NRSC Explains Domain Registrations, Opposition To Endorsement Grows
by elpresidente | 2:37 pm, August 28, 2009 | Comments Off
The Denver Post has picked up Complete Colorado’s potential substantiation of rumors first reported by blogger Ben DeGrow:
A Washington group that works to get Republicans elected to the U.S. Senate reserved two Internet domain names for former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, who will announce soon whether she is entering the race.
A spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee said Friday the registration is not a sign of an endorsement for any particular candidate.
Republicans are trying to unseat U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Denver, who was appointed in January.
The NRSC registered www.nortonforsenate.com and www.janenortonforsenate.com.
The NRSC backtracking/CYA on the domain registrations for a possible Norton candidacy is not surprising:
“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that we purchase domain names of potential candidates to prevent them from falling into the hands of our Democrat opponents,” said Amber Wilkerson, spokeswoman for the NRSC.
She said if Norton decides to get into the race, she would need to purchase the sites from the NRSC and run her own Website.
“To read anything further would be misleading and wrong,” Wilkerson said. “We already have two other great Republicans running for this seat in 2010, and we believe any of these potential candidates will unseat Michael Bennet next November.”It is not clear whether the NRSC has taken such preemptive measures for any of the other announced candidates, including Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier.
But what of the actual GOP grassroots?
Memo to NRSC: Butt Out–until August 11, 2010:
Please forward to Rob Jesmer & Sen. Cornyn,
As a registered Republican, Colorado resident & grassroots activist – I hope that this rumor isn’t true.
“A well-placed rumor is circulating that the National Republican Senatorial Committee is planning to endorse former lieutenant governor Jane Norton upon her official entry into Colorado’s Republican U.S. Senate primary in the next few weeks.”
The overwhelming sentiment of most conservatives that I have met is that they are not being represented by either party in Washington. That the power brokers & “Old Guard” are out of touch and keep backing candidates that cannot win. They cannot even bring in Republicans, let alone the crucial unaffiliateds.
All those town hall people? They have woken up & want to have a say in who they send to Washington.
If you stack the deck & back ANYONE before the primary process – you will be driving conservative voters AWAY from the Republican party. I’m sure this isn’t your goal.
Our group, R Block Party, is dedicated to “building the bench” in Colorado – from City Council on up. We believe that building the bench means not only the candidates, but the volunteer support as well. We want people to be invested in their candidates and the process. And one of the ways to do that? Let them choose.
Help us realize our goal of putting forward Republicans that voters can get behind and support.
Let us pick our own candidate.The energy is out there. Please don’t thwart it.
Nikki Mata
R Block Party
At the R Block Party “New Kids on the Block” event last evening, this sentiment was echoed again and again.
Let Colorado Republicans decide who we feel will best challenge Senator Who?/Michael Bennet in 2010.
We fully welcome the NRSC’s involvement in calling to question Sen. Bennet’s indecisive and paltry record.
Playing kingmaker, however, isn’t playing well with GOP grassroots in Colorado.
Let’s just hope the NRSC gets that memo–even the liberals at ColoradoPols have conceded.
