After endorsing Kristin Gillibrand in New York, and Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania, I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise that President Obama has also endorsed Michael Bennet in Colorado's Senate primary. That said, in recent memory, no sitting president has taken sides in a Colorado Senate primary.
The endorsement, coming just one day after Andrew Romanoff announced, was obviously timed to step on the Romanoff announcement, and give pause to those who might have been thinking about writing Romanoff a check. Romanoff can take heart that his opponent obviously considers him a serious contender, so much so that he's playing "the president card" right off the bat.
Most observers give Romanoff more state-wide support than Bennet, who is virtually unknown outside of Denver. Romanoff also has strong backing among progressives, most of whom probably supported Pres. Obama in the nomination contest last year. This is ironic: Traditional Democrats, who tended to support Hillary Clinton last year, will likely be most affected by the Obama endorsement, while progressives will probably be least affected by it. Double irony: Romanoff was a Clinton supporter.
Both candidates currently trail the Republican front-runner, Jane Norton--Bennet by 9% and Romanoff by 8%. It's not a surprise that both are currently behind. It is a surprise, however, that Bennet, who has been Senator for a year, doesn't fare better than Romanoff, who just got into the race. So far at least, Bennet has not connected with voters.
If Romanoff plays his cards right, the Obama endorsement could even rebound to his benefit. So far, the Bennet campaign has been top-down. He gets appointed by the Governor, makes the obligatory visits up and down 17th Street, gets the party establishment in line, and now, the president. The Obama endorsement plays right in to Romanoff's "grass roots" vs. "the establishment" campaign.
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