The Cook Report said last week "For House Republicans, already dark days are getting darker. Movement in Congressional races tends to accelerate in mid-October, and with the exception of Rep. Tim Mahoney’s district (FL-16), every district on the move is headed in Democrats’ direction". This is bad news for Marilyn Musgrave, the Representative from Colorado's Fourth District. National Journal wrote that this third term congresswoman "in this firmly Republican district"..."has struggled with reelection". CQ noted that her victory margin has dwindled with each election and that "In 2006, she held the dubious distinction of winning with the lowest vote share of any member". Cook has continued to rate this as a Republican toss up.The 4th covers the eastern part of the State, which includes almost all of the High Plains plus the fast-growing area around Greeley (76,930), Fort Collins (118,652) and Loveland (50,608). It borders five other states! (New Mexico; Oklahoma; Kansas; Nebraska & Wyoming)
National Journal said that after her election to the House in 2002 "Musgrave quickly made a name for herself with her independent style and outspoken conservatism". She was the lead sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment banning same-sex marriage. She successfully passed an amendment to prevent enforcement of a law passed in 2005 that had required gun dealers to sell trigger locks along with the guns. The American Conservative Union rates Musgrave as the most conservative member of the House! The campaign website is http://musgraveforcongress.org/
Her opponent, in what some have dubbed "the battle of the blonds" is Betsy Markey, a former aide to Senator Ken Salazar. She has also worked for Senator John Durkin (New Hampshire) and Congressman Herb Harris of Virginia - before working for the Treasury and State Departments. Later she co-founded a software firm. Her campaign website is http://www.markeyforcongress.com/
Colorado has seen some powerful political ads in this closely fought election- examples include
from the anti-Musgrave 'VoteVets.org'
and from Musgrave
