Romanoff: Respect Every Voter

The campaign of U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff said today he would win a spot on the primary ballot by earning support from assembly delegates, despite the opposition's decision to dismiss such voters as unrepresentative of Colorado Democrats.

"We respect every voter -- including the 23,000 Democrats who attended the precinct caucuses last month," Romanoff campaign manager Bill Romjue said. "We are grateful to everyone who participated in that process -- and proud to have won the caucuses, despite the barrage of corporate cash aimed against us."

"We will continue to make our case to every voter," Romjue said. "Our campaign is focused on and fueled by the people of Colorado. That's the best way to run -- and the best way to serve."

Sen. Michael Bennet's campaign has decided to mount a petition drive to insure that he gets a place on the Aug. 10 primary ballot against Romanoff. 

Colorado law allows candidates to get on the ballot by collecting at least 1,500 signatures from party members in each of our seven congressional districts, or by getting the votes of at least 30 percent of the delegates to the party's state assembly on May 22. 

Phase One of the delegate selection process was the statewide precinct caucuses on March 16. Phase Two is the assemblies now under way in each of Colorado's 64 counties. 
  
Until now, Bennet has been seeking to attain that 30 percent threshold among Colorado Democrats selected by their peers in the caucus-and-assembly process. But Romanoff won the caucuses, and he has stretched his lead in the county assemblies held so far. 

By mounting a petition drive, Bennet is bypassing the 23,000 Democrats -- including his own supporters -- who took the time and trouble to attend their precinct caucuses last month, and the thousands serving as delegates to the county assemblies.