DENVER Its an even-numbered year, and that means politicians will be scrambling for money and votes, from the president down to the county commissioner.
To help readers keep up on developments, the Journal today is launching a once-a-week review of campaign news. Check back here every Saturday through Election Day, Nov. 6, for a quick look at the essential stories.
Game on in House District 59: State Rep. J. Paul Brown, R-Ignacio, got his first challenger this week when Silverton Democrat Patrick Swonger entered the race.
Swonger operates a telecommunication business and the Silverton cable TV system. He founded Operation Linkup, the group that advocates for better Internet in San Juan County.
Brown handily beat Democrat Brian ODonnell in 2010, but this year he will run in a much different district that includes Gunnison and excludes conservative Cortez.
Paces pace: State Rep. Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, raised $200,000 in the fourth quarter for his congressional campaign against Cortez Republican Scott Tipton.
The haul brings Paces total to $465,000 for the year, which he touts as a record for a challenger at this point in the campaign.
Tipton has not yet released his fundraising numbers. Still, Tipton had raised more money through September $642,000 than Pace did all year.
Obama vs. Romney on immigration: Former Denver Mayor and Clinton cabinet secretary Federico Peña went after Republican Mitt Romneys immigration policy on Friday, acting as a Colorado surrogate for President Barack Obama. The conference call organized by Obamas campaign was yet another sign that Obama considers Romney the likely GOP nominee, that Colorado will be a key battleground state, and that Hispanic voters are expected to play a crucial role in electing the next president.
Coming up next week: Monday is the deadline for federal candidates to report their fourth-quarter fundraising.
Countdown: 297 days until the election.
Reach Joe Hanel at joeh@cortezjournal.com