2006 Colorado gubernatorial election

The Colorado gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican governor Bill Owens was unable to run due to term limits, and the election was won by Democratic nominee Bill Ritter.

2006 Colorado gubernatorial election

November 7, 2006
 
Nominee Bill Ritter Bob Beauprez
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 888,095 625,886
Percentage 57.0% 40.2%

County results
Ritter:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Beauprez:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Bill Owens
Republican

Elected Governor

Bill Ritter
Democratic

Candidates

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Constitution Party

  • Clyde Harkins, former Department of Health and Human Services official

Libertarian Party

  • Dawn Winkler, executive director of Health Advocacy in the Public Interest

Independent

  • Paul Fiorino, dance instructor, business owner, educator, and activist (first unaffiliated candidate for Governor on the ballot by petition)
  • Charles "Chuck" Sylvester, Farmer, rancher, and former manager

Campaign

Victorious Democratic nominee Bill Ritter rallying supporters at the Colorado Democratic Convention in Greeley.

Ex-Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter emerged as the lone Democratic candidate after his rival, Breckenridge state representative Gary Lindstrom, dropped out of the race on February 28, 2006. Several high-profile Democrats reportedly mulled a run, such as Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, State House Majority Leader Andrew Romanoff, and others, but they never announced their candidacy, leaving Ritter as the sole Democratic candidate. Nevertheless, Ritter's personal opposition to the practice of abortion initially led to much division within the ranks of his fellow Democrats, fears that were not allayed even when Ritter insisted that he had no agenda to change state law on the issue. Other Democrats pointed out that Ritter's moderate platform could be appealing to voters in a state that has in the past been considered right-leaning. In the end, the lack of any challenge to Ritter eventually led to the support and endorsement of most of the state's leading Democrats and progressive institutions.

The Republican race was from the beginning hotly contested between House Representative Bob Beauprez, and former University of Denver President Marc Holtzman. While Holtzman, who has never before held elected office, was once considered a long shot for the nomination, his message resonated with some of the Republican base. Holtzman criticized Beauprez for compromising with Democrats on key issues and for offering only belated and lukewarm opposition to Referendums C and D during the 2005 campaign. Such criticism grew strident enough for Beauprez to announce in April that he would no longer attend political debates which also included Holtzman. He is a fairly well-regarded conservative in his area of the state, but was recently a recipient of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ARMPAC campaign contributions. DeLay is being prosecuted on charges of money laundering and finance charges. Beauprez has been criticized by many for keeping DeLay's money after the Texas politician was indicted.

The Democrats had a strong centrist challenger that has the potential to appeal to moderates on both sides. Ritter had experience as the Denver District Attorney, from working with the Denver Public Schools, and as a humanitarian worker in Africa. Beauprez benefitted from experience in the U.S. House of Representatives in an election in which he narrowly won, and from a state that has often leaned somewhat to the right politically. However, Beauprez is a conservative Republican who alienated some independent and moderate voters with his strong stance against many social programs and criticism of funding for public education, such as his staunch opposition to Referendum C (funding for higher education and temporary reversal of Taxpayers Bill of Rights).

Major candidates' stances

Issue Effective Ritter's
position
Beauprez's position Current law
Upholding Roe v. Wade Federal Oppose Oppose Upheld
Executive Wiretap Consent Federal Support Support Consent Required
Immediate Withdrawal from Iraq Federal Oppose Oppose Under Consideration
Capital Punishment: Murder Cases State Support Support Legal
Juvenile Life Sentences: Murder Cases State Support Support Legal
Guest Worker Program Federal Support Support Under Consideration
Immigrant Amnesty Federal Oppose Oppose Under Consideration
Embryonic Stem Cell Research State Support Oppose Under Consideration
School Vouchers State Oppose Support Proposed
Housing Subsidy Expansion State Support Oppose Under Consideration
Referendum C&D (2005) State Support Oppose Upheld
Referendum E State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Referendum F State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Referendum G State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Referendum H State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Referendum I State Support Oppose Ballot Initiative
Referendum J State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Referendum K State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Amendment 38 State Oppose Oppose Ballot Initiative
Amendment 39 State Oppose Support Ballot Initiative
Amendment 40 State Oppose Oppose Ballot Initiative
Amendment 41 State Support Support Ballot Initiative
Amendment 42 State Support Oppose Ballot Initiative
Amendment 43 State Oppose Support Ballot Initiative
Amendment 44 State Oppose Oppose Ballot Initiative

List of Debates

Grand Junction debate

In the first debate of the gubernatorial election, Ritter, Beauprez and Holtzman met at a public "town hall" style forum in the Western Slope city of Grand Junction. In the debate, largely a political "fire-fight" between GOP rivals Beauprez and Holtzman, Ritter made firm stances on the controversial 2005 referendums C and D (which both rivals consistently opposed), abortion, and the environment in regards to the economy and business. On the issue of illegal immigration, Ritter and Beauprez held back while Holtzman attacked the City of Denver, Beauprez, and the Democratic Party. Ritter expressed a plea for compassion while noting the seriousness of the issue.

In the aftermath of the first debate, which was both pre-primary and non-inclusive of third party candidates, political scientists found only one consistent result: the demise of Holtzman, who later dropped out of the race. In the polls that followed, a small gap (which would slowly increase) of Ritter's lead was consistent through the summer months.

August 11

In the first post-primary debate, as well as the first to include third party candidates Dawn Winkler (Libertarian), Clyde Harkins (Constitution), and Paul Fiorino (Independent) (excluded was GOP write-in Chuck Sylvester), Ritter and Beauprez faced off in Denver.

The debate was conducted by CBS-affiliate KCNC-TV and televised live. The critical talking points of the debate were that of abortion (Beauprez's opposition, Ritter's support), the economy (Ritter's C&D backing, Beauprez's desire for repeal) and illegal immigration. Heated exchanges between Ritter and Beauprez reached a climax in their debate of Colorado's legalization of abortion, as well as the fate of Colorado's economy. In the aftermath of the first Denver debate, Ritter's polls shot up by more than seven points.

September 18

In the second debate in Denver, heated exchanges between Ritter and Beauprez on the issue of healthcare were the central focus. "This is where contrast comes in", Ritter said to spectators at Denver's Jewish Community Center. "I would really say that is part of what we have to consider – what people say with how they vote when they are in Washington, D.C." . Released earlier, a poll by The Rocky Mountain News had put Ritter 17 points above Beauprez.

October 3

In October's first debate, Ritter had led his opponent with as much as 17 points in recent media polls and had been endorsed by both of Denver's major papers The Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post. Aired during primetime on Denver's government access KMGH- Channel 7, the debate was repeated on cable channels through the following Monday. Immediately following the start of the debate, Ritter came under heavy fire from Beauprez on issues regarding illegal immigration and his prosecuting record. Saying that if some of the defendants involved in plea agreements with his office were in the country illegally, they were "deportable no matter what they plead to – and they should be deported", Beauprez retorted "That's a bunch of spin", saying Ritter offered the deals to help immigrant criminals stay in the country.

Battling back, Ritter stated "I think the next governor of the state ought to have something more than a cocktail-party familiarity with the criminal justice system." and that federal immigration officials told him they didn't have the resources to deport illegal immigrants convicted of felonies. Blaming Congress for not giving immigration authorities the funding necessary to do their job, Ritter defended his position diligently. "I've never seen a single instance where you stood up on behalf of law enforcement ... to provide the resources to do this", he said.

Beauprez was visibly unimpressed with Ritter's rebuttal, and said he helped quickly extradite cop-killer Raul Gomez-Garcia, an illegal immigrant, by applying leverage through an amendment he offered. Countering, Ritter pointed out that Gomez-Garcia is back in Colorado only because the prosecutor agreed not to charge him with first-degree murder or seek the death penalty.

October 5

The Colorado Catholic Conference hosted the sixth debate overall, and the second business-sponsored debate. Both Ritter and Beauprez being of Roman Catholic faith, both were grilled over so-called "morals" issues by the religious organization. Keeping in stride with the focal points of the October campaign, major talking points were immigration and economics, which both led to charged exchanges.

October 31

Televised on KUSA across the state, the Halloween debate brought both candidates to Denver again to argue education and agriculture primarily. During the debates, both candidates received applause and audience responses from both supporters and the opposition. During one point in the debate however, while debating education, Ritter received a standing ovation from most of the crowd after his defense of controversial Referendum C&D.

Lakewood Debate

On September 18, prior to a second CBS-sponsored debate in Denver, Ritter and opponent Beauprez met in the first corporate-sponsored forum held by Associated General Contractors in suburban Lakewood, Colorado. Like the later debate, the focus of the arguments leaned heavily on healthcare. However, unlike the Community Center debate, healthcare matters were argued in the business-oriented text.

After Beauprez said he would support housing aid and heating-bill assistance, Ritter noted that Beauprez opposed Referendum C, last year's voter-approved measure to loosen revenue limits on the state for five years. That measure, which has provided hundreds of millions in extra revenues to the state this year, is helping the state restore property-tax exemptions for senior citizens and assistance with their heating bills. "You can believe in it", Ritter said. "But saying you believe in it is not the same thing as supporting the methods that we have found in this state during this past legislative session to fund it." .

Polling

Poll source Date(s) administered Bill
Ritter (D)
Bob
Beauprez (R)
Survey USA November 2, 2006 57% 35%
Zogby/WSJ October 31, 2006 46.4% 46.6%
Rasmussen October 29, 2006 51% 39%
Survey USA October 23, 2006 56% 38%
Zogby/WSJ October 19, 2006 46.7% 44.7%
Mason Dixon October 7, 2006 50% 35%
Survey USA September 28, 2006 55% 38%
Rasmussen September 26, 2006 50% 34%
Rocky Mountain News September 18, 2006 50% 33%
Zogby/WSJ September 11, 2006 47.5% 38.9%
Zogby/WSJ August 28, 2006 46.0% 38.7%
Survey USA August 17, 2006 50% 40%
Rasmussen August 11, 2006 48% 39%
Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 42.8% 40.9%
Mason Dixon July 17, 2006 42% 35%
Rasmussen July 10, 2006** 42% 37%
Zogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 44.2% 36.1%
Rasmussen June 8, 2006 43% 38%
Rasmussen May 5, 2006 37% 39%
Rasmussen April 5, 2006 41% 40%
Rasmussen February 25, 2006 40% 33%
Rasmussen January 26, 2006 38% 39%

Election results

2006 gubernatorial election, Colorado
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Bill Ritter 888,095 57.0% +23.3
Republican Bob Beauprez 625,886 40.2 -22.4
Libertarian Dawn Winkler 23,323 1.5 0
Independent Paul Fiorino 10,996 0.7 n/a
Constitution Clyde Harkins 9,716 0.6 n/a
Write-in Chuck Sylvester 389 0.0 n/a
Majority 262,209 16.8
Turnout 1,558,405
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

See also

Official campaign websites (Archived)
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