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20 October 2010updated 12 Oct 2023 9:54am

Colorado – Senate

Michael Bennet (D) v Ken Buck (R)

By Rob Higson

Senator Michael Bennet faces a strong challenge from the Tea Party-backed Republican Ken Buck in an extremely close contest.

Buck is currently district attorney of Weld County, and also worked in the mid-1980s as a lawyer in the office of the then congressman Dick Cheney.

Bennet was appointed senator when the previous incumbent, Ken Salazar, became Barack Obama’s interior secretary in 2009 and was a superintendent of Denver Public Schools in 2005.

It’s proving an interesting race to watch as Bennet’s perceived relative lack of experience could help him buck the anti-incumbent, anti-Washington trend in various other key battles for the Senate.

Big differences exist between the candidates on health-care reform and developing green energy. Current polls put Buck in the lead by just 1 or 2 points.

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