Pretty entertaining:
Colorado Republicans fear their party will become a minor party and lose fundraising advantages in the 2012 presidential election if its candidate for governor, tea party favorite Dan Maes, gets less than 10 percent of the vote on Nov. 2.
Majority party status for all elections in Colorado are based only on the last gubernatorial election, meaning if Maes gets less than 10 percent, Republicans won't be a major party for the 2012 elections.
Unlike "major" parties, a minor party cannot raise money for both primary and general elections unless it has more than one candidate in any primary race. A major party is required to hold a primary election, even if there is only one candidate for each office, and it can raise money both during the primary and the general election.
If Republicans take the majority in the statehouse, however, they might just change the law:
[Colorado Republican Party Chair Dick] Wadhams said he believes the state Legislature will change the law to avoid the embarrassment of treating Democrats differently than Republicans, especially with a presidential election.
The American Constitution Party, under which Tom Tancredo is running, will meanwhile be designated a major party, at least for one cycle. (Apparently confusing some who now imagine him to be "liberal").