Lamborn safe in House, but not powerful

Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn may not wield much influence in Washington as long as the Democrats maintain their hold on Congress, but that also might not matter back home.
His predecessor, Joel Hefley, held the seat for 10 terms, and Lamborn, who again trounced a Democrat in winning a second term Tuesday, could hold it for life, as the saying goes.
For a conservative Republican, the 5th Congressional District may be the safest seat in the country.
"Unless he casts some vote that's completely out of step with the voters in the 5th Congressional District," said Colorado College political science professor Bob Loevy, "he is in that seat as long as he cares to hold it, or as long as his health and life hold out."
UCCS political science assistant professor Josh Dunn noted Lamborn's success is largely tied to the Republican dominance in the six-county district.
"The advantage of incumbency is huge, especially when you're in a solidly Republican district," Dunn said.
But when Washington comes under new management in January, Lamborn might feel like the Lone Ranger whose vote isn't in demand and whose positions don't matter much.
He's one of only two Republicans in Colorado's congressional delegation. Now that the Democrats have scored a trifecta - the House, the Senate and the White House - what's a conservative Republican to do?
Lamborn already is complaining, calling it "a different environment" in which Democrats "run roughshod over the minority."
"With Barack Obama in the White House, there will be no backstop, no veto threat to moderate the Democrats in the House and Senate," Lamborn said last week during a telephone conference with reporters.
It's not exactly like the loyal opposition in Parliament.
"We'll make a huge stink about it that alerts the American people to what's going on," he said. "There are times when Republicans can and will take a principled stand. We won't be able to win every battle. We will have American opinion on our side, and we will, at the least, stop an ill-considered proposal from going forward and may succeed in winning a better proposal."
He noted his seat on the House Armed Services Committee will enable him to help the five military bases in El Paso County.
"I will have a great opportunity to work with both Democrats and Republicans for the good of the military bases, for bringing in additional missions, like Air Force Cyber Command," he said.
He also pledged to work  with Colorado's delegation.
"There will be plenty of opportunity to work for important initiatives for the benefit of Colorado, things of local concern and regional concern," he said. "I will help the Democrats, and they will help me."
Despite Lamborn's strident conservative agenda, he said he's willing to work with the president, if Obama is "serious about meaningful tax cuts or spending cuts - both of which I would approve," he said.
Lamborn doesn't believe the GOP is in trouble, despite Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina saying last week the party must "clean up, reform and rebuild ... before we can ask Americans to trust us again," the Associated Press reported.
Lamborn blamed losses in 2006 and last week on "flaws in executing the Republican philosophy," including increased spending, the Iraq war and the credit crisis.
"Rightly or wrongly the American people blamed George Bush and the Republicans by extension for being at fault," he said of the credit crisis. "I don't think that's fair, because the causes of the problem were beyond what either party was doing."
Dunn said Lamborn probably won't be a player in Congress the next two years.
"To the extent that Democrats are going to try to recruit Republicans to support their agenda, they're more likely to look to more moderate Republicans," he said.
Jay Fawcett, a retired Air Force officer who ran  against Lamborn in 2006 and heads a Springs-based think tank, points to Lamborn's time in the state Legislature as proof he's effective only when Republicans are in control.
"When people there carried an extreme conservatism, he was fine," Fawcett said. "But the minute you have to start talking to people and start listening, it's very tough for him."
Fawcett said the state is fortunate that five of its seven House members are Democrats. "If not, we would be in a world of hurt," he said.
Not necessarily, Loevy said.
"Seniority is still the name of the game on Capitol Hill," he said. "Joel Hefley sat in the seat for 20 years. I certainly could see Lamborn there for 20 years. He has survived the major tests."