CO-04: Musgrave in trouble?

[Moooooo]

Take it fwyw.

Fort Collins Democratic State Rep. Angie Paccione said Saturday she will run against Marilyn Musgrave, but only if she can raise enough money to win.

A poll commissioned by Paccione’s exploratory committee shows a 6-point difference in favor of Musgrave, a Republican who represents the 4th Congressional District, if the race were held today.

“A lot of people have put their checkbooks, their heart and their soul into the 4th race, especially these last two cycles,” said Paccione, current officeholder for state House District 53. “I want to make sure we’re good stewards of their faith.”

Paccione said Strategic Services, a Virginia-based polling company, asked 400 voters whom they would choose in 2006 if Paccione and Musgrave went head to head. The result was 46 percent for Musgrave, 40 percent for Paccione. The poll has a 4.9 percentage point margin of error.

“That is an uninformed vote,” Paccione said. “Before they hear anything about the candidates, the positives or the negatives.”

Paccione said it will likely take $3 million to beat Musgrave. She said she intends to talk to people who raise money for congressional candidates to see if she can actually get that much.

“I have to raise the money to win; I don’t want to be in the race just to be in the race,” she said.

In 2002, Musgrave beat Democrat Stan Matsunaka, 55 percent to 44 percent.

In the 2004 race, Musgrave spent $3.4 million. Matsunaka spent $867,000. Musgrave beat Matsunaka, 51 percent to 45 percent of the votes.

The 4th Congressional District includes Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley and most of eastern Colorado.

[nini2287]

I'd be happy to send money Paccione.  I think Musgrave is vulnerable against a well-funded, decent Democrat.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

A sane Republican would be safe in that district, but Musgrave is a nutjob.

[socaldem]

According to Colorado Pols, Paccione has some personal financial tribulations that may cause her some headaches...

I hope charismatic rural Rep. Wes Watkins runs.... he's like Brian Schweitzer II...

[Alcon]

Doing worse than the previous losing candidate in a partisan poll is not a good place to be.

[Notre Dame rules!]

A sane Republican would be safe in that district, but Musgrave is a nutjob.

nutjob?  how so?

[Alcon]

A sane Republican would be safe in that district, but Musgrave is a nutjob.

nutjob?  how so?

Well, she seems to entirely function to pass anti-gay marriage laws (think the Tom Tancredo of gay marriage) and infighting with various people, which resulted in her district more or less getting screwed over when it came to funding.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I think someone who claims that gay marriage will singlehandedly cause the downfall of the United States can be classified as a nutjob.