Doug Lamborn

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn's campaign is preparing for its "biggest literature drop ever" this weekend in anticipation of mail-in ballots being sent out to voters next week.

In an email sent out to Lamborn supporters Tuesday, manager Robin Coran said volunteers were needed to stuff and distribute literature to more than 20,000 homes on behalf of Lamborn, GOP presidential nominee John McCain, and Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bob Schaffer.

"This is to reach the homes of the voters just before the mail-in ballots are sent out," Coran wrote in the email, which was titled "Biggest Most Important Volunteer Opportunity Ever."

Colorado's congressional delegation was split on supporting a $700 billion emergency bailout of the nation's financial industries Monday.

The split wasn't on party lines, either: supporters of the bailout included U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Denver), Ed Perlmutter (D-Golden) and Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton).

U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado Springs), Marilyn Musgrave (R-Fort Morgan), Mark Udall (D-Eldorado Springs) and John Salazar (D-Manassa) voted "no" on the bill.

The bill, H.R. 3997, failed 225-208.

One of two 5th Congressional District debates is up in the air, as Democrat Hal Bidlack is holding out for another debate with U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado Springs) in the next couple weeks.

A radio debate had been scheduled between the two candidates on Oct. 28 on the Richard Randall Show on KVOR-AM.

But Bidlack spokesperson Christy Le Lait said Thursday that the Colorado Springs Democrat would not participate in that debate unless Lamborn agreed to a second radio debate on Randall's show sometime in late September or early October.

After a false start by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado Springs) two weeks ago, two 5th Congressional District debates have been agreed on between Lamborn and Democratic opponent Hal Bidlack in late October.

The first debate will be held on KVOR-AM radio on the Richard Randall show the morning of Oct. 28, according to Lamborn spokesperson Catherine Mortensen.

The second debate will be held at Sand Creek High School on Oct. 30, said Bidlack spokesperson Christy Le Lait said. It will be sponsored by the Republican Club of Falcon.

Some TV commercials from the 2008 House primaries:

Hal Bidlack and Doug Lamborn both say they want to debate each other - but there seem to be some early problems about getting a debate plan set up.

Despite accusatory press releases from both sides, however, the two 5th Congressional District nominees both seem ready to set something up.

Bidlack, the Democratic nominee, has proposed holding seven debates: two in El Paso County, and one in each of the other five counties in the 5th Congressional District.

Lamborn, the incumbent Republican U.S. representative, has advocated debating Bidlack "subject to agreeable ground rules," though he hasn't yet proposed a more specific debate structure.

No debate agreement is expected in the immediate future, as Lamborn is taking a few days off with his wife.

However, Lamborn spokesperson Catherine Mortensen said he's "anxious to review all the debate options in the coming weeks."

BidlackLamborn

With the 5th Congressional District general election ballot set, Hal Bidlack wants debates.

The Democratic nominee on Wednesday challenged his Republican opponent, U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado Springs), to a series of seven debates this fall: two in El Paso County and one in each of the five other counties in the 5th District.

Lamborn's campaign will be soon issuing its own debate proposal; a spokesperson said the campaign should issue a release about debates sometime today.

Doug Lamborn won renomination to a second term with 45% of the vote – more than enough to win, but surely without impressing anyone.  His primary victory is likely to be tantamount to election in this Republican district, but whenever an incumbent is held to under 50%, even in a primary, the seat will be on the radar screen for new would-be challengers.  Lamborn, with two more years to figure things out, has to watch out for 2010.  What happens to Lamborn if a very wealthy self-funder decides to run (that may be a rhetorical question, but if you really need to know, ask Joan FitzGerald), and if  he finds himself in a two-way race?

DENVER -- Doug Lamborn has done it again. The first-term Republican U.S. representative from Colorado Springs, seen as vulnerable ever since a narrow primary win two years ago, won a decisive victory Tuesday against two of the same candidates he faced in 2006. The race was essentially over early in the evening, after the release of early and mail-in ballot totals showed Lamborn with a commanding 46 percent lead. Mail-in ballot support had helped put Lamborn over the top in the 2006 race as well, when he bested the second-place Jeff Crank by less than 1,000 votes in a six-way primary.

DENVER -- With Tuesday's Primary Day, PolitickerCO.com analyzes the top contests in Colorado. Will Jared Polis' ad barrage help him trump Joan Fitz-Gerald in the 2nd Congressional District? Can Doug Lamborn do it again in the 5th District over the same names he beat in 2006? Has Mike Coffman really put the 6th District race away? And, oh yeah -- turns out there's a GOP primary in the 1st District, too.