Bennet faces surprise ‘toss-up’ primary for Colorado governor
Senator Michael Bennet, initially considered a strong contender for Colorado’s Democratic primary for governor, faces a tight race against Attorney General Phil weiser as the election approaches. The seat is securely in Democratic hands, but the primary reflects a broader intra-party contest between Bennet, seen as an establishment figure, and Weiser, positioning himself as an outsider or progressive challenger. Recent polls show Bennet’s lead has significantly narrowed,dropping from nearly 30 points to a slight deficit,with some attributing this shift to voters’ desire for change and increased support for progressive candidates following recent wins in New york and Washington,D.C.
Bennet’s attendance record in the Senate has come under scrutiny, with him missing many votes, which weiser and critics cite as a sign of insufficient commitment. The two candidates also clash over their opposition to Trump, with Weiser highlighting his numerous lawsuits against the administration, while Bennet’s record appears more bipartisan or less confrontational. The campaign atmosphere emphasizes the broader theme of insurgent,progressive energy challenging the conventional Democratic establishment.Meanwhile, in Colorado’s congressional races, incumbents like rep. Diana degette also face primary challenges from younger, more progressive contenders. the race exemplifies the growing influence of progressive movements within the Democratic Party and the potential shift away from established leadership.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) was thought to be a shoo-in for Colorado’s Democratic primary for governor. But on the eve of the election, the well-known senator and 2020 presidential candidate found himself in a “toss-up” race against Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.
With the seat solidly in the Democrats’ court, the real fight is the Tuesday primary. It presents the latest high-profile showdown in the party between a more establishment candidate, Bennet, and someone who’s positioned himself as the insurgent outsider, Weiser.
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It also comes on the heels of Democratic socialist wins in New York and Washington, D.C., breathing new fire into underdog campaigns challenging what they see as complacent, status quo Democrats serving in the nation’s capital.
“I think this right now is a toss-up,” said Doug Friednash, a Colorado Democratic strategist and former chief of staff to Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) when he was governor. “I think the most important factor in this race is, who’s standing up to Trump more? Who’s fighting Trump? … Voters are super angry, generally, and they want to take it out on someone, and they want to see change.”
What was once a sizable lead of nearly 30 points just months ago for Bennet has all but dwindled. In one of the most recent polls, Bennet trailed Weiser by 9 points.
As his lead has diminished, so too has Bennet’s attendance record in Washington. In June, Bennet participated in just two of 62 Senate roll call votes, according to a Washington Examiner analysis.
Weiser has taken notice of his opponent’s absences.
“No. 1: Do your day job,” Weiser said in a recent campaign video. “He committed to doing it. We all need to do it. Missing votes is a bad look.”
The two men accuse one another of insufficiently combating President Donald Trump, whether it be Bennet crossing the aisle on occasion to support Republican nominees or what the senator says is an inadequate number of legal challenges mounted by Weiser against the administration.
A source close to the Weiser campaign noted he’s sued the Trump administration dozens of times. They referred to Bennet as a “creature of D.C.” with more than two years left on his second term. They also noted that Bennet has ducked on who he’d appoint as his successor if elected governor and forced to vacate his Senate seat.
“He hasn’t shown the fight that’s needed against the second Trump administration when it mattered, and still hasn’t,” the source said.
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The Bennet campaign declined to comment.
In the Denver-area 1st Congressional District, 68-year-old Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) is also feeling the pressure in a Tuesday primary against Melat Kiros, a socialist nearly three decades younger.
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But for Bennet, even with more time of late spent in Colorado and dozens of missed Senate votes in Washington, the perception of being an insider at a time when progressive challengers are having a moment with Democratic voters could spell doom for his campaign. The source close to the Weiser campaign added that Weiser “doesn’t call himself a progressive” but has the ability to ride the coattails of the “energy and enthusiasm for progressives.”
“Weiser is kind of viewed probably a little less as the establishment candidate. I think that may be a byproduct of not being in the Senate right now,” Friednash said. “I think having seen what happened in New York has energized the democratic socialists and younger voters in a way we haven’t seen for a while.”
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