CD5

Every one of the candidates proclaim feeling really, really good about today’s primary. But no one – not a soul – knows who’s going to win the six – count ’em six – man race to replace Congressman Joel Hefley.

Will the rural vote put Jeff Crank over the top? After all, 19 percent of the potential GOP vote is not in El Paso County, but in the five other counties that comprise the 5th CD. His campaign manager, Jim Banks, calls the rest of the territory “Crank Country.” Or will the more moderate John Anderson succeed in getting unaffiliated voters to become Republicans?  Will Rivera be able to split up the conservative vote and take a walk up the middle? Don’t discount Bremer or the retired general, who could pull it off in the end.

Here’s where the six candidates and their supporters are going to be tonight, while they hunker down and wait for the results to come in:

John Anderson: Will be at Guiseppe’s Depot, in downtown Colorado Springs. Giuseppe’s is the second largest restaurant in Colorado – right behind Denver’s Casa Bonita.

Duncan Bremer: Is the only candidate who won’t be partying in public. Instead he and his supporters will be hanging out at his son Eli’s house (Eli’s wife, Cami, is Bremer’s campaign manager).

Jeff Crank: Will be at Mr. Biggs, a family fun center in northern Colorado Springs, where the Republicans held their raucous Diamond and Denim-themed  Lincoln Day dinner earlier this year.

Doug Lamborn: Will be at the historic City Auditorium, in downtown Colorado Springs.

Bentley Rayburn: The retired Air Force general and his troops will be at the upscale Wyndham Hotel off Tech Center Drive in northern Colorado Springs.

Lionel Rivera: Will be at the Ritz Grill in downtown Colorado Springs, where he celebrated when he was elected mayor of Colorado Springs in a seven-way race three years ago. As campaign spokeswoman Theresa Sauer notes, “It’s a good-luck charm.”