From Lynn Bartels in the Denver Post:
Former Republican James Fariello picked a great time to run for Adams County sheriff on the once-obscure American Constitution Party ticket.
Fariello was invited to speak at a recent fundraiser for Tom Tancredo, the former Republican congressman who turned Colorado politics topsy-turvy by running for governor as an American Constitution Party candidate.
Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters showed up to meet Tancredo — presenting Fariello a much larger audience than he would normally encounter, although only a handful were from Adams County.
In addition to the volatile sheriff’s race in Adams County, an American Constitution Party candidate also is running in the high-profile 4th Congressional District.
Tancredo’s impact on the ticket could help other Constitution Party candidates and possibly influence the outcome in tight races, said Steve Welchert, a Democratic political consultant.
While some American Constitution Party candidates may receive a bump in polling, don’t expect a flood of third party officeholders to emerge out of the Tancredo campaign for governor. Nevertheless, the sheer access to larger audiences does help down-ballot candidates spread their name ID and gain legitimacy in political and media circles.
I think it’s quite right to assume these candidates will get higher vote totals–because the tea party, Tancredo-types are more likely to vote for them, but I don’t expect to see any of the down-ballot races pull in double digits.