Colorado: Bill Owens

While Republican leaders in Colorado have voiced vocal opposition in recent years to providing in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, a handful of leading conservatives are now coming out in support of a legislative effort proposed by Democrats to allow Coloradans in-state tuition at the state's public colleges and universities regardless of immigration status.

"Republican businessmen understand the need for immigration reform," said Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, who is sponsoring Senate Bill 170, which would specifically require that a person, "regardless of immigration status, who attends a Colorado high school for at least three years and enrolls in a Colorado institute of higher education within five years after either graduating from a Colorado high school or earning a GED shall be charged the same tuition rate and shall be eligible for tuition assistance under the same criteria as a person who establishes domicile in Colorado.

The Denver Post reports:
Some Republicans said the comments also complicate the party's efforts to embrace a new image and win over voters who have turned to Democrats in recent election cycles. Sean Duffy, a political consultant who was a senior aide to Gov. Bill Owens, said Republicans have to do a better job of making their arguments in ways that are more inclusive and tolerant...

Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, declined Wednesday to strongly criticize Renfroe's remarks, saying only that while he agrees with Renfroe's views on gay marriage, he would have made the argument in a different way to recognize the humanity of people on the other side.

A Republican legislator's remarks about sexuality sparked a bitter volley Wednesday at the state Capitol, the second time in three days such comments have created controversy.

Though unwilling to publicly discuss the issue, a number of Republicans privately expressed dismay at the brouhaha, fearing the comments may hurt their party's image.

Sen. Dave Schultheis, of Colorado Springs, on Wednesday opposed a bill requiring all pregnant women to be tested for HIV, so that if they are infected their babies can be treated to prevent the transfer of the virus.

"This stems from sexual promiscuity for the most part, and I just can't go there," he said.

From Colorado Media Matters, once (and future?) GOP gubernatorial candidate "Both Ways" Bob Beauprez suffered a little bout of trademark GOP amnesia while filling in for "Gunny Bob" Newman on AM radio recently:
...BEAUPREZ: And then in our 9 o'clock hour we're gonna be joined by Senator Mike Kopp, who is fightin' the demons at the state legislature -- the demons bein' the governor's office and the Democrat leadership, who's scramblin' around trying to find the dough to fill the budget deficit hole, and guess what -- they're raiding workmen's compensation funds again. [Pols emphasis]

...BEAUPREZ: I was a little taken aback, maybe more than a little taken aback, by some headlines recently that gave the governor credit for finding 600-plus million of cuts.