2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2006 congressional elections in Colorado were elections for Colorado's delegation to the United States House of Representatives, which occurred along with congressional elections nationwide on November 7, 2006.
November 7, 2006
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 7 Colorado seats to the United States House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overview
Statewide
| Party | Candidates | Votes[1] | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | +/– | % | |||
| Democratic | 7 | 832,888 | 54.12 | 4 | 57.14 | ||
| Republican | 6 | 623,784 | 40.53 | 3 | 42.86 | ||
| Green | 4 | 38,872 | 2.53 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Reform | 1 | 27,133 | 1.76 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Libertarian | 3 | 13,535 | 0.88 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Constitution | 1 | 2,605 | 0.17 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Write-in | 3 | 91 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Total | 25 | 1,538,908 | 100.0 | 7 | 100.0 | ||
By district
Results of the 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado by district:
| District | Democratic | Republican | Others | Total | Result | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| District 1 | 129,446 | 79.77% | 0 | 0.00% | 32,825 | 20.23% | 162,271 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 2 | 157,850 | 68.24% | 65,481 | 28.31% | 7,976 | 3.45% | 231,307 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 3 | 146,488 | 61.59% | 86,930 | 36.55% | 4,440 | 1.87% | 237,858 | 100.0% | Democratic hold |
| District 4 | 103,748 | 43.12% | 109,732 | 45.61% | 27,133 | 11.28% | 240,613 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 5 | 83,431 | 40.35% | 123,264 | 59.62% | 61 | 0.03% | 206,756 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 6 | 108,007 | 39.87% | 158,806 | 58.61% | 4,118 | 1.52% | 270,931 | 100.0% | Republican hold |
| District 7 | 103,918 | 54.93% | 79,571 | 42.06% | 5,683 | 3.00% | 189,172 | 100.0% | Democratic Gain |
| Total | 832,888 | 54.12% | 623,784 | 40.53% | 82,236 | 5.34% | 1,538,908 | 100.0% | |
District 1
Incumbent Democrat Diana DeGette, who had represented the district since 1997, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 73.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+18.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Diana DeGette, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diana DeGette (incumbent) | 26,000 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 26,000 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
No Republicans filed.
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Thomas Kelly, professional engineer
General election
Endorsements
Newspapers
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Diana DeGette (incumbent) | 129,446 | 79.8 | |
| Green | Thomas Kelly | 32,825 | 20.2 | |
| Majority | 96,621 | 59.5 | ||
| Total votes | 162,271 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diana DeGette (D) | $632,594 | $642,405 | $223,387 | |
| Thomas Kelly (C) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Diana DeGette (D) | $7,596 | $0 |
| Thomas Kelly (G) | $0 | $0 |
District 2
Incumbent Democrat Mark Udall, who had represented the district since 1999, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 60.1% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+8.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Mark Udall, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Udall (incumbent) | 23,725 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 23,725 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rich Mancuso, history teacher
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rich Mancuso | 15,396 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 15,396 | 100.0 | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- J. A. Calhoun
General election
Endorsements
Newspapers
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mark Udall (incumbent) | 157,850 | 68.2 | |
| Republican | Rich Mancuso | 65,481 | 28.3 | |
| Libertarian | Norm Olsen | 5,025 | 2.2 | |
| Green | J. A. Calhoun | 2,951 | 1.3 | |
| Majority | 92,369 | 39.9 | ||
| Total votes | 231,307 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Udall (D) | $1,512,865 | $932,188 | $1,262,370 | |
| Rich Mancuso (R) | $14,900 | $14,498 | $99 | |
| Norm Olsen (L) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Udall (D) | $711 | $0 |
| Rich Mancuso (R) | $0 | $0 |
| Norm Olsen (L) | $0 | $0 |
District 3
| |||||||||||||||||
County results Salazar: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Tipton: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Democrat John Salazar (brother of Senator Ken Salazar), who had represented the conservative, west Colorado district since 2005, ran for re-election. He was elected with 50.6% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+6.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- John Salazar, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Salazar (incumbent) | 21,871 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 21,871 | 100.0 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Scott Tipton, businessman[9]
Declined
- Matt Smith, state representative and candidate for this seat in 2004[9]
- Greg Walcher, former Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources and nominee for this seat in 2004[9]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Scott Tipton | 28,482 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 28,482 | 100.0 | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Bert Sargent, engineer
General election
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Frontline" Program[10]
- Individuals
- Wesley Clark, retired Army General and 2004 democratic presidential candidate[11]
Newspapers
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
John Salazar (D) |
Scott Tipton (R) |
Bert Sargent (L) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA (KUSA-TV)[12] | October 26–29, 2006 | 611 (LV) | ±4.0% | 57% | 38% | 2% | 4% |
| SurveyUSA (KUSA-TV)[13] | September 15–17, 2006 | 474 (LV) | ±4.6% | 52% | 41% | 3% | 4% |
| SurveyUSA (KUSA-TV)[14] | August 12–14, 2006 | 456 (LV) | ±4.7% | 53% | 42% | 4% | 3% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Likely D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe D | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Likely D | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Salazar (incumbent) | 146,488 | 61.6 | |
| Republican | Scott Tipton | 86,930 | 36.5 | |
| Libertarian | Bert Sargent | 4,417 | 1.9 | |
| Green | Bruce Lohmiller (Write-in) | 23 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | 59,558 | 25.0 | ||
| Total votes | 237,858 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Salazar (D) | $2,028,066 | $2,033,671 | $30,859 |
| Scott Tipton (R) | $821,303 | $819,314 | $1,985 |
| Bert Sargent (L) | $1,829 | $1,753 | $0 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| John Salazar (D) | $96,518 | $0 |
| Scott Tipton (R) | $9,490 | $0 |
| Bert Sargent (L) | $0 | $0 |
District 4
| |||||||||||||||||||||
County results Musgrave: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Paccione: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Incumbent Republican Marilyn Musgrave, who had represented this conservative east Colorado-based district since 2003, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 51.0% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+9.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Marilyn Musgrave, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Marilyn Musgrave (incumbent) | 32,205 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 32,205 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
Declined
- Stan Matsunaka, former President of the Colorado Senate and nominee for this seat in 2002 and 2004
- Wes McKinley, state representative[15]
- Peggy Reeves, former state senator[15]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Angie Paccione | 16,398 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 16,398 | 100.0 | ||
Reform primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Eric Eidsness, former EPA Assistant Administrator for Water
General election
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[17]
- Individuals
- Wesley Clark, retired Army General and 2004 democratic presidential candidate[18]
Newspapers
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Tossup | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Tilt R | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Tilt D (flip) | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Lean R | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Lean R | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Marilyn Musgrave (incumbent) | 109,732 | 45.6 | |
| Democratic | Angie Paccione | 103,748 | 43.1 | |
| Reform | Eric Eidsness | 27,133 | 11.3 | |
| Majority | 5,984 | 2.5 | ||
| Total votes | 240,613 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marilyn Musgrave (R) | $3,160,640 | $3,212,143 | $71,009 |
| Angie Paccione (D) | $1,977,177 | $1,951,180 | $25,997 |
| Eric Eidsness (R) | $26,983 | $31,808 | $1,474 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Marilyn Musgrave (R) | $219,852 | $371,438 |
| Angie Paccione (D) | $322,674 | $1,749,868 |
| Eric Eidsness (R) | $0 | $0 |
District 5
Incumbent Republican Joel Hefley, who had represented this conservative district based in Colorado Springs and its suburbs district since 1987, retired rather than run for re-election. He was re-elected with 70.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+16.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
Eliminated in primary
- John Anderson, former El Paso County Sheriff[19]
- Duncan Bremer, former El Paso County Commissioner[20]
- Jeff Crank, Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce vice president and former Hefley aide
- Bentley Rayburn, United States Air Force Major General
- Lionel Rivera, Mayor of Colorado Springs[19]
Declined
- Jack Gloriod, realtor and activist[21]
- Ted Haggard, Presidents of the National Association of Evangelicals[19]
- Joel Hefley, incumbent U.S. Representative[22]
- Keith King, state house Majority Leader[21]
- Jeff Wells, former state senate Majority Leader[21]
- Wayne W. Williams, El Paso County Commissioner[19]
Endorsements
U.S. representatives
- Joel Hefley, U.S. representative from Colorado's 5th congressional district (1987–present)[20]
Organizations
- Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce[20]
- Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs[20]
- Pikes Peak Association of Realtors[20]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Douglas Lamborn | 15,126 | 27.0 | |
| Republican | Jeff Crank | 14,234 | 25.4 | |
| Republican | Bentley Rayburn | 9,735 | 17.6 | |
| Republican | Lionel Rivera | 7,213 | 12.9 | |
| Republican | John Anderson | 6,474 | 11.5 | |
| Republican | Duncan Bremer | 3,310 | 5.9 | |
| Total votes | 56,092 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jay Fawcett, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jay Fawcett | 10,238 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,238 | 100.0 | ||
General election
On August 29, 2006, Hefley expressed anger that his successor was not his top aide, Jeff Crank. Commenting on the primary campaign, Hefley said, "I spent eight years trying to get rid of the sleaze factor in Congress. [...] It's not something I can do to help put more sleaze factor in Congress."[23] Hefley was incensed at tactics such as a mailed brochure from the Christian Coalition of Colorado associating Crank with "public support for members and efforts of the homosexual agenda." Hefley said that he "suspected, but couldn't prove, collusion between Lamborn's campaign, which is managed by Jon Hotaling, and the Christian Coalition of Colorado, which is run by Hotaling's brother, Mark."[24] Hefley called it "one of the sleaziest, most dishonest campaigns I've seen in a long time,"[24] and refused to endorse Lamborn.[25]
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[17]
- Individuals
- Wesley Clark, retired Army General and 2004 democratic presidential candidate[26]
Newspapers
Polling
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Lean R | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Likely R | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Lean R | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe R | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Likely R | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doug Lamborn | 123,264 | 59.6 | |
| Democratic | Jay Fawcett | 83,431 | 40.4 | |
| Write-in | 61 | 0.0 | ||
| Majority | 39,833 | 19.3 | ||
| Total votes | 206,756 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doug Lamborn (R) | $973,682 | $945,473 | $28,207 |
| Jay Fawcett (D) | $676,370 | $664,121 | $12,249 |
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Doug Lamborn (R) | $121,353 | $0 |
| Jay Fawcett (D) | $85,084 | $148,233 |
District 6
Incumbent Republican Tom Tancredo, who had represented this solidly conservative district based in the Denver suburbs since 1999, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 59.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+10.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tom Tancredo, incumbent U.S. Representative
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Tancredo (incumbent) | 44,039 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 44,039 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Bill Winter, lawyer and former legislative aide to Senator John McCain
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Winter | 18,673 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 18,673 | 100.0 | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
General election
Endorsements
Newspapers
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Safe R | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Safe R | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Likely R | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Safe R | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Safe R | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tom Tancredo (incumbent) | 158,806 | 58.6 | |
| Democratic | Bill Winter | 108,007 | 39.9 | |
| Libertarian | Jack Woehr | 4,093 | 1.5 | |
| Write-in | 25 | 0.0 | ||
| Majority | 50,799 | 18.8 | ||
| Total votes | 270,931 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Tancredo (R) | $1,781,975 | $1,724,235 | $219,092 | |
| Bill Winter (D) | $801,629 | $801,136 | $390 | |
| Jack Woehr (L) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Tancredo (R) | $109 | $0 |
| Bill Winter (D) | $2,232 | $0 |
| Jack Woehr (L) | $0 | $0 |
District 7
Incumbent Republican Bob Beauprez, who had represented the district since 2003, decided to run for Governor rather than for re-election. He was re–elected with 55.7% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+2.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rick O'Donnell, executive director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and candidate for this seat in 2002
Declined
- Bob Beauprez, incumbent U.S. Representative (running for Governor)[28]
- Mike Coffman, State Treasurer
- Mark Paschall, Jefferson County Treasurer
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rick O'Donnell | 20,535 | 100.0 | |
| Total votes | 20,535 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic primary
With Beauprez declining to seek a third term this district emerged as a top pick-up opportunity for House Democrats.
Candidates
Nominee
- Ed Perlmutter, former state senator[29]
Eliminated in primary
- Peggy Lamm, former state representative[30]
- Herb Rubenstein, attorney and business leadership consultant
Withdrawn
- Joanna Conti, businesswoman and nominee for the 6th district in 2004
Polling
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ed Perlmutter | 15,598 | 53.3 | |
| Democratic | Peggy Lamm | 11,047 | 37.7 | |
| Democratic | Herb Rubenstein | 2,625 | 9.0 | |
| Total votes | 29,270 | 100.0 | ||
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Dave Chandler
Constitution primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Roger McCarville
General election
Endorsements
Organizations
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee "Red to Blue" Program[17]
- Individuals
- Wesley Clark, retired Army General and 2004 democratic presidential candidate[33]
Newspapers
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Rick O'Donnell (R) |
Ed Perlmutter (D) |
Dave Chandler (G) |
Roger McCarville (C) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA (KUSA-TV)[34] | October 29–31, 2006 | 589 (LV) | ±4.1% | 38% | 54% | 4% | 2% | 2% |
| SurveyUSA (KUSA-TV)[35] | September 21–25, 2006 | 482 (LV) | ±4.5% | 37% | 54% | 2% | 1% | 6% |
| SurveyUSA (KUSA-TV)[36] | August 18–20, 2006 | 535 (LV) | ±4.3% | 45% | 45% | 2% | 2% | 6% |
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[4] | Lean D (flip) | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg[5] | Likely D (flip) | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Likely D (flip) | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[7] | Lean D (flip) | November 7, 2006 |
| CQ Politics[8] | Lean D (flip) | November 7, 2006 |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ed Perlmutter | 103,918 | 54.9 | |||
| Republican | Rick O'Donnell | 79,571 | 42.1 | |||
| Green | Dave Chandler | 3,073 | 1.6 | |||
| American Constitution | Roger McCarville | 2,605 | 1.4 | |||
| Write-in | 5 | 0.0 | ||||
| Majority | 24,347 | 12.9 | ||||
| Total votes | 189,172 | 100.0 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
Finances
Campaigns
| Candidate (party) | Raised | Spent | Cash on hand | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rick O'Donnell (R) | $2,818,132 | $2,767,663 | $46,934 | |
| Ed Perlmutter (D) | $2,984,171 | $2,933,170 | $51,001 | |
| Dave Chandler (G) | Unreported | |||
| Roger McCarville (C) | Unreported | |||
Outside Spending
| Candidate (party) | Supported | Opposed |
|---|---|---|
| Rick O'Donnell (R) | $212,018 | $1,435,949 |
| Ed Perlmutter (D) | $666,516 | $519,975 |
| Dave Chandler (G) | $0 | $0 |
| Roger McCarville (C) | $0 | $0 |