Barrie Hartman's Election Predictions
Author: Julie Gordon
The Boulder Daily Camera is making history this year by endorsing a Republican candidate for president, Barrie Hartman, editor of the paper's editorial page, said at Boulder Tomorrow's luncheon on Oct. 26.
The Camera is owned by Scripps-Howard News Service, which reserves the right to endorse the president of its choice, Hartman said. According to Hartman, a newspaper endorsement is worth about 1,500 votes. A note was placed in the Oct. 29 edition of the Camera when the endorsement came out, saying that George W. Bush is not the Camera's choice but Scripps Howard's.
Discussing the 2000 election at the local level, Hartman said the county commissioner race between Paul Danish and Kevin Probst has been the most exciting for him to watch.
Hartman gave his predictions about which candidates will win this year's election at the local level.
Mary Keenan will be the next District Attorney, Hartman said. Keenan, who is competing against Dave Sanderson, has more name recognition and also has an advantage being a woman, Hartman said.
Democrat Mark Udall will be re-elected to the Second Congressional District, prevailing over his opponent Republican Carolyn Cox, Hartman said. "If Bob Greenlee, with his name and reputation, couldn't beat Udall two years ago, I don't see how anyone could beat him now," he said.
Pam Rhodes, a Republican, will defeat Democrat Paul Zimmerman in the race for House District 31, Hartman said. "They had a very close election last time," Hartman said. "Pam Rhodes is very well connected with the churches and so forth, and I think she has a good chance of winning this time. Paul in all honesty does not have too much of a glittering record, so he's very beatable and I think she will probably do that this time."
And Republican John Vanderhart, who ran for county commissioner four years ago, will beat opponent Democrat Tom Plant in the race for House District 13, Hartman said. "Plant, in my estimation, is a very good legislator, but he certainly is beatable, and especially by somebody as qualified as John Vanderhart," Hartman said.
In the race for House District 14, Kevin Heupel, an assistant attorney general, will win over lawyer Alice Madden, Hartman said. What impresses me about him is that he's really working very hard on his campaign," Hartman said, mentioning that he sends thank-yous to people he meets. "I'm not so sure it's a shoe-in for Alice. She's not as well known. I can't say that she's a shoe-in, particualy when she's running against a guy who is as politically smart as Kevin is."
There's a possibility that for the first time in quite a while, the Boulder County delegation could be dominated by Republicans, Hartman said.
Democrat Ron Tupa is a shoe-in for Senate District 18, Hartman said.
Republican Ken Arnold, a retired state patrolman, will be re-elected to Senate District 23, beating Democrat Mike Massarotti, a retired Adams County school superintendent, Hartman said.
In the CU Board of Regents race, Republican Pete Steinhauer will be re-elected, prevailing over Democrat Burke Beu, Hartman said.
Hartman also predicted that the Seconds Count initiative will lose.
Bob Greelee, who attended the Boulder Tomorrow meeting, said he agreed with most of Hartman's projections, but that he thought the Senate District 23 race between incumbent Ken Arnold and Mike Massarotti would be closer than Hartman had said.
Boulder Tomorrow member Bruce Dierking encouraged the audience to support Issue 201, which would provide extra funding for affordable housing. "Any help that the business community can bring now is going to make a big difference, and frankly may make the difference between having this pass and being able to address this problem in a meaningful way, or really having this issue pushed to the back burner and next year be back fighting more anti-business, anti-growth," Dierking said.
Boulder Tomorrow's next luncheon will be Nov. 30, again at the Angel Pines Country Club, 5706 Arapahoe Road, from noon to 1:30 p.m. City councilors Rick Lopez and Dan Corson will discuss the economic sustainability subcommittee that they chair. After a break for the holidays, there will be another luncheon on Jan. 26, with Chancellor Richard Byyny and city manager Ron Secrist will be on a panel CU and the city going forward.
