When asked why, after spending most of the year campaigning for Senate Frazier has now decided to jump to the Congressional race, the campaign explained that Frazier got into the Senate race because he “wants to serve the people of Colorado”, but now believes the best way he can do this is as a congressman. The decision was not made lightly or “on the fly”, we were told, but has been under consideration for some time – which is consistent with the length of time in which the rumors have been circulating.

The campaign specifically denied that Frazier’s decision had been prompted by recent actions of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in support of the Senate candidacy of former Colorado Lt. Governor Jane Norton. They could not immediately answer the question of whether the NRSC or other entities or individuals had promised support to Frazier in the Congressional race in exchange for the switch, but did promise to release this coming Monday a list of prominent supporters backing the new campaign.

As anyone who has had contact with the new grassroots movements in Colorado this year knows, there is already a GOP candidate running in CD-7, Brian T. Campbell.  The Frazier campaign stated that they look forward to a spirited competition with Campbell and any other GOP contenders who might emerge in CD-7, but aside from a generic assertion that they plan to work with the grassroots too, did not offer specifics on how they plan to deal with Campbell’s new base of support. While Ryan has appeared at many grassroots events as part of his previous Senate campaign, Campbell has been an organizer of several such events and claims to have the support of several thousand Republican, independent, libertarian, and even Democrat activists statewide (not only in CD-7). 

This led to what I believe was the most telling comment of the teleconference. When asked whether the Frazier campaign had considered how the switch would disappoint the grassroots, who seemed to favor him in the Senate race, and how he planned to address the inevitable charges that the switch shows him to be “flaky”  or a “quitter” like Sarah Palin, the campaign representative replied that no, they apparently had not given such disappointments and perceptions much thought, so focused were they on getting the announcement together. To me, that indicates not just a lack of attention to (pretty significant) details, but – astonishingly – the same sort of blindness to how voters and activists perceive the campaign and its actions that the Jane Norton Senate campaign has demonstrated thus far.

Watch PPC for more coverage as the day goes on.

The event had great attendance, not just with a nearly-full room at Bemis Public Library in Littleton (there were another ten or so people standing off-camera to the right) but with a broad selection of candidates from local, state, and national races:

The main attraction, of course, was NRSC-picked Senate candidate and former Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton, making what to those in the room was her first appearance at a grassroots event (though she mentioned in her speech having already met with various tea party and 9-12 groups). Sitting in “first chair”, she spoke early and then left without answering questions, clearly disappointing many audience members.

Below the jump are the speeches from the candidates in major races (Governor, Senate, Congress, and Colorado Legislature)…

Special guests this year included Andrew Breitbart of BreitbartTV and the Drudge Report, Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher, and Radley Balko of Reason Magazine.  Several panelists from Friday’s II-sponsored nanny-state panel discussion were also on hand.

II’s Jon Caldara introduces the speakers at lunch

Joe Wurzelbacher encourages the attendees to study up on the Constitution…while they still have it..

Radley Balko discusses the smothering totalitarianism of the nanny state, with absurd-yet-disturbing examples of do-gooder meddling run amok.

Naturally, a few candidates were in attendance as well:

Ryan Frazier talks with Joe the Plumber.

Senate candidate Ryan Frazier and CD-7 Congressional candidate Brian T. Campbell.

Of course, the main attraction of the day was the chance to shoot skeet at Kiowa Creek Sporting Club, a well-appointed shotgun range out on the plains east of Denver.

Nice surroundings in the bottomland of Kiowa Creek.

Well-stocked launching machines for a long day of shooting.

Watching the skeet.

Look closely for the shattered clay.

Look closely for the ejected shell (to the center-right of the cage wall).

A fun time was had by all, poking symbolic fingers in the eyes of meddlesome nannyists by enjoying three of the simple pleasures of life those joyless puritans are determined to take away “for your own good”.