Waller defeats Bruce; May routs Newsome

Republican Mark Waller ousted Rep. Douglas Bruce in the House District 15 Republican primary, ending Bruce's short, turbulent time in the Statehouse by promising to restore "effective representation" to the district.

And in the race for 4th Judicial District attorney, Dan May clobbered John Newsome.

Waller won with 52 percent of the vote. Click here for vote totals.

Waller, 39, and his supporters celebrated the victory in a banquet room of the Fox and Hound restaurant off Powers Boulevard.

Republican state Rep. Bob Gardner, who clashed often with Bruce during the past legislative session, said he was looking forward to seeing Bruce ousted.

"I know my life in January is going to be a lot better," said Gardner, who's running for a second term in the state Legislature.

Other GOP lawmakers showed up to support Waller including state Reps. Larry Liston and Marsha Looper, El Paso County commissioners Jim Bensberg and Amy Lathen, and Colorado Springs City Councilwoman Margaret Radford.

Waller, a Colorado Springs attorney who had served in the Air Force, campaigned as the anti-Bruce, saying he would offer a more measured and collaborative approach - the opposite of what critics describe as Bruce's slash-and-burn style. Waller said his lead showed voters heard his message.

"It's more than just having the Republican stance on an issue, it's being able to effectively communicate it," he said Tuesday.
Bruce couldn't be reached Tuesday night.

Bruce was appointed to the seat covering northeast Colorado Springs in January, and his conflicts with other lawmakers and the news media made more headlines than his attempts to change state government. He became the first Colorado lawmaker in history to censured after he kicked - or nudged, as Bruce maintains - a newspaper photographer who took his picture while his head was bowed in prayer even before he was sworn into office. The Democratic leadership also silenced him during a debate about a migrant workers bill after Bruce described foreign farm workers as "illiterate peasants."

Waller said his positions hew closely to the Republican Party platform - he said he's a "pro-life, pro-family" conservative. But he said he's willing to collaborate with Democrats in some areas and align with Republicans to resist some measures pushed by the majority party.

Waller will face Democrat Michelle Maksimowicz in the November general election.

In other contested primary races in the Pikes Peak region, Republican Catherine Roupe easily beat Sheila Hicks for the GOP nomination in House District 17. Roupe will face Democrat Dennis Apuan.

Final results weren't available for Senate District 4, which covers parts of Lake, Douglas, Park, Teller County, and a northern part of El Paso County. In El Paso County, Republican Mark Scheffel was leading Bob Denny.

Contact the writer: 636-0187 or perry.swanson@gazette.com