Denver Blog

You know your candidacy is in trouble when you hope that Dick Cheney, that man of the people, might be able to bring some votes your way. Still, the veep will be in Colorado Springs tomorrow to help push Republican Doug Lamborn's chances in the fifth congressional district. There's only one thing that might look less warm-and-fuzzy than Cheney by a troubled candidate's side: Cheney and a minister who's just been outed as an alleged purchaser of gay-escort services.

And yesterday, after a gay escort appeared on Peter Boyles' KHOW radio show to reveal that he'd had a three-year relationship with an unnamed Springs religious leader, top Republicans were scrambling to figure out the mystery man's identity (and perhaps do some last-second uninviting). But by ten o'clock, the name was out, thanks to Channel 9: Ted Haggard.

Haggard, who heads the 14,000-member New Life Church, has denied being involved in a gay relationship. But don't look for him to be standing too close to Cheney tomorrow. --Patricia Calhoun