Polis, Fitz-Gerald Fighting; Shafroth Likely Loving It

It was just a matter of time before the Second Congressional District race got downright ugly. That time seems to have come in the last week as mail-in ballots for the Democratic primary started arriving at homes throughout the district that spans Adams and Boulder counties and several mountain communities along the I-70 corridor.

Former State Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald’s camp is throwing grenades at rival Jared Polis, the multi-millionaire former state board of education member that has turned the race upside down by pumping nearly $4 million of his own cash in his campaign. And guess what, Polis is lobbing bombs right back.

The two have launched bitter television ad and pr campaigns, each accusing the other of being attached to money that doesn’t look good for a Democrat to be associated with (Fitz-Gerald’s campaign contributions from Big Oil, and Polis’ tie to an overseas investment fund tied to the energy sector).

In the important race to win the primary Aug. 12 that all but assures the Democrat nominee a place in Washington in this Boulder County-heavy district, it is sad that the campaigns have resorted to this. And dangerous.

Will Shafroth, the relative unknown candidate third candidate for the nomination, is avoiding this mess altogether. Meanwhile, he has been busy raising a bundle of campaign cash and winning endorsements from both Denver’s major dailies.

If Polis and Fitz-Gerald don’t check themselves, they risk alienating the voters and giving the relative no-name, mega conservationist a serious chance at winning this seat.

—Jacob Harkins, Yellow Scene Magazine editor