. And as anyone who's seen the recent GOP debates can attest, political spectating often drives one to drink. In that spirit, here are five drinking g ... More >>

Med. marijuana: Eric Holder okay with lawful MMCs, but do threats remain?

Video below.​This week, Congressman Jared Polis quizzed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the Department of Justice's approach to medical marijuana; see a video of the exchange below. For the most part, Holder suggested that MMJ businesses following state law are not Department of Justic ... More >>

Private prisons thrive on greed and bad policy, new report says

​Back in the lock-em-up frenzy of the 1990s, overcrowded state prison systems relied heavily on the emerging private prison industry to handle their excess inmates. Now that state prison populations are falling, you might expect the private sector to be taking a few hits, too -- but guess agai ... More >>

Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier wants to be Aurora's next mayor

Ryan Frazier​Perennial politician and former Westword cover boy Ryan Frazier has done what many people expected and joined the race to become Aurora's next mayor. Four other candidates have already announced their intentions: Debbie Stafford, Steve Hogan, Sheilah Thomas Davis and Jude Sandvall ... More >>

"Stoner" misspelling honors "Westworld"

DIA needs to allow craft beer as a carry-on

Tim Tebow start to bring some Broncos orange sunshine to Oakland's black hole?

Tim Tebow & pal.​We bring these Denver blog posts to you with love. Mile High Report fan poster OrangeCrush19 thinks that whether Kyle Orton's ribs are better by the weekend or not, the time has come for the Mile High Messiah. Colorado Independent's John Tomasic: In the GOP chairman race, Di ... More >>

Muhammad Ali Hasan: The newly minted Democrat has some other surprises

Ali Hasan.​Muhammad Ali Hasan is older and wiser. There is less swagger and more introspection when he talks. He's a Democrat now. And interfaith, reaching out to Jews and Christians as well as Muslims. Oh, and he's changing his name -- to Muhammad Miguel Ali Hasan -- in order to honor his rec ... More >>

Michael Bennet the next Al Franken?: Read Republican Party chair Michael Steele's op-ed

Michael Steele.​Michael Bennet's camp knows turnout will decide if he retains his Senate seat or loses it to Ken Buck -- and so does Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. In conjunction with the launch of NoMoreFrankens.com, a website using the SNL performer turned Minnesota s ... More >>

Dan Maes worse than Christine O'Donnell?: National press pummels GOP guv nominee

Dan Maes.​These days, Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Maes isn't getting much love in Colorado, where one poll shows him with just 5 percent support, to the delight of Tom Tancredo. But the national press he's getting of late may be even uglier, with one major source wondering if he's the ... More >>

Dan Maes spokesman not worried about falling below 10% support, thinks TV ad may turn tide

Dan Maes.​Last week, Colorado Republican Party boss Dick Wadhams said he wasn't worried about Dan Maes falling beneath 10 percent support. But plenty of other folks seem to be, judging by today's Denver Post, which outlines the prospect of the GOP winding up with minority party status if Maes ... More >>

DREAM Act rejection will come back to haunt Republicans, warns CO immigrant advocate

At the rally.​On Monday, advocates rallied at North High School in favor of the DREAM Act, which would have provided a path to citizenship for undocumented graduates from U.S. high schools. (See a recap and photos here.) But yesterday, Senate Republicans stalled the measure, likely killing it ... More >>

Ali Hasan's mom, Seeme Hasan, tells Talking Points Memo she may leave Republican Party

Ali Hasan.​While Ali Hasan -- wearing a bolo tie as well as "Muhammed" in front of his name -- proudly proclaimed himself a Republican as he pushed for the controversial Muslim community center/mosque project near Ground Zero on Fox News last week, his mother was telling Talking Points Memo th ... More >>

Dan Maes's lieutenant governor wish list, from Tea Party leader Lesley Hollywood

Lesley Hollywood at April Tax Day rally.​Update below: It's deadline day for Dan Maes to announce his choice for lieutenant governor, and speculation continues among his followers about who'll get the nod. But you can cross one buzzed-about name off the list: Lesley Hollywood, director of the ... More >>

John Elway for governor -- a Hail Mary for the Republicans

John Elway.​"Is there anything we can do to win the governor's race?" asked registered Republican Jon Caldara, moaning and grabbing what would be his hair, during yesterday's taping of Devil's Advocate (the show airs tomorrow on Channel 12). Well, yes, I told him: You can convince John Elway, ... More >>

Scott McInnis finally concedes to Dan Maes in primary for Republican governor nomination

Scott McInnis.​Last night, most of us knew that plagiarism-troubled Scott McInnis had narrowly lost the Republican governor's nomination to Liberty Movement favorite Dan Maes -- but he put off conceding. Now, however, he's finally grasped reality after several hours of folks like GOP boss Dick ... More >>

Carmelo Anthony could team up with Chris Paul in Denver via massive four-team deal

Carmelo.​How many Denver blog post links? Three! Roundball Mining Company's Jeremy has a plan to bring Chris Paul to Denver in a four-team deal involving Chauncey, Nenê, J.R., Kenyon and Ty. Whew! Lakewood Edge's Charley Able reports on a proposal that would have eliminated special election ... More >>

Teabaggers, Muslims and other name-calling in Jane Norton's Senate race

Based on early returns, the U.S. Senate race in Colorado this year is shaping up to be one gloriously ugly mudwallow, with GOP candidate Jane Norton painting the opposition as terrorist-loving pansies and the Dems firing back with clips that depict Norton as a Tea Party nutjob.

Latino support of Bill Ritter remains strong despite Stephanie Villafuerte nomination withdrawal

Polly Baca sees comparisons to the treatment of Stephanie Villafuerte and Sonia Sotomayor.​Talk about some potentially awkward timing. The day after Stephanie Villafuerte withdrew her nomination as U.S. Attorney for Colorado, a group of forty Latino leaders is scheduled to endorse the re-elect ... More >>

Tom Tancredo: "I fully intend to run" for governor

Photo by John JohnstonTom Tancredo wants to run for all the right reasons.​A short time ago, Tom Tancredo was at Denver International Airport. "I'm going to Houston," he said. "I have a speech I'm making to the Texas Coalition for Immigration Reform, or something like that." But Tancredo took ... More >>

Denver Blogs: Sperm Egg doesn't equal big donations

Destination: Ovum!​Local blogs for locals like you. Former Colorado Independent staffer Wendy Norris launches Western Citizen, her new online news project, with a story about the tough financial times being faced by backers of the latest personhood amendment. Fetus don't fail them now. John ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Marilyn Musgrave fights Bill Owens (no, not that Bill Owens)

​Marilyn Musgrave's political career rose from the dead last week, as the former Colorado congresswoman and current director of the Susan B. Anthony List's Votes Have Consequences project campaigned for the election of Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate running for the 23rd Congres ... More >>

Ali Hasan could be a Colorado leading man

Pro-Palin blogger Adam Brickley still in SarahCuda's corner

Adam Brickley on "The Colbert Report" last year. Alaska governor Sarah Palin's surprise announcement on Friday that she'll be leaving her office eighteen months early because -- well, just because -- distressed many of the GOP faithful. But it didn't upset Adam Brickley, the Colorado blogger credit ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Ward without end, and other long-running controversies

News is busting out all over today -- and not just in Denver District Judge Larry Naves's courtroom, where Ward Churchill may take the stand in his case against the University of Colorado, now starting week two. Or on the Auraria campus, where veteran newshounds of the Rocky Mountain News will un ... More >>

Did you know Mike Coffman was running for Congress?

John McClane for President

Donkey Business

Rudy Giuliani for the Low, Low Price of $1000

Wed Alert

Marilyn Musgrave will be singing a different tune.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of August 29, 2002

Life of the Party

Winning the Governor's Mansion could be a religious experience for the GOP.

Rules Made to Be Broken

Confusion reigns on Amendment 15, and the secretary of state takes heat for her campaign-finance edicts.

Off Limits

AGAINST THE WIND

CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION, GALE NORTON'S QUEST FOR THE SENATE WILL BE ANYTHING BUT A BREEZE.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW