Even though Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, won Senate District 23 by over 10,000 votes in 2004, he is preparing for a tough re-election bid this year, believing that his seat is going to be highly targeted by Democrat-backing unions and millionaire-activist Tim Gill.
Senate District 23
Map courtesy CoMaps.orgStepping up to challenge Mitchell for the Democrats is Joe Whitcomb, an Army veteran and University of Denver law student. Whitcomb says he he running because Mitchell does not represent his values well, specifically objecting to Mitchell's stance on social issues. While Whitcomb has spoken openly about his support for gay rights and compulsory unionization, Mitchell is known for his pro-small business positions and his opposition to legalized marriage for gay couples.
Mitchell described the differences between the candidates as being "between a Pelosi Democrat and a Reagan Republican." The diverse district includes rural parts of Weld County and the more densely populated Broomfield, along with a small portion of Adams County that includes Westminster.
Broomfield boasts 22,022 residential units and continues to grow. It is a self-described city of neighborhoods, all of which are very walkable. Weld County is a bit trickier to reach because unlike the urban Broomfield and Westminster, this region is very rural, making it difficult for candidates to go door-to-door. Weld has lots of small towns and communities that tend to vote solidly Republican. Fort Lupton is also located in Weld County and has many Spanish speaking residents. In 2004 Mitchell, who is bilingual, walked Ft. Lupton three times and won that city even though residents there tended to vote Democrat on the national level.
Mitchell is now a known target of Gill, who openly goes after candidates with conservative positions on gay rights. While the Secretary of State's June 2nd cash on hand numbers show that Mitchell has $28,673.45 in the bank compared to Whitcomb’s $7.026.18, unions in recent years have been known to dump late summer cash infusions into Democrat campaign coffers.
Mitchell expects a similar infusion from Gill, who together with a coalition of other wealthy liberal activists, pumped millions into state legislative races in 2004 and helped Democrats overtake control of both houses of the state legislature for the first time in more than four decades.
With both sides estimating that 40 percent of the district will vote early - either through mail-in ballots or early walk-in voting - the race will likely be won or lost before November 4th's Election Day. Whitcomb says he has been knocking on doors since November and is trying to make sure that "people know who [he] is." Mitchell has also been aggressive in his voter outreach efforts. He plans to walk all 95 precincts in the district before election day.
“[Mitchell’s] loyalty to me seems to be to a free-market ideology and the devil may care the consequences,” said Whitcomb, “There is a time and a place for government intervention and the time and place is here.”
Mitchell, who is a successful attorney and the father of seven children, is hinging his prospects on his ten-year record of fiscal prudence and accountability, believing his small-government approach will appeal to the districts center-right voters.
"I believe that families know how to spend their money better than the government," he said.
Education, healthcare, the environment, and gas prices will be the big issues at play in the race. While Whitcomb heavily emphasizes his commitment to fighting global warming and protecting Colorado's natural landscape, Mitchell is also doing his part to appeal to voters increasingly concerned about damage to the environment. During this year's legislative session, Mitchell carried a bill that would make solar panels easier and more affordable to install. He was also the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 135, a bipartisan effort to make access to health care simpler and more affordable. It was signed into law June 3.
The district is also home to a hotly contested House District 33, another swing district where Republican businessman Nick Kliebenstein is launching a formidable campaign against Democrat incumbent Rep. Dianne Primavera. Check back with Face The State throughout the summer for updates on this race.