CO-05: Hefley Urges Republicans Not To Vote

In a year when Democrats are wondering if the Republican base will stay away from the polls, the outgoing Republican in the CO-05 race is calling his supporters to do just that.  The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that outgoing Rep. Joel Hefley has issued a statement urging Republicans not to vote for either Fighting Dem Jay Fawcett or Republican nominee Doug Lamborn.  We always knew there was no chance Hefley would endorse Fawcett, so this non-endorsement is about as good as it gets.

The background is that Lamborn defeated Hefley's chosen successor, Jeff Crank, in a bitter six way primary characterized by mud slinging -- in the home of Focus on the Family, Lamborn accused Crank and other opponents of promoting "the gay agenda" and committing other liberal sins.  Hefley called Lamborn's campaign "sleazy," a charge he repeated again yesterday  While Hefley himself has not jumped on Jay Fawcett's bandwagon, the success of the Republicans for Fawcett has attracted nationwide attention.

Here is the message Hefley sent by e-mail to his supporters as reported in the Colorado Springs Gazette:

"Many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that I am endorsing the Democrat in the race for Congress in the 5th District of Colorado. This is not the case.

"I do not endorse liberal Democrats and I regard Jay Fawcett as a liberal Democrat. I also do not endorse people who I feel run sleazy, dishonest campaigns, regardless of their political affiliation. Therefore, I am not endorsing anyone in the 5th Congressional race.

"I am, however, endorsing Bob Beauprez for Governor, John Suthers for Attorney General, Ed Jones for State Senate, and many other Republicans who share the Republican principles I have worked so hard for over the years.

"I encourage all Republicans to vote, and if there is a candidate you cannot support, leave it blank, but vote for the other Republicans in which you believe."

While calling Fawcett a "liberal Democrat" is not accurate or helpful, in this race a non-vote by a Republican is almost as good as a Republican vote for Fawcett.