November 8, 2006

Paccione Concedes Loss, May Try Again

By: Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News FORT COLLINS — Angie Paccione, who fought a spirited uphill battle in a district that has not elected a Democrat since 1970, acknowledged defeat shortly after noon today outside her campaign headquarters. The winner, Marilyn Musgrave, retained the Congressional seat with just over 7,000 votes. The loser offered a gracious speech and the victor remained out of public view today, long after Marilyn Musgrave was established as a narrow winner in Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Musgrave, who won by about 7,000 votes, had no plans to meet with reporters until Democratic challenger Angie Paccione acknowledged defeat, according to a Musgrave campaign spokesman. Paccione, who had fought a spirited uphill battle in a district that has not elected a Democrat since 1970, did so shortly after noon today outside her campaign headquarters. Paccione, who has served two terms in the state House representing Colorado's District 53, also said she will consider another bid for the seat Musgrave will now occupy for a third two-year term. "I think we have a great shot at it" in 2008, said Paccione, who spoke with a few dozen staff, volunteers and friends looking on. "I think the trend is certainly moving in the right direction." Musgrave won her seat by 13 percentage points in 2002, and 6 percentage points in 2004. It wasn't until about 4 a.m. today that she realized she wouldn't be the winner, Paccione said. "I went to bed about 5 a.m., and then I only tossed for a while" before getting back up to face a disappointing morning after. Paccione and Musgrave, and independent committees supporting them, spent about $8 million on the race. Paccione said the outcome might have been different, had the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee thrown money into her contest sooner. The DCCC did so only in the final days, with an anti-Musgrave ad for which they paid $500,000. "Next time around I would certainly try to have buy-in earlier, from the DCCC," said Paccione. Also, she credited the Republican Party's efficiency at encouraging early voters and promoting the use of absentee ballots. "We need to match that," Paccione said. Paccione's immediate plans are to take what she said would be her first vacation in several years, and then turn her attention to studying Tuesday's voting trends more closely, with an eye toward deciding on a second run for Musgrave's seat in 2008.

No comments: