When George W. Bush was re-elected and crowed about all his political capital (well spent, Boy George, well spent!), who could have imagined a Congress without Tom DeLay, or Jack Abramoff going to jail and singing like a songbird all the way?
So why not Tom Tancredo too? The fact is, if the Republican Party will sacrifice one Good Ol' Boy for the sake of the Club, they'll throw another under the bus as well. DeLay admitted that his seat was vulnerable because of his personal notoriety, and no doubt the Party powers encouraged him to take one for the team. I wonder if the same will happen with Colorado's own Toxic Tom, or Tommy One Note, as I like to call him.
In what is shaping up as a historic year that favors outsiders, Democrats, and veterans, CO-06 has the opportunity to vote the trifecta. Everyone knows the payoff for a sure bet is pretty low. The big win comes from the long odds, and as a football coach and former player, I know that the longer the odds, the sweeter the victory. The media loves a Cinderella Story, and once they finish watching the bloody Republican primary, they'll be ready for a positive story of hope and unity. I'm going to give it to them!
Outsiders are quick to label CO-06 as "conservative," but from where I stand in Castle Rock, that's not the case. Most voters have been isolated and unengaged in the past, but this year is different. Voter registration doesn't tell the whole story in this district, and I don't think it tells the story in Colorado or in America either.
The real story in America in 2006 is that voters are fed up with the absolute corruption of one-party rule, and they want to put the good back in governance. I don't have to distance myself from my Party or my record, and I don't have to shy away from the issues that those of us on this blog hold dear. Nationwide polling shows us that Americans agree with us consistently on every issue to the tune of around 60%. All we need as Democrats is the guts to stand up for what we believe in!
I can talk to the people in my district and focus on their concerns, and all of you need to do the same. Folks here tell me they they're ready for a leader who can unite them and move them forward. In 2004, Coloradans voted for a Democratic legislature that set aside wedge issues and solved our budget crisis. The Salazar brothers set conventional "wisdom" on its pointy head that year as well, and now 2006 is our year to take back America from the culture of corruption and cronyism.
Political polls are like the stock market, where a buzz starts the bandwagon rolling. Well, hang on folks, because the cavalry's coming, and the 15 seats we need to take back the People's House are laying out there like candy on Easter Morning! Spread the word, and let's just see if we can upend the odds and show the world that America is still the land of the free!
Bill Winter
http://winterforcongress.com/