Colorado: Mark Waller

IDENTITY THEFT

When freshman Rep. Mark Waller couldn't find his name tag Tuesday, he accused a couple of his GOP cohorts of taking it as a prank.

He got nowhere in finding it.

However, when the Colorado Springs Republican came back from lunch, he found the name tags of 10 of the accused sitting on his desk. He promptly put all of them on, prompting plenty of comments from his colleagues.

PAY UP, PLEASE

During a debate on a transportation bill, Rep. Frank McNulty, of Highlands Ranch, fought against allowing tolling on already existing roads. He lost.

When he returned to the office he shares with a number of fellow Republicans, he burst out laughing.

WHAT NEXT? HIS SHOES?

Rep. Frank McNulty's booming laugh could be heard throughout the House chambers Thursday morning when he looked at Rep. Mark Waller's tie.

McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, was hanging out at Waller's apartment Wednesday night and left his tie. So Waller, R-Colorado Springs, decided to wear the green-and-blue-striped neckwear Thursday morning to see if McNulty noticed.

McNulty saw the tie and started to compliment Waller and tell him he had one exactly like that. Then it hit McNulty, who became helpless with laughter.

GIMME AN L-O-V-E

150 miles is how far the state Capitol is to Rep. Cory Gardner's home in Yuma. The Republican lawmaker presented a bill in committee Thursday afternoon then took off for home so he could see his daughter, Alyson, and other 5-year-olds perform their cheerleading routine during a halftime performance at Yuma High School's basketball game.

Tuesday night, it was Douglas Bruce's turn to get kicked around.

The controversial but championed author of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, looking for a full term as state representative from House District 15, suffered a rare electoral defeat when he narrowly lost to Mark Waller in the Republican primary.

With all precincts reporting, Waller received 52.03 percent of the vote.