Campaigning takes physical toll, as Colorado candidates found out

Politics is often figuratively called a contact sport -- but some Colorado politicians got some real bumps and bruises on the campaign trail this year.

State Rep. Jerry Frangas (D-Denver) re-aggravated an old football injury while trying to knock on every door in his district, according to the Rocky Mountain News. A cortisone shot and two weeks of rest later, he was back out on the streets campaigning, achieving his goal of reaching 100 percent of his area.

"I lost 17 pounds," Frangas, who won re-election, told the Rocky.

After 10 days of walking the 37th House District, state Rep. Spencer Swalm (R-Centennial) got a severe ache in his right hip, which he broke about 20 years ago while skiing.

Postponing hip-replacement surgery, Swalm bought a Segway and rode it door-to-door -- sometimes parking it on constituents' porches, according to the Rocky.

State Rep. Gwyn Green (D-Golden) also postponed surgery this year, despite pain in her knees, according to the Rocky. Green had had foot surgery following the 2006 campaign to deal with stress fractures that formed while walking her district.

Candidates' family members were at risk during campaign season, too, as state Rep. Cory Gardner's (R-Yuma) father found out.

John Gardner was holding a campaign sign for his son in a Wray parade when a gust of wind smacked the sign against his ear, causing substantial bleeding, according to the Rocky.

John Gardner kept walking, though it wondered if the injury was a message that as a Democrat, he shouldn't be campaigning for a Republican.

"He said, 'This is a sign, isn't it?'" Cory Gardner told the Rocky, laughing.