Last Saturday, the four Republican candidates seeking to replace Congressman Tom Tancredo in Washington spoke to the Douglas County Young Republicans.
In October, Congress Tancredo announced he was not going to seek re-election to the 6th Congressional District of Colorado, leaving the field open to the current four candidates of Secretary of State Mike Coffman, Senator Ted Harvey (District 30), Senator Steve Ward (District 26), and businessman Wil Armstrong, the son of former Senator Bill Armstrong.
Wil Armstrong, the first speaker, emphasized his candidacy as a "citizen legislator", a business man who would bring a different resume to Washington than the other "politicians". Mr. Armstrong did not mention why he changed his mind about going through the assembly process and is going to petition onto the ballot.
Senator Steve Ward spoke about his recent return from Iraq, where he was serving as a Colonel in the United State Marine Corp addressing issues relating to the Iraqi government. He spoke of the need to establish a viable definition of "victory", favoring benchmarks and deadlines to do so. He also acknowledged that establishing a democratic American-friendly government in Iraq was achievable, while recognizing that Iraqi culture and the current leadership may not allow a style of government that "Common Cause would approve".
Senator Ted Harvey spoke to the crowd about continuing his record of conservative leadership in the Colorado Assembly if he were elected to Congress, promising "to be Nancy Pelosi's worst nightmare". Senator Harvey cited his vast list of supporters and past awards, including Legislator of the Year in 2003 by Colorado Right to Life with the passage of his bill requiring parental notification for minors seeking abortion.
Secretary of State Mike Coffman addressed the crowd and spoke about his personal commitment to provide adequate medical care for returning veteran's, reminiscing about visiting Fitzsimmons Army Hospital as a youth during the Vietnam war, where he volunteered to assist the wounded where he could. He spoke of his own personnel military service, having followed the example of his father, who had managed to join the U.S. military in WWII, despite being too young.
He spoke of his early business efforts, and lobbying his own state representative, Bill Owens, to whose seat he was eventually elected himself. I felt the most important answer Mike answered was this author's question about the conflict Republicans might feel about electing Mike to Congress with the realistic expectation that Governor Bill Ritter would appoint State Senator Ken Gordon to the office of the Secretary of State - a bitter thought after the close victory Mike had obtained over the former criminal defense attorney of ex- C.U. professor Ward Churchill.
Mr. Coffman pointed out that Senator Gordon had more "power" while in the Senate, affecting the substance of the law, than he would in the Secretary of State's office, and with the added benefit of Mike's leadership in Congress, Colorado would benefit.
One thing was clear from the candidates' time with the friendly Republicans from Parker - Colorado's 6th Congressional District is going to be well served in Congress, as all four candidates arehonorable men of good character, who spoke well of each other. Let's hope that these campaigns stay on such respectable terms.
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