Editors note: This is the Cortez Journals weekly roundup of campaign news.
Both major candidates for Congress in Western Colorado jabbed each other on the air over Medicare this week. Democrat Sal Paces second television ad featured his father and claimed that Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, had voted for a plan that would raise costs to seniors by $6,400. Independent fact-checking services have called similar claims outdated and misleading.
Tipton aired his first ad of 2012, accusing Pace of supporting President Barack Obamas law that cuts Medicare by more than $700 billion. Fact-checking groups have also labelled that claim an exaggeration, and Tipton voted for budgets that make use of the same cost savings as Obama.
Romney in Denver: Republican Mitt Romney will campaign in Colorado for the first time in more than seven weeks. He plans to hold rallies in the Denver area Sunday and Monday.
Poll position: Three recent Colorado polls have, on balance, good news for Romney. Rasmussen Reports found Romney leading 47 percent to 45 percent, while Obama was up by one point in polls by Quinnipiac and The Denver Post/Survey USA. The website Real Clear Politics average of Colorado polls gives Obama a 47.3 percent to 46 percent lead in Colorado, but thats down from a 3.7 percent lead a week ago.
Countdown: 45 days until the November election. 23 days until mail voting begins. Ballots are mailed to overseas military voters today.
joeh@cortezjournal.com