2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado

(Redirected from Rick O'Donnell)

The 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado were held on November 7, 2006, with all seven House seats up for election. The winners served from January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2009.

2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado

← 2004November 7, 20062008 →

All 7 Colorado seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Last election34
Seats won43
Seat changeIncrease 1Decrease 1
Popular vote832,888623,784
Percentage54.12%40.53%
SwingIncrease 5.31%Decrease 8.11%

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado,

2006[1]

PartyVotesPercentageSeats+/–
Democratic832,88854.12%4+1
Republican623,78440.53%3-1
Green38,8492.52%0-
Reform27,1331.76%0-
Libertarian13,5350.88%0-
American Constitution2,6050.17%0-
Totals1,538,908100.00%7-

District 1

Opposed by no Republican candidate, incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Diana DeGette easily won a fifth term over Green Party candidate Thomas D. Kelly.

Colorado's 1st congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticDiana DeGette (incumbent) 129,446 79.77
GreenThomas D. Kelly32,82520.23
Total votes162,271 100.00
Democratic hold

District 2

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Mark Udall dispatched with Republican nominee Rich Mancuso, Libertarian nominee Norm Olsen, and Green candidate J. A. Calhoun to win a fifth term in this Boulder-based district.

Colorado's 2nd congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticMark Udall (incumbent) 157,850 68.24
RepublicanRich Mancuso65,48128.31
LibertarianNorm Olsen5,0252.17
GreenJ. A. Calhoun2,9511.28
Total votes231,307 100.00
Democratic hold

District 3

2006 Colorado's 3rd congressional district election

← 2004
2008 →
 
NomineeJohn SalazarScott Tipton
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote146,48886,930
Percentage61.59%36.55%

County results
Salazar:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%     80-90%
Tipton:      40-50%     50-60%

U.S. Representative before election

John Salazar
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

John Salazar
Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John Salazar, the brother of Senator Ken Salazar, won a second term in this conservative, west Colorado district over Republican nominee and Colorado State Representative Scott Tipton and Libertarian nomine Bert Sargent.

Endorsements

Individuals
Colorado's 3rd congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJohn Salazar (incumbent) 146,488 61.59
RepublicanScott Tipton86,93036.55
LibertarianBert L. Sargent4,4171.86
Write-ins230.01
Total votes237,858 100.00
Democratic hold

District 4

2006 Colorado's 4th congressional district election

← 2004
2008 →
 
NomineeMarilyn MusgraveAngie PaccioneEric Eidsness
PartyRepublicanDemocraticReform
Popular vote109,732103,74827,133
Percentage45.6%43.1%11.3%

County results
Musgrave:     40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
Paccione:      40-50%

U.S. Representative before election

Marilyn Musgrave
Republican

Elected U.S. Representative

Marilyn Musgrave
Republican

Emerging from surprisingly narrow wins in this conservative, east Colorado-based district, incumbent Republican Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave thinly edged out the Democratic nominee, Colorado State Representative Angie Paccione and Reform Party candidate Eric Eidsness, who garnered an impressive 11.28% of the vote.

Individuals
Colorado's 4th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanMarilyn Musgrave (incumbent) 109,732 45.61
DemocraticAngie Paccione103,74843.12
ReformEric Eidsness27,13311.28
Total votes240,613 100.00
Republican hold

District 5

Incumbent Republican Congressman Joel Hefley declined to seek an eleventh term, creating an open seat in this conservative district based in Colorado Springs and its suburbs. Emerging from a particularly nasty and bitterly fought primary, Republican nominee Doug Lamborn, a Colorado State Senator, was not endorsed by the retiring Hefley.[4]

On August 29, 2006, Hefley expressed anger that his successor was not his top aide, Jeff Crank. Commenting on the primary campaign, Hefley said, "I spent eight years trying to get rid of the sleaze factor in Congress. [...] It's not something I can do to help put more sleaze factor in Congress."[5] Hefley was incensed at tactics such as a mailed brochure from the Christian Coalition of Colorado associating Crank with "public support for members and efforts of the homosexual agenda." Hefley said that he "suspected, but couldn't prove, collusion between Lamborn's campaign, which is managed by Jon Hotaling, and the Christian Coalition of Colorado, which is run by Hotaling's brother, Mark."[6] Hefley called it "one of the sleaziest, most dishonest campaigns I've seen in a long time,"[6] and refused to endorse Lamborn.

Despite this setback, Lamborn ultimately defeated Democratic nominee Jay Fawcett, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.

Endorsements

Jay Fawcett (D)
Individuals
Colorado's 5th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanDoug Lamborn 123,264 59.62
DemocraticJay Fawcett83,43140.35
Write-ins610.03
Total votes206,756 100.00
Republican hold

District 6

Incumbent Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo, well known for his staunchly conservative, anti-illegal immigration views, faced off against Democratic nominee Bill Winter, a lawyer and former legislative aide to Senator John McCain, albeit by a smaller margin than Tancredo is used to in this solidly conservative district based in the Denver suburbs.

Colorado's 6th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanTom Tancredo (incumbent) 158,806 58.61
DemocraticBill Winter108,00739.87
LibertarianJack J. Woehr4,0931.51
Write-ins250.01
Total votes270,931 100.00
Republican hold

District 7

When incumbent Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez declined to seek a third term so that he could run for Governor, this district emerged as a top pick-up opportunity for House Democrats. Former Colorado State Senator Ed Perlmutter, the Democratic nominee, defeated the Republican nominee, Rick O'Donnell, Green Party nominee Dave Chandler, and Constitution Party nominee Roger McCarville by a solid margin.

Endorsements

Individuals
Colorado's 7th congressional district election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticEd Perlmutter 103,918 54.93
RepublicanRick O'Donnell79,57142.06
GreenDave Chandler3,0731.62
ConstitutionRoger McCarville2,6051.38
Write-ins50.00
Total votes189,172 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

References