A political candidate’s Twitter post turned into a Facebook skirmish this week, gyrating Colorado’s social media webs oh so ever just a touch. Not that social media wars are all that uncommon, rarely are they as entertaining as this one.

At the source of the exchange of words? None other than media glutton (whether by choice or genetic byproduct), Colorado House District 15’s very own “Dr. Chaps,” or as more non-politico (mere mortal) types know him, Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt.

Gordon “Do You Really Want to be Devoured by the Devil?” Klingenschmitt, who recently announced his candidacy for Senate District 12 [Editor’s note: But only after fasting for 72 hours] blasted his Senate seat opponent (and former state Representative) Bob Gardner for a photo Gardner tweeted on April 16.

But what was the photo, you ask? Now don’t get too excited, a snap capture of Weiner-gate merit it was not. Instead, it was a scenic shot of some rock outcroppings and water somewhere in some very photogenic vacation destination, a truly beautiful photo (well done, Gardner!). Of course, it wasn’t this photo that riled Klingenschmitt, but the content of the message attached. In the tweet, Gardner had thumbed the message (all sics intentionally included):

@RepBobGardner — “no cash-cheks only (lobbyists aftr 5/6); 407 S Tejon, Colo Sprgs 80903; mayb will release-Hse frnds wish u wer here.”

In his response, Klingenschmitt posted on May 13 along with Gardner’s photo tweet to Facebook group El Paso County Republican Conservative Men’s Club (or EPCRCMC for those wishing to never have to read the whole group name in full again):

“This is what my State Senate opponent Bob Gardner just tweeted [Editor’s note: apparently not the verbal kind of bird-type tweeting] Seriously? He tweets he wants special-interest money? What about representing voters, Bob?”

This is where it really gets fun. Political gadfly JD Key immediately responded, “Put it in context Gordon. Obviously a joke. I’ll attach [Gardner’s] first tweet you conveniently left out.”

Now — thank you, JD Key —this tweet made us all “LOL” here at Central Statesman HQ. Yes, this one — think Corona advertisement —was a real side-splitter. You know the commercial, people lounging on the beach relaxingly gripping their lime-slice infused beers, looking out to sea, waves crashing the sand. In fact, that is almost precisely what the photo was, showing Gardner reclining in his lounge chair on the sand of a beautiful beach, beverage bottle raised to the sky — though we can’t quite make out the brand of beverage, or even if it is an alcoholic one that Gardner is grasping. (Perhaps if Klingenschmitt had analyzed the original, tweet he would have also objected to the apparent in-progress consumption of the “Devil’s Water.”)

Beneath the photo, Gardner penned to his attentive list of former Capitol-contact Twitter followers:

@RepBobGardner “Need ur help-hld hostage CaboSanLucas-kidnapper sez won’t release unless frnds contribute to Com to Elect Bob Gardner”

Clearly, this was Gardner in his own way demonstrating smarmy inside baseball humor for his leg-frat homees. And we admit it was pretty darn funny. But we leave you with this note … Why did Gardner post the clearly vertical photo horizontally? A hidden message? A struggle with technology? Or perhaps simply proof that the good candidate was TUI — Tweeting Under the Influence?

What we can say is that a couple days later, an argument still rages with several lucky contestants either directly engaged with one or both parties on Facebook, already about 50 comments into the keyboard-abusing fracas. We have yet to see any comment from Gardner, but he’s likely in a (all-inclusive) place far too relaxed to care.