Bruce Likely To Pass Assembly, But Controversies Could Open Door For Primary Rival

State Rep. Douglas Bruce (R-Colorado Springs) will face his first electoral test Saturday, when he will run against two challengers for his House District 15 seat at the El Paso Republican County Assembly.

Bruce, the author of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, will likely still enjoy significant support at the assembly against opponents Steven Hasbrouck and Air Force Major Mark Waller, said observers following the race.

But his controversial actions as a state representative make it likely that a second candidate will also poll the 30 percent needed to make the August primary ballot.

El Paso County GOP Chair Greg Garcia predicted a "solid" vote for two of the candidates during the assembly.

Garcia said he "wouldn't want to bet on any one of the three" winning on Saturday, but he noted both Bruce and Waller will likely have significant bases of support.

Bruce has a number of longtime followers who are "going to come out strong" for the author of the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights, while Waller "will have a very good chance" because of his military background, Garcia said.

Whether Hasbrouck can poll the 30 percent of the assembly vote needed to get on the August primary ballot "remains to be seen," Garcia said.

In January, Bruce became the first Colorado legislator to be censured by his colleagues after he kicked a news photographer on the House floor. Last month, House Minority Leader Mike May removed Bruce from the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee after he refused to co-sponsor a resolution honoring military veterans.

Colorado College political science professor Bob Loevy said despite the bad press, Bruce's popularity in El Paso County "shouldn't be minimized."

"He has very strong support and although he's always been controversial, he's succeeded in getting elected to any office he's run for," Loevy said.

But Loevy added that the recent controversy opens the door to a second candidate making the primary ballot.

"If (Bruce) had a normal time up at the state legislature, I would question whether anyone but Bruce could make the 30 percent," Loevy said.

Bruce said he's "not losing any sleep over the outcome" of the assembly, adding the only real question is whether either of his opponents could reach the 30 percent mark.

"Really the issue frankly is whether people who never liked me in the frist place -- which is some double-digit number of republicans, or RINOs -- if (they are) over 30 percent, based on these dishonest, widely exaggerated stories in the media," Bruce said.

Hasbrouck "has run zero campaign," Bruce said; as for Waller, Bruce said, "I'm up here (in Denver), so I don't know what he's doing."

Both Waller and Hasbrouck declared themselves candidates for House District 15 last year, before Bruce took office.

Waller, a 38-year-old Colorado Springs attorney, noted he has racked up some significant endorsements, including State Reps. Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs) and Bob Gardner (R-Colorado Springs), as well as former state Sen. Ron May (R).

Hasbrouck, a 60-year-old resident of Cimmarron Hills who recently disbanded his muffler repair shop after 22 years because of the slumping economy, said he didn't want to predict how he would fare at Saturday's assembly.

"I'm not one to speculate," Hasbrouck said.