BROOMFIELD — State Sen. Scott Renfroe beat Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck for the top spot on the ballot in the race to succeed Congressman Cory Gardner, but both made the ballot Friday.
Renfroe, who was called a “statesman” by several supporters, took 54 percent of the delegate vote while Buck won 46 percent at the 4th Congressional District assembly, where abortion and “personhood” were mentioned.
Candidates need 30 percent of the vote to make the ballot.
Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer also addressed the assembly but announced at the end that as she also was petitioning onto the ballot, the delegates who had committed to her were free to vote as they choose.
There were jeers from some Republicans, but she was free to go do that under GOP rules.
The 4th Congressional District Assembly is one of several assemblies the Colorado Republican Party held Friday, the day before its state assembly in Boulder. Delegates at the assemblies nominate candidates for the GOP primary election on June 24.
In all, four Republicans are running for the seat Gardner decided to give up to challenge U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, a one-term Democrat. Former financial adviser Steve Laffey of Larimer County also collected signatures to petition onto the ballot. His and Kirkmeyer’s signatures are still being counted by the secretary of state.
Delegates cheered both Kirkmeyer and Renfroe when they said they were pro-life and supported personhood and would never change.
The dig was clearly intended at Buck, but it also implicates Gardner, who recently said it it was a mistake to support personhood, which gives rights to fertilized eggs. Gardner said he still opposes abortion but agrees with critics who say personhood also bans certain forms of birth control.
Buck also abandoned his support for personhood when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
But his wife, state Rep. Perry Buck, R-Windsor, pointed out he has been endorsed by the Eagle Forum and Phyllis Schlafly.
“Phyllis knows that Ken is going to fight for life forever for the unborn,” Perry Buck told the assembly.
Ken Buck told the audience about his battle last year with Stage IV cancer when he was given a 50-50 chance of survival. After 42 days of chemotherapy, he was declared cancer-free.
“That is a God thing and that is a testament to American medicine. We cannot allow American medicine to go downhill. I will vote to repeal Obamacare,” he said, to cheers. “I will replace it with a free-market, patient-centered health care system.”
Renfroe stressed his small-business roots, which he said he learned from his father.
“My dad taught me how to work hard and what it takes to be a man. He taught me about character and to do the right thing.”
Renfroe, also of Weld County, was nominated by Weld County Sheriff John Cooke.
“I’ve known Scott for many years as both a friend and a political ally. He’s a statesman,” Cooke said. “Last year we fought side by side against Democrats and the governor over the unconstitutional and unenforceable gun-control bills.”
The 4th Congressional District stretches from Wyoming to New Mexico, and includes the Eastern Plains and portions of Douglas County. It votes mostly conservative, and so the Democrat, Vic Meyers of Trinidad, faces an uphill battle.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/ lynn_bartels
BROOMFIELD — State Sen. Scott Renfroe beat Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck for the top spot on the ballot in the race to succeed Congressman Cory Gardner, but both made the ballot Friday.
Renfroe, who was called a “statesman” by several supporters, took 54 percent of the delegate vote while Buck won 46 percent at the 4th Congressional District assembly, where abortion and “personhood” were mentioned.
Candidates need 30 percent of the vote to make the ballot.
Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer also addressed the assembly but announced at the end that as she also was petitioning onto the ballot the delegates who had committed to her were free to vote as those choose.
There were jeers from some Republicans but she was free to go do that under GOP rules.
The 4th Congressional District Assembly is one of several assemblies the Colorado Republican Party is holding Friday, the day before its state assembly in Boulder. Delegates at the assemblies nominate candidates for the GOP primary election on June 24.
In all, four Republicans are running for the seat Gardner decided to give up to challenge U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, a one-term Democrat. Former financial adviser Steve Laffey of Larimer County also collected signatures to petition onto the ballot. His and Kirkmeyer’s signatures are still being counted by the secretary of state.
Delegates cheered both Kirkmeyer and Renfroe when they said they were pro-life and supported personhood and would never change.
The dig was clearly intended at Buck, but it also implicates Gardner, who recently said it it was a mistake to support personhood, which gives rights to fertilized eggs. Gardner said he still opposes abortion but agrees with critics who say personhood also bans certain forms of birth control.
Buck also abandoned his support for personhood when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
But his wife, state Rep. Perry Buck, R-Windsor, pointed out he has been endorsed by the Eagle Forum and Phyllis Schlafly.
“Phyllis knows that Ken is going to fight for life forever for the unborn,” Perry Buck said told the assembly.
Ken Buck told the audience about his battle last year with stage IV cancer when he was given a 50-50 chance of survival. After 42 days of chemotherapy, he was declared cancer free.
“That is is a God thing and that is a testament to American medicine. We cannot allow American medicine to go downhill. I will vote to repeal Obamacare,” he said, to cheers. “I will replace it with a free-market patient-centered health care system.”
Renfroe stressed his small business roots, which he said he learned from his father.
“My dad taught me how to work hard and what it takes to be a man. He taught me about character and to do the right thing.”
Renfroe, also of Weld County, was nominated by Weld County Sheriff John Cooke.
“I’ve known Scott for many years as both a friend a political ally. He’s a statesman,” Cooke said. “Last year we fought side by side against Democrats and the governor over the unconstitutional and unenforceable gun-control bills.”
The 4th Congressional District stretches from Wyoming to New Mexico, and includes the Eastern Plains and portions of Douglas County. It votes mostly conservative and so the Democrat, Vic Meyers of Trinidad, faces an uphill battle.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels
The June primary matchups
Who faces who for Republican nominations in Colorado’s congressional districts after Friday’s assembly battles:
3rd Congressional District
David Cox and Scott Tipton
4th Congressional District
Ken Buck and Scott Renfroe
5th Congressional District
Doug Lamborn and Bentley Rayburn
