In Colorado’s only real competitive congressional district, Democrats plan to turn Northern Colorado blue. Will they succeed?

More on that in a moment on the Face The State Radio Minute.

Democrat congressional election officials have named Colorado’s fourth congressional district as a target for its “Red to Blue” campaign. To use the same analogy, the race there is likely to be more “black and blue,” as incumbent Marilyn Musgrave dukes it out with challenger Betsy Markey. Both camps are amassing huge war chests to ensure victory in November.

Musgrave holds an advantage in total fundraising, but the redoubled effort in support of Markey will help to close that gap.

Musgrave’s historical focus on divisive social issues may now be a liability. For her to win, it’s time to focus on issues of broad appeal like high energy prices. In a region full of oil and gas resources, she can win on a strong energy platform. But if Musgrave sticks to business-as-usual, she’s in for a rude awakening.

For FaceTheState.com, I’m Brad Jones.