McCain-Paul tussle divides party

BROOMFIELD - Republicans rallied behind U.S. Senate nominee Bob Schaffer at their state convention Saturday but continued a surprisingly prolonged presidential tussle between Sen. John McCain and Rep. Ron Paul.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney flew in to speak for McCain, and party leaders and a number of El Paso County delegates said afterward that they believe Republicans will coalesce around presumptive nominee McCain. But it was clear from the multiple disruptions and public comments made by Paul supporters that the Democratic Party is not the only one with division in its ranks.

"As far as Colorado Republicans are concerned, we all will support McCain, but he's not our first choice," said Summer Vanderbilt, a University of Colorado at Colorado Springs student and alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention. "I think people will rally more strongly, they'll walk the precincts and work campaigns, depending on who his vice president is."

There seemed no division, however, as Schaffer, a former congressman from Fort Collins, accepted his official nomination to vie with Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Udall for the open Senate seat.

Schaffer steered away from specific policy issues and concentrated on what he called the broad differences between Democrats and Re- publicans. He emphasized the need to make families the central unit in society, allow for school choice and have "freedom-based health care" rather than a government-run system.

Schaffer also took on his own party, saying it needed to change some of its ways to win over independents and moderate Democrats. Excessive spending and use of earmarks must go, and integrity must be central to all that he and other Republicans do, he said.

"If we are going to compete successfully against the Democrats, let's face it, we need to have a little bit of introspection and looking within our own party as well," he said. "We could sustain a little bit of reform."

Romney received cheers at the same decibel level as Schaffer when he told the 6,000-person crowd later that the differences between McCain and likely Democratic front-runner Sen. Barack Obama are very clear. He added that McCain has been "tested and proven" and that while the Arizona senator was not the first choice of Romney's supporters, he should be everyone's choice now.

But supporters of Paul showed during their speeches to become national-convention delegates that they still harbor deep divisions with the McCain campaign. One called McCain's time in office an "ignoble legislative career" and others blasted his stated goal to continue the war in Iraq, a goal which with the more libertarian Paul disagrees.

El Paso County resident Jeff Wright, the state field coordinator for Paul's campaign, called for a representative of the candidate to be able to speak after Romney - a request that was denied by delegates.

"I think they need a better candidate to unify behind, and it's kind of too late for that. Look at how many people are missing here," said Howard Melton, a Colorado Springs resident who vaulted from an alternate delegate to a fullfledged delegate to the 5th Congressional District Assembly Friday despite being the 459th alternate.

Romney, who won about 60 percent of the Colorado vote in the Feb. 5 GOP presidential caucus, said he believes that lukewarm Republicans will rally around McCain when they compare him with Obama.

"The differences will melt away, and our similarities will bring us together," Romney said.

State Rep. Larry Liston, originally a Romney supporter, said that many people would flock to McCain after he picked a running mate.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or ed.sealover@gazette.com