3 candidates answer Pioneer election questionnaire; Democrats spurn it
Oct. 19, 2018Candidate positions on several political topics -including President Trump, the Judge Kavanaugh Supreme Court appointment, Colorado as a sanctuary state and certain state ballot issues - were sought in a Westside Pioneer questionnaire for the Colorado House District 18 and Senate District 11 races.
Both districts encompass a horizontal swathe across Colorado Springs, taking in Manitou and parts of Westside on their west ends and the downtown and out to Academy
Senate District 11 (boundaries outlined in
white) takes up a horizontal chunk of the city, including mostly older portions of
the Westside and going from Manitou at its west end to areas as far east
as Powers Boulevard.
Courtesy of State of Colorado
|
Election ballots have been mailed out, with the official election day Nov. 6 (see Pioneer article at this link).
In HD 18, candidate answers to the Pioneer questionnaire came back from candidates Mary Elizabeth Fabian, running as a Republican (see Pioneer article at this link); and Maile Foster, running as an independent (see Pioneer article at this link); and in SD 11, from Patrick McIntire, running as a Republican (see Pioneer article at this link).
The Pioneer also sent the questionnaire to candidates Marc Snyder (Democrat) in HD 18 and Pete Lee (Democrat) in SD 11. However, they did not send back responses.
Neither Democrat gave a reason for not responding, even after it was pointed out in messages from the Pioneer that failing to do so prevents voters from seeing where they stand on certain key issues, including several at the state level.
Lee had also declined to fill out a Pioneer questionnaire in 2016 when he was running as a three-term incumbent for the HD 18 seat. He won, and currently holds that post, but is
Outlined in white on this map, House District
18 covers much - but not all - of the same turf as Senate District 11, as well as
some additional areas.
Courtesy of State of Colorado
|
That's also the case with current SD 11 Senator Michael Merrifield, so his stepping down clears the field for Lee, in terms of the Democratic Party.
Snyder is the former mayor of Manitou Springs.
Fabian, Foster and McIntire are all small-business owners and running for government elected office for the first time.
Fabian was a replacement candidate in August for Jillian Likness, who dropped out after securing the Republican nomination earlier in the year. A similar situation had occurred for the Republicans in HD 18 in the 2016 election.
The Pioneer's questions were as follows.
(PICK 1, 2, 3 OR 4)
- 1. Support him and his policies at Make America Great Again level
- 2. Mostly approve
- 3. Mostly disapprove
- 4. Disapprove at “resistance” level
(PICK 1, 2, 3 OR 4)
- 1. Fully support him and suspect Democrats of using “smear” tactics
- 2. Support but have been willing to see how allegations issue plays out
- 3. Oppose but have been willing to see how allegations issue plays out
- 4. Fully oppose and suspect Republicans of unfairness
- Amendment Y (create “Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission”).
- Amendment Z (create “Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission”).
- Amendment 73 (generate more public school funds by raising state corporate income tax and tax on incomes over $150,000).
- Proposition 112 (increase fracking setback).
- Proposition 109 (Fix Our Damn Roads).
- Proposition 110 (Authorize Sales Tax and Bonds for Transportation Projects).
Westside Pioneer article
(Politics:
State/Region)
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