Face The State Staff Report
Voters headed to the polls today to decide the outcome of Colorado's most competitive primaries, with excitement extending far beyond closely contested match-ups in the state's 2nd and 6th Congressional Districts. Local state House and Senate races also buzzed with activity, with last minute strategies appearing as diverse as the candidates themselves.
“I’m so stressed, I’m calm,” said Rep. Alice Borodkin, D-Denver, who is hoping to replace term-limited Sen. Ken Gordon in Senate District 35. Reached by phone, Borodkin said she was out at the corner of Hampden and Monaco this morning with a life-size cut out of herself in tow.
In May, Borodkin's campaign was the recipient of much attention after Borodkin wrote her primary opponent, Joyce Foster, a personal letter that shocked many political insiders. In the letter, Borodkin confronted Foster about her son, David Foster, a lobbyist, questioning potential ties between his lobbying and Foster's voting record, should Foster be elected.
“I got about four calls from people who were angry about it, but they were all members of Temple Emanuel and going to vote for Joyce anyways,” Borodkin said. Foster’s husband is the head rabbi at Temple Emanuel.
In an email to Face The State, Foster wrote that she spent the day "waiving signs morning/night," taking a midday break to call supporters to make sure they voted. Borodkin took a more laid back approach, saying she planned to "hang loose" for the rest of the day. "I don’t know if you can change people’s minds at this point," she said.
Liz Adams, a Democrat running in House District 6, disagrees. Adams is one of five candidates – two Republicans and three Democrats – vying to replace term-limited House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. The other Democrats are Lois Court and Josh Hanfling. Adams said that in a three-way primary, every vote counts. “We’ll work down to the last minute to make sure everyone votes,” she said, adding her intention to knock on doors this evening before the polls close at 7 p.m.
Like Borodkin, Court and Hanfling took to busy street corners this morning waiving signs. Rabblerouser Rep. Doug Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, chided those who think “honking and waiving” will make a difference. Bruce told Face The State he was “eating cereal and a sliced banana.”
Faced with a bruising primary against newcomer Mark Waller after a controversial legislative session, Bruce has self-funded his campaign, refusing to accept any contributions from political action committees, lawyers or lobbyists. “I don’t owe anybody anything except good government,” he said.
Republican Joshua Sharf, running against fellow Republican Rima Barakat Sinclair in HD 6, said he is going to spend today stopping by precincts and saying hello to poll workers and election judges. He also said he still needs to vote. “The primary is about who is best suited to carry the party banner in the fall,” Sharf said. “If I’m fortunate enough to win the nomination, then of course it will become about carrying the banner.”
SD 35 and HD 6 are Denver-centered districts and heavily Democrat, with the winners of those primaries heavily favored to win in November. The same theory applies to House District 15, where Bruce is running, where nearly 48 percent of registered voters are Republicans.
One thing all the aforementioned candidates do agree on: the need for a nap after all the campaigning is said and done. “My opponents are hoping it will be a 40-year nap,” said Bruce.