Continuing with my weekend catch up visits to outlying areas, I was down in the Southwest in late April. On Saturday, the 26th, I met with about fifteen good Democrats in Cortez. In addition to the officers, like chair Toni Gurnea, Hazel Perkins, chair of the Dolores County Democrats, drove over with husband, Delano. We had a great morning talking about the statewide turnout for caucuses and all the work going forward for the campaigns in 2008.

Montezuma County Democrats are growing again and excited about rebuilding their local party after some rough times. They sent a table full of people over to Durango for the evening dinner.

In Durango, the La Plata County Democrats filled the room with tables and enough excitement to raise the roof. Jean Walters, Chair of the local Democrats, led off an evening of speeches. Wally White has launched his campaign for re-election as County Commissioner. And Peter Tregillus is also running for another commissioner seat. I know that Joelle Riddle, who won in 2006, is eager to keep Wally and have another Democrat on the county commission.

State Sen. Jim Isgar had a chance to talk about the accomplishments of the current legislative session. U.S. Rep. John Salazar also gave an update from the U.S. Congress. But the highlight of the evening was former Texas Agriculture Commissioner, author, and radio show celebrity, Jim Hightower. He gave his usual humorous assessment of the issues, even though he is quite serious about the need for us to “agitate.”

I got to say my words and then ran in to Jim Hightower the next morning. We talked about the changes going on across the country.

On my way to Otero I stopped off at the CD6 Assembly and Convention. The turnout was great but put huge demands on the credentialing system. We learned a lot and elected our first delegates to the national convention.

CD6 also nominated Hank Eng as the Democratic nominee for Congress. Steve Clark and Ivan Botvin were candidates as well, and we thank them for stepping up. Hank received an overwhelming 88% of the vote, which is a tribute to his hard work over the past few months. Hank has a great background, including some similarities to mine - former Peace Corps Volunteer and former USAID employee. He will work hard to earn the support of voters in the district.

This past weekend I attended the annual Tri-County JFK dinner in La Junta, along with 160 other guests. Otero County Democrats presented a check for $500 to me for the state convention. Hooray for Otero County Dems!!! They also gave checks to State Rep. Wes McKinley and the local commissioner candidates.

Rep. McKinley was the evening emcee. Speaker Andrew Romanoff talked about the state legislative session. He did his usual great job.

Betsy Markey talked about her Congressional race in CD4. We are so lucky to have Betsy as our candidate. She will be officially nominated on May 16, but she already is working really hard across the district.

I followed Betsy and talked about the process, the upcoming state and national conventions. It was a message that Democrats in this part of the state were eager to hear. Then Sal Pace addressed the group about his House District race. Finally we heard from Ronnie Carleton on behalf of U.S. Rep. John Salalzar.

Thanks to Ed Morris for his fine work organizing the dinner. It was great to see Otero Chair Diane Ritkoff. I also had a chance to talk to Crowley Democratic Chair, Tom Flores, about the fires around Ordway. And I sat between Mayor Lawrence Sena, former Bent County Chair, and Alex Netherton, current Bent County Chair. It is the best part of being CDP Chair, being able to spend time with hard-working Democrats throughout the state.

(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.DemNotes.com)

Saturday night, I was honored to co-emcee the annual F.D.R. Dinner for the Fremont County Democrats. My co-host was our great candidate for Fremont County Commissioner, Gloria Stultz (who just finished a very successful stint as the President of the Canon City Chamber of Commerce). Gloria is a great example of the wonderful successes we are seeing across Colorado in recruiting some of the best candidates for 2008 that the Democratic Party has ever seen.

The F.D.R. Dinner is certainly very meaningful to me. When I first moved back to Colorado after law school, the first event I attended for the local Dems was the F.D.R. Dinner. I met a lot of people who have done much since then. That’s where I met Tim Knaus and Chris Gates, who were running against each other (and the incumbent, Phil Perrington) for State Party Chair. In the end, both served terms as State Chair. I sat next to Margaret Atencio, who is now the Second Vice Chair of the State Party, and who was exceedingly nice to me. I also saw this energetic young Democrat who I’d met a couple of weeks earlier in Pueblo at a Young Democrats of Southern Colorado meeting — someone named “Buffie” McFadyen. Looking back, I’m amazed at the potential that existed in that room in February 1999.

During that dinner, the county chair, the late Beatrice Kauffman, announced that the local party needed people to volunteer to run for county party officer positions. Afterward, I went up to Beatrice and introduced myself (I’d just moved to Canon City about two months prior as a new attorney at a local law firm). I told her that I’d been heavily involved in politics at my college, and had worked on a number of campaigns, so I’d be happy to help out as, say, the county party secretary or treasurer. Beatrice responded, “You know, I really don’t want to be the county chair any more. I’ve been doing this for too long. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to be the county chair, would you?” And the rest, as they say, is history.

Fast-forward to 2008. The crowd was easily more than twice the size of the 1999 crowd. The faces were different in many respect, but the energy level and potential were not. There were still candidates for Party office (Ray Plumery, who is running for the Democratic National Committee, along with three or four who are running for National Convention delegate slots). Buffie was still there — but this time, she’s a senior-level State Representative.

And so was our next United States Senator. Mark Udall came down to Canon City with his campaign manager, Mike Melanson (who served, by the way, as the State Party’s Executive Director under the aforementioned Tim Knaus). Congressman Udall did a great job talking about his positive vision for America’s future. He focused on the need for a better national security and foreign policy agenda, and he also spent a great deal of time talking about the need for a common-sense energy agenda that focuses on new technologies and renewable resources. Congressman Udall was a huge hit, exciting the crowd so much he received two rousing standing ovations.

We also heard from other candidates. Hal Bidlack (candidate for Congress in the 5th CD) spoke at the beginning of the agenda, and he was funny, heart-warming, and insightful as usual. He seems to be a natural candidate, and he’s doing a good job of getting all around the district and meeting folks. Anna Lord, who is one of the most tireless campaigners out there, was present to talk about her follow-up bid for HD21. Cal Cali, who is a candidate for HD60, was also there to explain his thoughts and his campaign. Finally, we heard from Buffie McFadyen, who is running for her final term as a Representative for HD47. So far, the Republicans have not been able to field a candidate to run against her — they’ve run heavily targeted campaigns the last two elections only to come up losing by larger and larger margins each time. She brought down the house in her usual style — and even brought a tear or two by remembering Beatrice Kauffman and that first FDR Dinner we both attended in 1999.

In the end, Fremont Dems raised a great deal of money, and will have a good treasury to go into 2008 with. When combined with a great ballot of candidates, the Fremont Dems are looking to continue the transformation of this Republican county just the same way we’ve transformed what used to be a Republican state!

Saturday, March 8th was a big day for Democrats in Colorado. Although I could not get to every county assembly/convention, we did make it to five of them. And the participation was in record numbers.

We started our day in Fort Collins at Fossil Ridge High School. This is the new “green” school, and it was easy to spot with the huge donkey set up outside. Larimer County attracted over 8,000 voters to their caucuses on Feb. 5, 2008. That meant that over 1,000 people were at the county meeting.

Adam Bowen, county chair, opened up the meeting with elected officials and candidates lined up behind him. Senator Bob Bacon was joined by his colleagues on the House side, Rep. John Kefalas and Rep. Randy Fischer. They all were scheduled to speak later in the morning.

Betsy Markey, who is running for U.S. House of Representatives in CD4, gave a great speech. The crowd may be coming out for Presidential candidates, but they are just as eager to send Marilyn Musgrave into retirement.

I then had my chance to speak to the spectacular and enthusiastic Larimer County Democrats. We are taking our country back, and Larimer County is playing its part.

We then traveled to Weld County. We arrived at Michener Library on the UNC campus to find that the Weld Democrats had moved to Heath Middle School. We walked in to find a gymnasium filled with about 1,000 voters.

Weld County is my home county, and we really carried the whole county for Governor Ritter by 100 votes. Rep. Jim Riesberg had a great re-election campaign, and over 2500 people turned out to caucus on February 5th.

I was so excited to be in Weld County and look out on the sea of faces participating in the county assembly/convention. County Chair David Delegado introduced me, and the audience responded. After my remarks it was great to stop and talk with many friends including Cheryl Hauger, Roy Waddell, Pam Shaddock and Chuck Olmstead.

Then we raced to Adams County. Over 1,000 people filled the Exhibit Hall at Adams County Fairgrounds. I arrived in time to hear Don Quick’s nomination for District Attorney. It gave me the opportunity to talk about the great job Don is doing in his Judicial District. Also I acknowledged the work of County Chair, Pat Moore.

Adams County had a caucus turnout of over 5,000 people. I had the opportunity to talk to the county delegates and encourage their continued participation in all of the campaigns. It was exciting once again to see so many new faces in the audience.

By this time we were running about an hour behind. However, we arrived at Arapahoe County’s meeting in time to hear the end of U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s speech.

I was pleased to be introduced by Harold Thyfault, a long-time Democratic activist. As I have done in every county, I asked how many were there for the first time. Almost every hand was raised. Arapahoe saw over 12,000 people on Feb. 5th and about 1800 attended the county meetings. Mike Hamrick, Arapahoe County Chair, did a great job and was ably assisted by Carolyn Boller.

My last stop was Denver County. Denver Chair, Jennifer Coken, sure had her hands full. I arrived in time to see the aftermath of voting in Senate District 35. Former City Councilwoman Joyce Foster and Rep. Alice Borodkin vied for support. Foster came out ahead, but the final votes will be counted in a multi-county meeting this coming weekend.

I was able to say just a few words as HD6 began its meeting. I also wandered into HD2, HD3, HD4 and HD5. It was great to see so many good Democrats from Denver County. Denver Dems turned out over 26,000 voters on Feb. 5th. The crowd on Saturday was about 5,000. Sherry Jackson and Billy Compton spent the day helping the county with its meetings.

On a last note, Don Wiegel, the staff person for the House Majority Project, is leaving this week. He will be really missed in this office. He has been a great partner and worked hard to recruit candidates for House seats. Don is off to manage a Congressional campaign in Alabama. We wish him well.

It promises to be another busy week. Wednesday I will be speaking at the Democratic Women of Boulder County’s luncheon. The next day I am speaking at a breakfast of the Board of Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Saturday I plan to make the Boulder and Jefferson County assembly/conventions. And then there are all the thing in between.

You will hear a lot of congratulations going around for the past and new HD2 representatives. I just wanted to add my own note of thanks.

Excuse me Mike, if I start with Mark. Soon after I was elected Chair, Sean O’Buckley decided to resign as the Colorado Democratic Party Treasurer. Mark Ferrandino immediately stepped forward. As an auditor, he brought much needed skills to the state party. As we began to embark on a 64-county strategy, we were also faced with some sticky issues from previous campaigns.

Mark brought his experience and expertise to bear on resolving those issues. He, along with Jamie Elkins our compliance officer, attended Federal Elections Commission training and put in place a stringent set of rules to not only resolve outstanding issues, but to prevent similar problems in the future. We have worked together daily on creating a healthy party structure, and I value his contributions. Given the commitment to excellence, the Colorado General Assembly gains an extremely valuable member.

And for Mike Cerbo, he is taking his extensive skills as a legislator and an organizer to the AFL-CIO. We look forward to working with him in his new role, especially in light of the Republican onslaught against our union brothers and sisters. Rep. Cerbo moves to AFL-CIO at a time when his leadership is most needed. Thank you for your public service.

I, for one, am excited that we have so many talented leaders in the Democratic party.

(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.DemNotes.com)

One of the best parts of being involved in this Party is seeing your friends — people who have worked hard in the trenches and who are genuinely good and decent people with their hearts in the right places — be elected to serve Colorado. I’m not talking about the folks out there who are campaigning hard and who you meet while they are campaigning, although there are some pretty amazing folks out there who fit that bill as well. No, I’m talking about the folks with whom you work in the trenches and who end up in positions to make a difference. For me, those people are folks like my State Representative, Buffie McFadyen, Rep. Morgan Carroll, and La Plata County Commissioner Joelle Riddle.

Last night, State Party Treasurer Mark Ferrandino joined that list when he was selected by the HD2 Vacancy Committee to serve in the State House.

Mark knows how to effectively fill a vacancy. In 2005, when we had a vacancy in the tough position of State Party Treasurer, Mark stepped forward and was selected to fill out the term. As a testament to his hard work and dedication, he was re-elected this year without any opposition. For a State Party officer, Mark is a quiet guy. He doesn’t demand attention. He just shows up and works hard.

I knew that from almost the first time I saw his work as Party Treasurer, but it was never made more clear to me than when I was walking for candidates last fall. As regular readers of DemNotes know, I spent about every weekend, and several weeknights, walking with Democratic candidates for the House and Senate across Colorado. Last fall, I showed up in a north metro parking lot to meet Sen. Lois Tochtrop to walk with her. Mark Ferrandino was there, too. We spent the morning knocking on doors together. I found out that he, too, spent about every possible spare moment walking with legislative candidates — unlike me, he just didn’t talk about it much. It was just something that a loyal Democrat does. I wrote about it then - you can see that post at:
http://demnotes.com/?p=190

Rep. Ferrandino deserves this selection — he is truly an unsung hero of the Colorado Democratic Party. I understand he will eventually be leaving his position as State Party Treasurer (he doesn’t have to immediately do that — it is not too uncommon for legislators around the country to serve double-duty as State Party officers). When he does leave, whoever is selected by the Central Committee to fill his position will have huge shoes to fill. But Rep. Ferrandino will continue to fight for the things that make this Party so important to the future of Colorado, and we’ll wish him well on this new chapter of his life.

Thank you, HD2 Vacancy Committee, for making such a wise choice. Rep. Ferrandino will serve you — and the people of Colorado — amazingly well!

Hearty thanks are in order for the Pueblo County Democrats and friends for their hard work in staffing a booth at the Colorado State Fair for the past eleven days. They chose a prime location in the upper concourse of the central Fair building, right near an entrance and had TONS of flyers and brochures available, plus energetic workers with a good plan for interacting with the people passing by.

The gate traffic numbers aren’t in yet, of course, but it’s a sure thing that hundreds of thousands of people were exposed to the Democratic message here in Pueblo! Great job, guys!

We had a fun event in Lamar (Prowers County) last night, which I felt was a good example of how to make one get-together produce extra returns for all those involved.

This was the annual Lamar Education Association’s Back To School picnic. Wes McKinley, HD 64 Rep, brought his guitar, BBQ grill and the burgers to cook on it (natural beef from his own ranch!). The other guests were Beverly Ingle, President of the Colorado Education Association and Norman Milks, Director of the CEA Southeast UniServ.

It was a wins-for-all situation. Lamar teachers and their families got food, fun and a little recognition. The local CEA chapter got to look good in front of their leadership, and the leadership got to reach out and make personal connections to them and to Wes. Naturally the personal connection thing works right back the other way for Wes–not all Lamar teachers are Dems, by a long shot, and he made a good impression on the group. There was also coverage from the Lamar Ledger, and possibly also the new independent paper, the Lamar Buzz.

Prowers only has about 9,000 registered voters, split approximately in thirds by D/I/R affiliations. Our county Dem group is making an effort to increase our public presence, taking any chance we can find to make a showing at local events. (Oddly enough, our opposite numbers from the GOP seem to be getting a little shy….) We are lucky to have an area Representative like Wes who goes out of his way (hundreds of miles out of his way!) to serve his constituency — and not just by cooking for them!

I’m sure events like this are much more complicated to host in the medium and large counties, but I’m also sure the rewards would be even greater in terms of future support, votes, and new active members. Why not think up something to host in YOUR town soon?

Hey, I’ll be in Steamboat Springs from Aug. 7 - Aug. 12 getting continuing legal education. Sounds like a good excuse for a party in beautiful Steamboat Springs!  A special invitation to all Routt County Dems and Neighbors!

WHAT: Legal Ease: Fundraiser for Rep. Morgan Carroll, Live Jazz!

WHERE: Hardwig’s L’Apogee Resaurant, 911 Lincoln Ave, Steamboat

WHEN: Sat. August 11, 2007, 5:30 - 7:30 PM

WHO: You! All Welcome

*suggested donation: $50.00 (everyone welcome, anything appreciated!)

If you can’t make the event, but still want help support my re-election effort, you can:

1. Write a Check to: Committee To Elect Morgan Carroll, 1165 Ouray Street, Aurora, CO 80011; or

2. Donate online at: www.repmorgancarroll.com; or

3. Make monthly payments (i.e. $5, $10, $15) by going online to: www.repmorgancarroll.com.

Thank you for your support!

CARROLL CANVASSING - WALKERS NEEDED

Come find out what folks are thinking and how we can better serve their needs.  Can you commit to 2 walk dates this year? We will be continuing our annual Listening Tour on:

Sat. Aug. 18, 2007 (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
15445 E. Iliff Ave, #C, Aurora 80013
Precinct 367 - No Chair
Precinct 368 - Chair, Niki Floyd
To RSVP, please Contact Bill Kaberlein at 720.240.7653 or wjk34@comcast.net.

Sun. Aug. 19, 2007 (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM) Joint Canvass
Rep. Carroll & Sen. Williams
15445 E. Iliff Ave, #C, Aurora 80013
Precinct 336 - Chair, Sig Nelson
To RSVP, please Contact Bill Kaberlein at 720.240.7653 or wjk34@comcast.net.

Sat. Aug. 25, 2007 (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
15445 E. Iliff Ave, #C, Aurora 80013
Precinct 514 - No Chair
To RSVP, please Contact Bill Kaberlein at 720.240.7653 or wjk34@comcast.net.

Sun. Aug. 26, 2007 (10:00 AM - 2:00 PM)
15445 E. Iliff Ave, #C, Aurora 80013
Precinct 516 - Chairs, Don Gardner & Leann Root
To RSVP, please Contact Bill Kaberlein at 720.240.7653 or wjk34@comcast.net.

To volunteer for Rep. Morgan Carroll you can also sign up at www.repmorgancarroll.com/volunteer.

As Dan Slater observed in his latest Dem Notes, variety is the spice of Party picnics, and all Dem-friendly events. Rep. Morgan Carroll invites progressive performers of all types and talents to take to the stage at her variety show on September 15th. Showcase your support for one of the Party’s “rising stars” by sharing a song, poem, joke, magic act, or “Morgan story”…and spreading the word! Celebrate your freedom of expression—while it lasts—for a good cause. Details below (and attached):

Calling all Carrollers! Bring Act III to Aurora!

Join us at a variety show to support Rep. Morgan Carroll’s re-election campaign

The Aurora Hills are alive with music, comedy, poetry and politics on Saturday, September 15th 6:30 – 9:00pm

Tin Cup clubhouse at Aurora Hills Golf Course
50 S. Peoria St. Aurora, CO 80012

Suggested Donation: $20

To perform or attend, please RSVP to Karen@arapahoedems.org 720-234-5303