Sources disagree over strategist’s role in Lowden camp

Sue Lowden's camp on Friday clarified the role of political strategist Dick Wadhams in her U.S. Senate campaign.

Vegas Confidential reported Friday that Paul Lowden indicated Wadhams, sometimes referred to as the next Karl Rove, was "on board," my words, not Paul Lowden's.

When the Denver Post asked Wadhams on Friday if there was any truth to a Las Vegas report that he was running Lowden's campaign, he responded by text mail: "No! Too much fun beating Hickenritter and accidental senator Bennet."

According to the Post, Hickenritter is Wadhams' pet name for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who is running for the Democratic nomination for governor, which is now held by Democrat Bill Ritter, who decided not to seek a second term. Bennet is Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. He was appointed to the Senate seat by Ritter in January 2009 and is now running for the seat. Hickenlooper supporters fumed that Ritter didn't offer the post to the mayor.

Wadhams told Post reporter Lynn Bartels on Friday, "I can assure you Sue did not say I was running the campaign, she has in my opinion one of the best in the nation, Robert Uithoven. I'm sure she could have said I'm a close friend who is helping her."

Uithoven on Friday acknowledged that Wadhams, state chair of the Colorado Republican Party, would be involved in Lowden's campaign.

Uithoven told the Review-Journal's Benjamin Spillman, "Dick Wadhams is both a strategist and a friend. As the manager of the Lowden campaign, I consider Dick to be a senior strategist based on his strong support, sound advice and also because he is the only person in the past 50 years to have managed a successful campaign against a sitting Senate majority leader. We are confident that with Dick's support, he can add another such victory within the same decade."

Uithoven was referring to the political shocker Wadhams orchestrated in 2004 as campaign manager for South Dakota's John Thune, who defeated the incumbent Democrat, Sen. Tom Daschle. Three years earlier, Daschle replaced Trent Lott (R-Miss.) as Senate majority leader. When Republicans took control of the Senate after the elections of 2002, Daschle returned to the role of minority leader.

So I checked back on Friday with the friend who was with me when we chatted with the Lowdens at Planet Hollywood Resort on Wednesday after a Miss America preliminary session.

My friend David McReynolds of Denver is a staunch Republican and major fundraiser for Colorado Republicans. While I was chatting with Paul Lowden, McReynolds was letting Sue Lowden know that he was interested in helping her raise campaign funds.

"She said Wadhams was running her campaign," said McReynolds.

SIGHTINGS

Former NBC-TV anchor Tom Brokaw, at Society Cafe (Encore) on Friday, having an Arnold Palmer (iced tea and lemonade) and Sloppy Joe sliders, rock shrimp and crisp calamari. ... Marie Osmond, tearing up near the end of Thursday's Donny and Marie show after thanking a group of military families who had lost family mermbers in Iraq. During the last song she excused herself and ran offstage and didn't return. Donny finished the show for them...

THE PUNCH LINE

"(During the State of the Union address) Obama said the No. 1 priority is saving jobs. His job, Joe Biden's, Harry Reid's, Nancy Pelosi's ..." - Jay Leno

Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.