Republicans split in Larimer

The Daily Reporter-Herald interviews a lot of Larimer County bigwig Republicans about the health of the party, and it isn't a pretty sight:

Former Larimer County Republican Party Chairman and House District 51 Rep. Bill Kaufman said there’s a disconnect between the party leadership and the party’s traditional base: the business community.

Pro-business Republicans tired of infighting and wedge issues are forming a group outside of the county party. Tee hee.

Scott said business leaders do not want to leave a legacy of crumbling school and highway systems.

“A mindless, anti-tax approach would shift the burden to the next generation and would make us fundamentally noncompetitive in the quest to get good jobs for our people,” Scott said.

Why is the party such a mess? Why does it eat its own (like Democrats)?

The Christian Coalition of Colorado helped shape the party’s executive committee in 2003, said former party chairman Ed Haynes. The committee manages internal party functions and sometimes participates in vacancy committees.

Haynes said the coalition presented a slate of candidates who were strong Musgrave supporters.

Candidates who did not support Musgrave, or those who could not be controlled, did not make it onto the slate of candidates, Haynes said.

Haynes said it happened in all counties in the 4th Congressional District.

He’s not sure how successful the campaign was elsewhere, but in Larimer County, it worked.

“They were very successful in getting very strong Marilyn supporters on the board, instead of supporting all Republican candidates,” Haynes said.

Knuckle under -- or you're out! Some BS for you:

Larimer County Republican Party Chairwoman Nancy Hunter said there’s not a divide in the party. She said people discuss and debate, but there is not a split. She said there is no litmus test to be a candidate.

Want to know just how much the party is a wing of the Musgrave campaign? - the article doesn't point this out - but this Nancy Hunter day job is at Marilyn's Loveland office! Talk about "owning" the party machine!