Thirty-Five Years Ago: The chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, Bruce Benson, publicly castigated Gov. Roy Romer for his numerous trips out of the state. But at a GOP election planning session for House District 6, attendees shot back with harsh words of their own for Benson.

Earlier in the week Carl Miller, a Denver Post columnist, former political editor and former press secretary for Gov. Dick Lamm, had written an editorial stating that he was highly skeptical of the wisdom of Benson calling out Romer for traveling to promote the state. It turned out many Republicans agreed with him.

Mike Cashman, a Republican running for the 1st Congressional District seat against Pat Schroeder, said he believed that economic development and its pursuit was, in fact, not a partisan issue. Cashman said he applauded Romer for “at least getting out there and trying to solicit business for the state.”

Republican activist Leo Boyle agreed with Cashman but went further in his repudiation of Benson’s criticisms.

“It’s silly,” Boyle said, “for Republicans to blast Romer at this point when he’s out there actively promoting the state. Especially when Romer’s popularity appears so high. It’s easier to replace Bruce Benson at this point than it is Roy Romer.”

Ouch, burn!

In other news, the rumor mill was at it again with several sources telling The Colorado Statesman that state Rep. Phil Pankey, R-Littleton, was mulling a challenge against Rep. Dan Schaefer for the 6^th Congressional District.

But when approached by The Statesman for confirmation Pankey was speechless.

“Of course I’m not running against Schaefer,” Pankey said. “I just can’t believe it.”

Pankey, who was a member of the Interim Committee on Health Care, said that as far as he was aware, “I will run for my House Seat. But I haven’t even made up my mind yet.”

“But nix any notion,” Pankey said, “of any possible congressional bid.”

Twenty-Five Years Ago: Rep. Dianna DeGette, D-CD1, made a surprise announcement of formally endorsing Dottie Lamm for U.S. Senate over her former statehouse colleague, Rep. Gil Romero, D-Pueblo.

“Dottie Lamm is just what Colorado needs right now,” DeGette said. “The people of this state deserve a common-sense senator who shares their concerns about the future, not a senator whose top priority is to stay in Washington D.C. at any cost.”

DeGette, who’d had a number of very public disagreements with incumbent Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell said that Coloradans deserved “a senator they can be proud of.”

Lamm told The Colorado Statesman that she welcomed DeGette’s endorsement and that it had added even more momentum to her considerably strong campaign.

“Diana DeGette is a sincere and effective member of Congress whose efforts to secure health insurance for children and to curtail tobacco influence have made her a rising star among her colleagues in Congress,” Lamm said. “Her endorsement means a great deal to me and my supporters.”

In still other news of the week, U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer, R-CD4, had reported the lowest operating costs of the entire Colorado congressional delegation for the second quarter in a row. The report covered spending on mail, salaries, rent, travel, equipment, printing and supplies.

A fiscal conservative since his terms in the state Senate serving Fort Collins, Schaffer said he believed it was important to “walk like you talk” when it came to fiscal responsibility.

“I believe in managing the taxpayers’ money as if it were my own,” Schaffer said. “This report proves that congressional offices can be managed efficiently. We will continue to provide our constituents with superior service and not spend any more of their money than necessary.”

Rachael Wright is the author of the Captain Savva Mystery series, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics and The Gazette.