Musgrave: Women candidates get a break from male opponents

MINNEAPOLIS--U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan) told the Colorado delegation to the Republican National Convention on Thursday that like GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, she has a degree of immunity from attacks by male opponents.

"I think when (Barack) Obama picked (running mate) Joe Biden he thought he had his scrapper -- somebody who would get him there," Musgrave said. "But you know, one thing that I've found: no matter what kind of opponent I have and no matter what kind of outside groups are going to come in and attack me, when I've had a man for an opponent, they have to treat you like a lady.

"So Joe is a little bit disarmed, let me tell you, because he's going to be debating Sarah, and her strength and her courage is going to come through," Musgrave said.

Indeed, Musgrave has fared better against male opponents than female ones. She easily beat Democrat Stan Matsunaka in 2002 and defeated Matsunaka and Green candidate Bob Kinsey in 2004. In 2006, she faced Reform Party candidate Eric Eidsness, but she only won by three percentage points over Democrat (and female) candidate Angie Paccione.

The latest poll in the current 4th Congressional District race shows Musgrave trailing another woman, Democrat Betsy Markey, by seven percentage points.