Bill Owens

PolitickerCO.com asked some Colorado political figures and pundits to predict who will win on Election Day. Here's what they said:

John Straayer, political science professor at Colorado State University:

President: Barack Obama (D) 52 percent; John McCain (R) 48 percent

U.S. Senate: Mark Udall (D) 54 percent; Bob Schaffer (R) 46 percent

Fourth Congressional District: Betsy Markey (D) 50.5 percent; Marilyn Musgrave (R) 49.5 percent

Bob Loevy, political science professor at Colorado College:

Obama 54 percent; McCain 46 percent 

Udall 56 percent; Schaffer 44 percent

Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is firing up the Republican base in Colorado, former Gov. Bill Owens said Monday, and internal Republican polls are measuring the success.

"We have seen a significant strengthening of the base vote in the last two weeks," Owens said during a conference call with reporters. "I realize the election's 51 days away, but the republicans have clearly come home. I think the Republican vote in Colorado will be voting on Election Day."

Palin is also appealing to moderates in swing areas such as Jefferson County, Owens said.

"It wasn't by coincidence that Sarah Palin went to Jefferson County today," Owens said. "That's a key suburban battleground, and I think it's one that we're going to overperform in based on this addition to the ticket."

MINNEAPOLIS -- Even before John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his presidential running mate, Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams predicted the election in Colorado would come down to women.

Women between the age of 30 and 50 in south suburban Denver, to be exact, Wadhams told The Wall Street Journal.

Fiscally conservative and socially liberal - in that order - they proven to be the swing voters who've helped put former Republican Gov. Bill Owens and U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Loveland) in office, but also backed Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver), the Journal stated.

McCain is well-suited to grab these voters this year, Wadhams told the Journal, thanks to his emphasis on fiscal responsibility and strong stance on national security.

Plus, Wadhams told the Journal, "these voters are really moved by the energy issue" and -- like McCain and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer - support increased oil drilling.

Six years after losing a race for Governor, the venerable Rollie Heath is headed to public office.  The 70-year-old retired Boulder businessman scored a 56%-44% victory over Cindy Carlisle to win the Democratic nomination for State Senate.  There is no Republican candidate for the seat being vacated by term-limited state Sen. Ron Tupa.  

In today's Inside Edge, Wally takes a look at some hypothetical political match-ups. Warning: we won't responsible for the nightmares you have after reading this column.     

Former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens endorsed 6th Congressional District GOP candidate Wil Armstrong in an online video released Friday.

"I’m proud to be supporting Wil Armstrong for Colorado’s 6th Congressional District," Owens said in the video. "I’ve known Wil for many, many years. He’s a businessman, and I think we need more people with a business background in the U.S. House of Representatives. (With) all of the issues involving taxes and regulations, it’d be great to have more people with backgrounds such as Wil’s in the United States House of Representatives. That’s why I’m backing him, and I hope you do, too."

C0-6 GOP candidate Mike Coffman manager Dustin Zvonek said he "wasn't surprised" by the endorsement of Armstrong, who's the son of former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong.

"We figured there would be a lot of longtime Republicans who’ve benefited from Senator Armstrong over the years who’d come out and endorse his son," Zvonek said.

The enemies list that the Clintons keep, and never trim, gets longer according to several NY Times outlets. So in today's Inside Edge Wally takes a look at what a Colorado enemies list might look like.

You know its Friday because you get the latest comments, emails, and threats from Wally's World with Wally's lame replies. If that doesn't set you up for a great weekend, then you're probably considered quite normal.

Every Friday, Inside Edge answers your questions about Colorado politics. This week: a vote of support for Wil Armstrong's first venture into TV advertising, Doug Lamborn's next venture into scapegoating, and a "thriller" starring Jason Bane! 

Doug Bruce has been vilified this term by both Democrats and Republicans. And with a new compromise measure that threatens to scrap much of TABOR in return for concessions on Amendment 23, some insiders are guessing much of the hostilty towards Bruce from the right side of the aisle was aimed at helping passage of the measure. Either way TABOR supporters are promising a fight to retain the TABOR spending restrictions.