Republicans speak out in Fawcett ad

Who's supporting Jay Fawcett in CD5? The answer may surprise you - if you've never read this blog before.

From the Rocky:

They are names and photos familiar in El Paso County Republican politics, but this time they're not endorsing the GOP candidate for Colorado's 5th Congressional District. The photos and names adorn a full-page ad bought by Democratic contender Jay Fawcett in today's Colorado Springs Independent, the local alternative weekly.

It's the latest salvo fired in Fawcett's campaign to defeat State Sen. Doug Lamborn, the Republican Party's nominee to replace retiring Joel Hefley. Hefley has refused to endorse Lamborn, charging him with running a sleazy campaign.

The ad is one of the biggest campaign buys ever by a Democrat for the seat that no Democrat has held since its creation in 1972. Most years, the party has written off the race with a token candidate and no money. This year, Fawcett is riding a wave of public disaffection for the Iraq war and the Bush administration to the most competitive race ever for the seat.

I'm a little irritated that the Rocky continues to blame Lamborn's problems on "disaffection" with the Republican party. Lamborn's biggest hurdle is his own toxic personality. And his second biggest is Fawcett, whose military background and fiscal conservatism match up well with CD5.