Today, Colorado will hold primaries for Governor and Senator. In the Governor's race, former Representative Scott McInnis has imploded over the past few weeks after allegations arose that he plagiarized a series of essays on water rights for a group called the Hasan Family Foundation. Though he has promised to repay the $300,000 he earned as a fellow at the foundation, the accusations continue to dog him.
In the wake of these allegations, he's seen his lead diminish to the single digits over Dan Maes, who is mired in ethical allegations himself. This primary could go either way. Further complicating matters for Republicans, former representative Tom Tancredo entered the race late as a third party candidate, splitting the Republican vote and allowing Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to jump out to a substantial lead for the general election.
The Senate race features competitive races on both sides. Democratic Senator Michael Bennet may become yet another incumbent defeated this year. Bennet was appointed to fill the seat of Ken Salazar, who was appointed President Obama's Secretary of the Interior. He's being challenged from the left by former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. While Bennet has trailed in most polls, Romanoff seems to have closed the gap in recent weeks.
The Republicans likewise have a competitive race. Former Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton faces conservative activist and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck in the primary. Norton had the benefit of three months of establishment figures losing primaries to such activists and has fought back hard against Buck's primary challenge. Buck had jumped out to a lead, but after a series of gaffes and some hard-hitting campaign ads from Norton, the race looks like it may have closed again. It's anyone's guess who emerges the winner of all three primaries.
Sean Trende is Senior Elections Analyst for RealClearPolitics. He can be reached at strende@realclearpolitics.com.
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