Posted by
Defend America on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 9:12:04 AM
Andrew Romanoff wins Colorado caucuses
By
DAVID CATANESE |
3/17/10 4:34 AM EDT
Fueled by a loyal liberal grassroots following, former state House
Speaker Andrew Romanoff defeated appointed Sen. Michael Bennet in
Colorado's Democratic caucuses Tuesday evening, a preliminary but far
from predictive initial test of electoral strength.
With almost 90 percent of precincts reporting, Romanoff held a 51
percent to 42 percent advantage with seven percent uncommitted.
On the Republican side of the Senate contest, former Lieutenant
Governor Jane Norton and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck were
locked in a tight battle. The two were knotted at 38 percent with 94
percent of precincts reporting. Former state Sen. Tom Wiens was
expected to finish third with 16 percent.
In the GOP contest for governor, former Congressman Scott McInnis won 60 percent to 39 percent for businessman Dan Maes.
While Romanoff called his victory "a shock wave," his margin was thinner than some political observers expected.
...
The caucuses are the first step in Colorado’s complicated nominating
process, where delegates are chosen to participate in the May 22 state
party assemblies. There, candidates must obtain at least 30 percent of
the delegate vote or petition to get on the ballot. The finishers with
the highest percentage of delegate votes at the May conventions will
earn top billing on the Aug. 10 primary ballots.
Recent Colorado history shows that a caucus victory usually doesn't
translate into the party nomination. Over the past four decades, just
three statewide candidates who have won the backing of the state
assembly, after the caucus process, went on to become their party's
nominee.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34546.html