Races of the week: Allard vs. Strickland

Human Events, Jul 1, 2002 by Gizzi, John

Colorado U.S. Senate Race

Political rematches inspired by grudges usually don't work out to the benefit of the person who considers himself the wounded party. According to veteran political pundit Stuart Rothenberg, there have been 15 rematches in U.S. Senate races since World War II and in only one such race did the loser of the first battle emerge triumphant in the second. In Ohio, Democrat Howard Metzenbaum lost to Republican Robert Taft, Jr. in 1970, but came back to beat him in '76.

Until this year, Colorado had no history of Senate rematches. But liberal Democratic "superlawyer" Tom Strickland is hoping to defy the dark historical pattern of "lose once, lose twice" in his rematch with conservative Republican Wayne Allard, who beat him in the Centennial State Senate race in 1996 by 51 % to 46%.

To be sure, Strickland has a few advantages in his second challenge to Allard (lifetime American Conservative Union rating 96%) that he lacked in the first. As a first-time office-seeker in 1996, Strickland had to fight his way through an exhausting primary before facing Allard. This year, Strickland was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

And while in '96 Strickland, a partner in the high-powered Brownstein, Hyatt, and Faber firm, had as his major campaign credential the wealth he had accumulated as Colorado's Johnny Cochran, the Democratic hopeful this time has been further "credentialized" by his service as a U.S. attorney, courtesy of Bill Clinton.

(But, interestingly, before Strickland got the appointment in April 1999, he worked for nearly two years as a lobbyist for Global Crossing Ltd., the now-bankrupt telecommunications giant under federal investigation for its accounting practices. According to his income tax records, Strickland made a profit of almost $25,000 in one day in August 1998 on the purchase and sale of Global Crossing stock just as the company was going public.)

The two protagonists, however, are as sharply divided on just about everything as they were in their first clash. Meeting with gay leaders in Denver, Democrat Strickland expressed his strong support for federal legislation extending hate crimes protection and employment non-discrimination laws to homosexuals, lesbians and transgender people, and increased AIDS funding. Allard is opposed to all three measures and has been rated a "zero" by the gay activist Human Strickland backs taxpayer-funded abortion in almost all circumstances and is supported by the National Abortion Rights Action League.. Allard is staunchly pro-life and is backed by right-to-life groups.

The Democratic contender disparages President Bush's across-the-board tax cuts. Sen. Allard not only supported the Bush cuts but also proudly sports the highest rating of any member of Congress (88%) from the National Taxpayers Union.

And on the Armed Services Committee, Allard has emerged as the administration's point-man on creation and deployment of a national missile defense.

For all the fresh issues and added responsibilities that Wayne Allard has had to deal with over the past six years, he remains "Doc Allard," the good-natured veterinarian, who still holds the town meetings in cafes and cafeterias and at fairgrounds and parks that were his signature as Larimer County state legislator and then U.S. representative.

"If he is to overcome Allard," wrote columnist Peter Blake in the Rocky Mountain News, "Strickland can expect little help from history." But he can expect help from fellow trial lawyers, homosexual activists, pro-abortion advocates and the rest of the left nationwide. And that's the case for conservatives to rally to Wayne Allard.

. (Wayne Allard for U.S. Senate, 300 West Plaza Dr. #100, Littleton, Colo. 80129; 303683-6670)