The Denver Post - Candidates Woo Rural Voters

Candidates Woo Rural Voters - April 2

The Denver Post

Grand Junction - For the first time, Colorado's three major gubernatorial candidates stood together on one stage Saturday to set themselves apart on hot-button issues ranging from health care to immigration while trying to convince an attentive Western Slope audience in mostly cowboy boots that they, too, bleed rural sensibilities.

The tenor of the debate, sponsored by the influential Club 20 action group, was evenhanded until near the end, when Republican candidate Marc Holtzman broke from the debate's format - structured to prevent direct sparring between him, party rival U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez and uncontested Democratic candidate Bill Ritter - and ambushed Beauprez, raising questions about his record when Beauprez had no time left to reply.

"You say that you're a fiscal conservative, but you are part of one of the biggest spending (Congresses) in the history of the world," Holtzman said, rattling off contradictions. "You say you're tough on immigration, but you were the only Colorado Republican to vote with the Democrat delegation to oppose a law which, if passed, would have cut off federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities."

Holtzman went on to blast Beauprez on two other issues, leaving Beauprez only able to stare blankly back at him.

The approach upset some audience members, who moved to the stage afterward to offer Beauprez back-pats of support.

"It speaks for itself," Beauprez said, refusing to respond to Holtzman when asked by a reporter.

The encounter illustrated an increasingly aggressive posture taken by Holtzman, who is considered a longshot in the race because of his short history on the state's political stage.

"That was the toss of the coin," Holtzman said, referring to the fact he was given the final closing statement.

The candidates came to the state's western frontier eager to convince more than 150 audience members that they have insights into the 20-county region's rural needs and dreams.

Ritter, sporting black boots and an informal sports coat, pointed to his roots growing up on a ranch east of Denver and the hard times that forced his mother to rely on welfare and forced him to rely on college aid.

"That's an investment story," said Ritter, a former Denver district attorney. "It made a difference in my life and my ability to make a difference in the lives of people."

Ritter said the state must protect its "vulnerable" people by investing in them, as the government did in him.

He later told the audience he's outraged by the fact that more than 700,000 state residents are uninsured and promised to convene a task force of the state's best minds to tackle the "crisis."

Beauprez, a former dairy farmer familiar with "getting mud on my shoes," swapped stories about champion bulls with livestock farmers before and after the debate. "You're in really good cow country," Beauprez assured one supporter from Walden.

Responding to a panelist's questions about the dramatic proliferation of methamphetamine-related problems across the Western Slope, the congressman promised to give law-enforcement agencies more tools, but was not specific.

Ritter said local law enforcement could count on support from the state and noted he helped push for a law that allows police to bring child-abuse charges against those who "cook" meth while youngsters are in the household.

Beauprez echoed Holtzman in calling lax border enforcement and unchecked immigration as big contributors to drug woes.

Holtzman, a former Secretary of Technology under Gov. Bill Owens and ex-president of University of Denver, spiced his responses with references to biblical figures and conservative luminaries such as Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich. But illegal immigration was his mantra.

"It's a horrible challenge and blight for this state to have to face 400,000 illegal aliens living in our state, almost 10 percent of our population, costing us $600 million a year in benefits. As governor, I will do anything I can to end those benefits for ... people who don't have any business living in this state."

Though Ritter did not offer a specific counterpoint to the concerns his GOP opponents expressed on immigration issues, he repeatedly urged the audience to consider compassionate approaches to issues.

"What you want to listen for are people who have responsible solutions, not political ones," Ritter said, reiterating his support for government investments in its people. "Listen to the people who have the right solutions, not just convenient political debate."

Audience members praised some aspects of the debate, but lamented that more questions than answers probably emerged during the forum, in part due to the formatting and hour-long time frame.

"These were some good points scored," said Doug Aden, a Western Slope resident. "But everybody will be looking for more specifics on issues like education and health care."

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