As part of the continuing fallout from Grand Junction Rep. Laura Bradford's traffic stop last Wednesday, Arvada Rep. Libby Szabo has moved up a step in the House GOP Caucus, replacing Bradford as chair of the House Local Government Committee.
Despite the fact that chairmanship of the Local Government Committee isn't glamorous, it's an important distinction that Szabo will be able to make on mail pieces as she campaigns for re-election this year. Chairmanship of any committee, particularly as a freshman, is an important mark of "leadership" that a candidate is able to point to. "Local Government" is also a term that most voters can understand, and we wouldn't be surprised if Szabo tries to make the point that she's streamlining government as a whole from her perch as chair.
Framing aside, Szabo's new role in the House is also going to make Tim Allport'salready-uphill battle that much steeper. Although Szabo will lose the chairmanship if Republicans lose the House, lobbyists, particularly the vast number concerned with local government - think mass transit, land use, and city planning - have an incentive to keep Szabo in the House. Allport's ability to raise money from lobbyists, then, has been crippled: nobody's going to donate to Tim's campaign knowing full well how much it will upset Szabo, and more importantly, Szabo's gavel.
Unless Allport can decisively prove he's got the chops to beat Szabo, he's going to have a difficult time pulling in donors. Without donors, he's going to have a tough time proving he can take down an incumbent Republican in a district where Republicans have an 8% registration advantage.
With Dianne Primaveraitching to take back her old House seat, all eyes turned to former State Representative Sara Gagliardi. Gagliardi narrowly lost her 2010 election to Republican Libby Szabo.
Of course, Primavera likely decided to run after 2010 winner Don Beezely announced he wouldn't be seeking a second term. But Szabo is running for re-election, and her incumbency is probably enough to ward off a battle weary Gagliardi.
Gagliardi probably had a better chance than most to win her seat back for the Democratic caucus, but HD-27 has always been a tough nut to crack. Even after reapportionment, the Arvada seat is fairly favorable to Republicans. Treasurer Cary Kennedy lost the district with 47% of the vote in her 2010 campaign, and Republicans hold an 8% lead in registration numbers. Though it was a critical 2010 win for Frank McNulty, it's less likely that Mark Ferrandino will pour resources into the seat in 2012 - there are easier ways to gain back the majority.
Still, Democrats need a candidate capable enough to bolster races up-ballot despite a daunting fight to win the seat. Who, then, is going to run against Szabo?
Having served the people of Colorado as a public employee and as an active member of the community, I have a unique background and a strong passion to serve. As a long-time advocate for working families, I have seen Coloradans struggle during this long Recession. I am passionate about finding ways to get them back to work in good-paying jobs and providing a quality education for their children so that they grow up to have a real chance at finding success in America.
My family was always engaged in the political process and while my views have evolved, be assured that my commitment to civic responsibly is stronger than ever. I will work hard to improve our district, our community and the state of Colorado. Like most people who run for office, I have core beliefs, but am committed to getting things done. I will achieve results, respond to everybody and do a great job for the people of House District 27 and the City of Arvada, Colorado.
Thank you for your support.
Allport is a familiar face to many Democrats both in Arvada and the Denver Metro Area. He's the current chair of the Colorado Democratic Party's Labor Initiative and a staple of Democratic fundraisers across the county.
But can he win? Allport's certainly connected enough to the activist core of the Colorado Democratic Party, and we suspect that every notable Dem in Jeffco will at least go canvass for the labor leader. Whether or not he poses a serious threat to Szabo, however, all comes down to his fundraising. If Allport's numbers are competitive, HD-27 might be useful in the Democratic attempt to regain the House.
If Allport doesn't pull in the amount of money he needs to, however, it gives good reason for Democrats to ignore HD-27 and focus on easier ways to recapture the speaker's office. The next few weeks, then, will be critical to the overall viability of Allport's campaign as he both picks off low-hanging fruit and reaches out to new donors.
UPDATE: An official complaint has been filed, which likely means that Szabo will soon be facing a criminal charge unless a plea deal is struck.
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(Cross-posted from Colorado Pols)
There's a story in the main Denver newspaper today from Lynn Bartels about a woman who is unhappy that her picture was used in a negative mailer used to attack Rep. Sara Gagliardi that was sent out by Republican challenger Libby Szabo. But there's more trouble with this mailer than just a complaint from someone who was featured without her permission, and Szabo could be facing a felony charge as a result. Can you spot the problem?
The mailer sent out by Szabo uses the State Seal of Colorado in the background, which under Colorado law is a Class 5 Felony. We can't tell you why using the State Seal of Colorado carries such a harsh penalty, but the law is the law. The penalty for a class 5 felony is (a) a fine no less than $1,000 and a maximum of $100,000; (b) one to three years in prison; and (c) two years of mandatory parole.
In other words, somebody -- Szabo, her graphic designer, her mail house, etc. -- is in serious trouble here. It's not like there's really a good defense for this, because the proof is right there in front of you.
Some of you will remember 2008 SD-19 candidate Libby Szabo, who ran unsuccessfully against now-incumbent Sen. Evie Hudak of Arvada. It was an interesting race: Hudak, it can be gently said, doesn't have the most commanding stage presence. Fortunately her opponent was Szabo, who, if you haven't had the pleasure, has a voice even more nasal and grating than Craig Silverman.
Well, Libby Szabo is back this year, running against Sara Gagliardi in HD-27, and once again the focus of high GOP hopes.
Szabo was hurt in 2008 by a questionnaire filled out for Colorado Right to Life, where she indicated that she opposed all abortions--even in cases of rape. She strongly backed 2008's "personhood" initiative and is expected to do so again this year. Her base of political support primarily revolves around Faith Bible Chapel in Arvada, one of the more influential evangelical megachurches in the northwest Denver area.
Everybody's got freedom of religion, of course, and we'd say that religious belief should only become a political issue where someone applies religion to their politics. Libby's husband Denes Szabo is an instructor at the Faith Bible Institute of Biblical Studies, and a selection of his lectures is available on the church's website. Mr. Szabo's specialty is "Israel and the End Times," and on March 9th of this year, he had some interesting things to say about those "End Times"--and President Barack Obama. You, um, know where this isn't going, don't you? Audio excerpt, which you really have to hear to believe:
So, apparently some people have made T-shirts with a picture of Obama with a halo, and that's blasphemous, and the Anti-Christ is going to scare people by promising health care reform, and people are going to "fall for it hook, line and sinker," and...uh...
Of course, Obama's popularity has suffered in the last year and a half, making him a popular ogre for lots of disaffected people--sure. We get that. Despite this, we still tend to think if Libby or Denes say too much about Obama's eerie similarity with "the anti-Christ" on the campaign trail, Libby's candidacy for the House--at least among the majority of sane voters in HD-27--will get martyred about five minutes later. And being as how a strict evangelical interpretation of the New Testament leaves the wife without much standing to disagree with the husband (thank Apostle Paul, ladies), it's undeniably fair game to ask Libby if she does.
Some of you will remember 2008 SD-19 candidate Libby Szabo, who ran unsuccessfully against now-incumbent Sen. Evie Hudak of Arvada. It was an interesting race: Hudak, it can be gently said, doesn't have the most commanding stage presence. Fortunately her opponent was Szabo, who, if you haven't had the pleasure, has a voice even more nasal and grating than Craig Silverman.