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Ken Salazar: U.S. Senate

Compelling Reasons for Victory

1. Fundraising: Salazar won the money race. Final numbers show Salazar spent $8.5 million and Coors trailed with $7.3 million. Coors loaned himself over a million dollars in the final two weeks thus Salazar was allowed to collect triple the amount of money from individual donors. This boost from donors helped buy more advertisement time, furthering the Salazar message. Rocky Mountain News
2. Moderate Image: Salazar identified with Colorado voters, especially those in traditional GOP strongholds (rural and Hispanic regions) due to his background –his campaign devoted great energy to portraying Salazar with deep roots in rural Colorado. Salazar also labeled himself moderate. National Journal and CQ.com
3. Out-of-touch Image: Coors could not overcome his possibly imposed image as a privileged business tycoon and GOP rubber stamp. Voters viewed Coors as out of touch and politically inexperienced (due to some political blunders). National Journal

September Survey

Sacrificed Principles?

Normative standard = Issue consistency

Consistent:

• Salazar pushed for less government spending and debt reduction, maintaining the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, and a nuanced view on Iraq--keeping our soldiers there but handling the situation with more international support. Rocky Mountain News
• Coors pushed for job creation and tax cuts consistently. Rocky Mountain News
• Salazar distanced himself from Kerry and other Democrats consistently. National Journal

Inconsistent:

• Salazar was connected with environment scandals-- inconsistent with his so called environment agenda. National Journal
• Coors could not disconnect with inconsistent Coors Brewing policies. Rocky Mountain News
• Both men agreed to a positive campaign yet both went extremely negative very early on. National Journal

Analysis

The financial advantage combined with message appears to be the most compelling reason for the Democratic win. Salazar had the roots of a Hispanic rancher and experience of a Colorado Attorney General, whereas Coors was depicted as politically inexperienced and out of touch. His ability to portray himself and his opponent in such a manner along with his centrist policy record may explain why Salazar was elected to represent Colorado's voters. Fundraising strength and true experience led Salazar to victory.

The whole notion that Coors lost because he was seen as a rubber stamp for the Bush agenda seems flawed. If this were the case, Colorado would not have put Bush back in office. The voters who viewed such a rubber stamp or Bush support as dangerous would have been voting for Salazar regardless and those who swung from Coors to Salazar did so because of an effective Salazar campaign and a moderate candidate.

Neither candidate appeared to sacrifice principles with regard to consistency. They each maintained strong messages from the start and did not stray often. Their negative campaigning seems most relevant.

Honor Code

Works Cited

© Davidson College, 2004, Department of Political Science, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035
Send comments, questions, and suggestions to Jessica Williams
Created: 12/4/2004. Last updated: 12/6/2004.

Political Science 318 - Strategy
and Ethics in Election Campaigns