- Originally published in The Frontrunner September 21, 2004
Copyright 2004 Bulletin News Network, Inc.
The
Hill (9/21, Savodnik) reports Ken Salazar, "the twice-elected
Democratic attorney general of Colorado, faces just one big hurdle in
his bid for the seat held by outgoing Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-
Colo.). Every time countless Coloradans pop open a beer, go to a ball
game or glance at their paychecks, they see the same name - Coors." The
family name of Pete Coors, "the Republican beer magnate turned Senate
candidate," is "woven into the fabric of everyday life here as much as
the Rockies and the right to bear arms are." Not only does "the Coors
Brewing Co. directly and indirectly employ thousands of brewery
workers, barley growers, engineers, distributors, truck drivers and
others across the state; the Adolph Coors Foundation funds scores of
worthy causes, from a cerebral-palsy foundation to a center for poor Hispanic
women to the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. And then, of course, there's
Coors Field, smack in the middle of Denver, with its brick exterior,
its hunter-green, wrought-iron girders and its American flag flapping
on top." Salazar is "an experienced politician with a statewide network
and a colorful biography," and if he wins, "he would be the only Hispanic senator."
Salazar Leads Coors By 11 Points Poll.
Roll
Call (9/21, Cillizza) reports in its "At the Races" column that state
Attorney General Ken Salazar (D) "held a double-digit lead over brewing
magnate Pete Coors (R) in a new independent survey on the open-seat
Senate race." Salazar "took 53 percent to 42 percent for Coors in the
Rocky Mountain News poll, which was conducted by Public Opinion
Strategies, a Republican polling firm based in Alexandria, Va. The
survey was in the field Sept. 18 and 19 testing 500 registered voters
with a 4.3 percent margin of error."
Coors, Salazar Don't Put Too Much Stock In Recent Polls.
KRDOTV.com
(9/20, Zelinger) reports, "With a little more than six weeks until
election day, the most recent Colorado poll, conducted by the Rocky
Mountain News, shows a tight race for President, but for U.S. Senate
the race is a lot closer. Democrat Ken Salazar leads republican Pete
Coors in the poll by 11-percent. The margin of error, however, is just
over 4-percent. But how serious do the candidates take these polls and
are they really indicative of how the public will vote come November?
We went straight to the horses mouth for some answers. Republican
Senatorial Candidate Pete Coors told us, 'Different people react
differently, some will say, I need to go support my candidate because
he's behind and some will say, I don't need to go because he's winning
by a big margin.'" Meanwhile, "Salazar says he's not surprised but he
remains skeptical about the polls. He tells News 13, 'We have a very
effective campaign and I think that explains why we are ahead in the
polls, but I don't trust the polls.'"
The United Press International (9/20) reports, "The poll showed Salazar winning the Hispanic
and rural vote -- critical voters blocs in the upcoming election.
Pollster Lori Weigel of Public Opinion Strategies, the firm that
conducted the poll, said, 'The thing that is difficult for Coors right
now is his image is beer and not much else,' Weigel said. 'A third of
the voters look at him and think 'beer.''"