Andrew Romanoff won't be debating empty chair in Pueblo -- because too few people care

A Flickr photo

Yesterday, Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff touted his upcoming debate in Pueblo, where he was set to face an empty chair subbing for Senator Michael Bennet, who'd passed due to a scheduling conflict. "When you debate an empty chair, you're very likely to win, unless you're a really bad debater," he said. "But I've been practicing, and I'm holding my own for now." Apparently, though, Pueblo residents didn't find this prospect all that fascinating.

The Associated Press reports that tomorrow's debate, also scheduled to feature Republican senate hopefuls Ken Buck and Jane Norton, was canceled due to "lack of interest." Event organizer Cathy Garcia notes that many folks have already voted via mail-in ballots, and others are sick of watching candidates hurl personal attacks at each other.

And to think that just days ago, widely read Washington Post political columnist Chris Cillizza wrote that Colorado is home to three of the top five best primary races in the country: Romanoff vs. Bennet at number five, Scott McInnis vs. Dan Maes at number three, and Buck vs. Norton at number one.

Guess we Coloradans don't know how lucky we are to have such a lively political scene in 2010. Either that, or most people's definition of "lively" is a lot different from Cillizza's -- and it doesn't include unoccupied furniture.