Alex Isenstadt's blog

WASHINGTON –Betsy Markey is about to enter Congress as a Democrat representing a conservative district that has been in Republican hands since 1972.

Maintaining the seat, as the Democrat conceded to reporters here today, is going to take some work.

“I need to listen to my constituents. I need to vote my district, my country, my conscience, and I need to keep in touch with [my constituents], to be honest about why I voted the way I voted, and to stay in touch, to listen, and solicit their feedback,” Markey said.

It’s been less than two weeks since Markey, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver), ousted U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Collins) in a bitterly fought contest, but Republicans are already lining up to challenge her in 2010. State Sen. Greg Brophy (R-Wray), Weld District Attorney Ken Buck, and Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) have all indicated an interested in running for the seat, which spans the Fort Collins area.

WASHINGTON - National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Ensign (R-Nev.) wants to make it absolutely clear: national Republicans are in Colorado's Senate race for good.

"The Colorado race has closed up, and that's the reason we're going to stay there. We're going to stay there up until the end," Ensign told an audience at a National Press Club breakfast Tuesday morning.

Pointing to internal polling figures showing Republican candidate Bob Schaffer five points down, Ensign said, "Basically, that's a very winnable race. It's a battleground in the presidential race and we're going to be there until the end."

WASHINGTON – Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mark Udall says comments he made on NBC’s Meet the Press last week were misconstrued as him suggesting that embattled U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) should step down from his seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

“My quotes were misreported,” Udall said in a brief interview outside the Capitol Friday morning, where he was to cast his vote on the financial rescue package coming before the House. “I said, in effect, that if I were in Mr. Rangel’s shoes I might step aside. But it’s up to Mr. Rangel. He’s an American hero, he’s an enormous asset to the Congress...”

Rangel, a nineteen-term congressman from New York City, is facing mounting questions over his finances. The Democrat has said he will pay $5,000 in unpaid back taxes on a beach vacation home he owns in the Dominican Republic. Rangel is also facing questions about owning four rent-controlled New York City apartments at below-market rates and using congressional stationary to solicit funds for the construction of an academic center bearing his name.

WASHINGTON – As the newspaper headlines change, so do political advertisements.

The conservative advocacy organization Freedom’s Watch, which launched a nearly $700,000 television advertising buy in Colorado’s hotly contested Senate race last week focusing on national security, is throwing a new ad into its Colorado rotation with a more economic-oriented message.

The 30-second ad, “Hey Elk,” takes aim at Democratic candidate Mark Udall for supposedly voting in favor of a $10 million earmark for an elk bridge. Like its “Department of Peace” ad launched several weeks ago, Freedom’s Watch’s new spot uses to humor to tweak Udall.

“Hey Roy, do you know where that Mark Udall elk crossing bridge is?” one elk asks another in the ad.

WASHINGTON – Patriot Majority is turning up the heat on Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer.

A new television advertisement entitled “Sweatshop” aired by the progressive organization criticizing Schaffer for his opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act goes so far as to suggest that Schaffer has turned a blind eye on forced abortions for garment workers.

“Garment workers forced to have abortions. Massive safety violations. Sweatshop wages. All on American soil, and documented by our government,” an announcer intones in the 30-second spot. “But Congressman Bob Schaffer says it’s not our job to fix these problems. Now, here in Colorado, Schaeffer won’t support a law to help working families earn better wages and healthcare benefits. Tell Bob Schaffer to start standing up for working families.”

WASHINGTON – National Republican Congressional Committee chair Tom Cole is set to launch a three-week national tour of house races, including a stop in Colorado.

While the schedule is still tentative, according to an NRCC source familiar with the plans, the trip will bring Cole to Colorado’s 6th Congressional district, where Republican Mike Coffman is running against Democrat Hank Eng. The trip is scheduled for Oct. 20.

Cole, a third term congressman from Oklahoma who is in his first stint as the GOP House campaign chief, is a top fundraising draw for House candidates across the country.

Senate candidate Bob SchafferIt’s been a busy week for outside groups in the hotly contested Senate race and the environmental organization League of Conservation Voters is the latest to hit the airwaves.

“Every drop of water is precious to the Western Slope,” an announcer says in the 30-second television ad. “But Bob Schaffer supported giving state government a $2 billion blank check to take water away from the Western Slope and send it to front-range developers. Schaffer has accepted over $400,000 from developers, dipping his fingers further into special interests and leaving Colorado high and dry.”

An LCV spokesperson did not specify the size of the media buy, but said the ad would be running in the Grand Junction media market.

DENVER – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) singled out Betsy Markey as a strong Democratic challenger in a short interview with PolitickerCO.com today.

“In this state we believe we have an excellent opportunity. Betsy Markey is a wonderful candidate,” said Hoyer, who is here this week to attend the Democratic National Convention.

Markey, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver) is challenging three-term U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Collins) in what is widely seen as a hotly contested race. Politicker.com’s Pindell Report currently ranks the race as the 14th most competitive in the nation.

When it comes to the outlook for his party in House races this fall, meanwhile, Hoyer is betting outright that Democrats expand their majority big time.

“…I think we are going to pick up a substantial number of seats,” he said.

DENVER – U.S. Rep. John Salazar (D-Manassa) hosted a Wednesday evening fundraising reception for the Blue Dogs, the coalition of conservative House Democrats.

The event, held atop the Hyatt Regency and overlooking the city, kicked off after the evening’s official convention proceedings came to a close.

Attending the event was several members of the coalition, including U.S. Reps. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), John Tanner (D-Tenn.), U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) and several Blue Dog-endorsed candidates, including Colorado 4th District Congressional candidate Betsy Markey, Nevada 2nd Congressional District candidate Jill Derby, and Florida 13th Congressional District candidate Christine Jennings.

With the Democratic National Convention being held here this week, Salazar is the coalition’s hometown boy. The congressman has represented the Western part of the Centennial State for two terms. 

DENVER – To say that it’s a big week for Gov. Bill Ritter would probably be something of an understatement.

As his state plays host to the Democratic National Convention, the world’s eyes are on the state and the Democratic governor.

PolitickerCO.com caught up with the first term governor as he was hurriedly walking out the doors of the Grand Hyatt and posed a simple question: How are things going?

“Fantastic,” he said. “Everything out here is still very smooth, so that’s good.”