Let the Ground Game Begin
Colorado's US Senate candidates Pete Coors and Ken Salazar held their final debate forum of the 2004 campaign last night in Pueblo, each trying to sway the tiniest segment of voters, as undecideds slowly disappear and take sides. Sounding the recent themes of the campaign, Coors tried to hang the Kerry anchor around Salazar's neck - telling the failed Dairy Queen franchise operator that he was trying to act Republican - while Salazar made the contorted accusation that Coors has proposed big liberal spending.
While debating is not a strong suit for the beer executive, the good news in all this is that the debate is taking place on the right turf. Bush's edge in popularity in the state is something both candidates are trying to take hold of, Coors explicitly and Salazar more subtly. The message of national security and fiscal conservatism are the resounding themes, and the Democrat is trying desperately to make himself look like anything but the liberal he is.
Meanwhile, the Post reports that Salazar is getting a lot more help (by a margin of 4-to-1) from the national party committee than Coors to run TV ads down the stretch. The speculation is rampant in the story as to what this means. Perhaps the most astute:
"I'd be surprised if Republicans were throwing in the towel three weeks out," said Eric Sondermann, a Denver political analyst. "But both candidates are moving towards a ground game. They realize there are very few persuadable voters they can turn around with a 30-second commercial." [emphasis added]
From Coors spokeswoman Cinnamon Watson:
"Salazar has been outspending us from the get-go," she said. "It's still a close race."
The point here is that the ground game is underway. Republicans are switching into a new phase of this campaign, which has been polled at a dead heat in recent weeks. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is deciding every day how and where to distribute scarce resources, when there are a number of races in play nationwide. Right or wrong, they've decided the race in Colorado is going to be won or lost in the trenches.
Cross posted at Mount Virtus.
While debating is not a strong suit for the beer executive, the good news in all this is that the debate is taking place on the right turf. Bush's edge in popularity in the state is something both candidates are trying to take hold of, Coors explicitly and Salazar more subtly. The message of national security and fiscal conservatism are the resounding themes, and the Democrat is trying desperately to make himself look like anything but the liberal he is.
Meanwhile, the Post reports that Salazar is getting a lot more help (by a margin of 4-to-1) from the national party committee than Coors to run TV ads down the stretch. The speculation is rampant in the story as to what this means. Perhaps the most astute:
"I'd be surprised if Republicans were throwing in the towel three weeks out," said Eric Sondermann, a Denver political analyst. "But both candidates are moving towards a ground game. They realize there are very few persuadable voters they can turn around with a 30-second commercial." [emphasis added]
From Coors spokeswoman Cinnamon Watson:
"Salazar has been outspending us from the get-go," she said. "It's still a close race."
The point here is that the ground game is underway. Republicans are switching into a new phase of this campaign, which has been polled at a dead heat in recent weeks. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is deciding every day how and where to distribute scarce resources, when there are a number of races in play nationwide. Right or wrong, they've decided the race in Colorado is going to be won or lost in the trenches.
Cross posted at Mount Virtus.
posted by Ben | 9:46 AM
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