Posted on 11/06/2002 1:48:49 AM PST by Pat Bateman
Musgrave clobbers Matsunaka
Fort Morgan senator wins soundly under conservative banner
By Owen S. Good, Rocky Mountain News
November 6, 2002
Marilyn Musgrave, the Republican state senator from Fort Morgan, captured the 4th Congressional District with a convincing victory over Democratic state Sen. Stan Matsunaka.
Musgrave's campaign apparently succeeded in reminding the 4th District of its conservative tradition, which has elected Republicans leaning right since 1972.
"When Wayne Allard ran in the 4th, they said he was too conservative," Musgrave said. "When Bob Schaffer ran, they said he was too conservative, and when I ran, that's what my opponent said about me. None of us have been too conservative. We're a great fit for this district."
Musgrave succeeds Schaffer, who is stepping down to honor a term-limits pledge.
Matsunaka, president of the state senate, also ran a campaign to define the district's political bent, calling it more moderate because of his statehouse victories in reliably Republican territory.
He posted a stronger showing than Democrats had in past races. But it was not enough to win, despite a get-out-the-vote campaign that knocked on more than 50,000 doors over the weekend, according to Matsunaka campaign chief Jim Merlino.
Still, the Loveland Democrat wouldn't concede the race late Tuesday, despite a significant deficit; campaign spokesman Jeff Bridges said Matsunaka was waiting for the last vote to be counted.
The state Democratic Party was disappointed with the loss.
"It's unfortunate that the voters of the 4th District will not have better representation than extremist Marilyn Musgrave," said spokesman Cody Wertz, repeating a label the Matsunaka campaign had used.
Pound for pound, the contest matched the vitriol of Colorado's U.S. Senate race.
Musgrave ran on Matsunaka's voting record almost as much as her own.
Musgrave, an absolutist on tax cuts, painted Matsunaka, who hedged on cutting taxes in bad economic times, as a raving tax-and-spend liberal.
In return, Matsunaka's campaign ferreted out any right-wing connections that could be used to portray Musgrave as an extremist.
Musgrave heads to Congress already known to some of the GOP's heavier hitters, including House Majority Whip Rep. Tom DeLay, who endorsed her early in the race.
She campaigned heavily on tax cuts, aligning herself with President Bush's tax plan and the push to make it permanent.
Although her social values were never a significant part of the campaign discussion, Musgrave will certainly caucus with Republicans who share her staunch conservatism.
"I'm known as a solid conservative, and that's what I'll be in Congress," Musgrave said. "You can expect more of the same. There's not a lot of time to get things done, but I'll be very tenacious."
Staff writer Michelle Ames contributed to this report.
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