The Denver Gazette reports that it is cosponsoring a Republican gubernatorial debate Tuesday with the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University. The debate is set to feature Scott Bottoms, a Colorado Springs pastor and state representative, and Barb Kirkmeyer, a longtime Republican figure and former Weld County commissioner.
The candidates are expected to answer questions on the economy, crime and public safety, TABOR, the state budget, energy, infrastructure, and affordability. The debate will be moderated by Shaun Boyd of CBS Colorado, Vince Bzdek of The Gazette and Denver Gazette, and Michael Brown of KOA. It will also be livestreamed on the Denver Gazette, Colorado Springs Gazette, and Colorado Politics websites.
The wrinkle, because politics cannot simply behave like adults for 90 minutes, is Victor Marx. The Denver Gazette reports Marx originally agreed to participate, then pulled out after his campaign complained about moderator Michael Brown. Centennial says Brown even offered to step aside, Centennial wanted him to stay, and Marx’s campaign did not return calls as organizers tried to work out a solution. Centennial still plans to leave a podium available in case Marx decides to show up.
The Bullet Point Brief
- The Denver Gazette and Centennial Institute are hosting a Republican gubernatorial debate at Colorado Christian University, which sounds suspiciously like the sort of place where Republican candidates should be comfortable answering Republican primary questions.
- Scott Bottoms and Barb Kirkmeyer are expected to participate and answer questions on actual governing issues: affordability, energy, crime, infrastructure, TABOR, and the state budget. You know, the stuff voters care about when campaign slogans stop moisturizing themselves.
- Victor Marx originally agreed to attend, then backed out after his campaign objected to Michael Brown as a moderator. His campaign says Brown’s conduct was not normal. Centennial says it tried to find a resolution and got silence. That is a disagreement worth noting, not a permission slip to vanish.
- Centennial says Brown offered to remove himself from the panel, but Centennial Director Greg Schaller wanted him to remain. CCU stood by the moderators, and Brown thanked the school for doing so. Apparently integrity now counts as breaking news.
- Marx also skipped the recent Weld County GOP debate, but The Denver Gazette reports he still plans to attend a June 2 debate sponsored by 9News, Colorado Politics, and the University of Denver. So he debates sometimes. Just not always when the room is inconvenient.
My Bottom Line
You have to wonder about a gubernatorial candidate who refuses to debate the other candidates and show up to answer questions at a public event his team did not sponsor. That is not strategy. That is political bubble wrap. Colorado does not need a governor who only appears when the furniture has been prearranged.
If a moderator is unfair, say so. Bring receipts. Then show up and beat the question. Voters can see through a bad moderator faster than consultants think. But skipping the event, scheduling something else, and leaving everyone to argue over statements and Facebook videos is exactly the kind of campaign theater that makes normal people reach for the mute button.
Republicans in Colorado have not won statewide in a long time, according to the article. That means the primary is not a cosplay convention. Candidates should be stress-tested in public, under lights, with unfriendly questions, bad angles, and no staffer standing nearby with a juice box and a rescue plan.
Bottoms and Kirkmeyer are showing up. Marx might still have a podium waiting. Good. Use it. Because if you want to run Colorado, you should be able to survive Lakewood on a Tuesday night.
Source: The Denver Gazette
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