Ahead in latest polls over incumbent Democrat Bennet

Former Lt. Governor Jane Norton is likely to be the Republican nominee for US Senate going up against incumbent (appointed Democrat) Senator Michael Bennet. And she appears well-positioned to win the GOP a pick-up. From Hedgehog:

US SENATE – COLORADO (Rasmussen)
Jane Norton (R) 48%
Michael Bennet (D) 39%

But is she someone that libertarian Republicans, and maybe even Libertarians could support?

The always skeptical hardline libertarian/Ayn Randian Ross Kaminsky (photo) of Rossputin; Life, Liberty and Happiness blog out of Colorado recently met with Norton.

From his Blog, "Getting to know Jane Norton, so far, so good" Feb. 5:

While I’m not yet ready to make an endorsement in the Republican primary race to challenge Michael “Who?” Bennet in the US Senate race in November, my first meeting with Jane Norton (on Tuesday morning over coffee for Lt. Governor Norton and hot chocolate for me) was certainly a positive – dare I say surprisingly good ?

Maybe not for outright Drug Legalization, but definitely Pro-Taxpayer, Pro-Tea Party, and Pro-Gun

On the absolute lithmus test issue for Colorado libertarians:

she mentioned more than once that she is a strong supporter of TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights)

On taxpayer issues in general:

I asked Jane Norton what she thought of the Tea Party movement. She said that she thought it was perhaps the most exciting political development of her lifetime and that it is exactly what the country needs.

She seemed entirely sincere in her description of what the Tea Party movement means to her... I found her generally pro-liberty, pro-limited government, and consistent.

Norton has been accused of being a bit too moderate a conservative, for her past support of John McCain for President. Her response:

She said that she supported John McCain because she believed that our national security and the role of Commander-in-Chief was (and is) so critically important during this time of (semi-permanent) war, but that she thinks McCain was dead wrong on his immigration/amnesty position and his support of cap-and-trade.

Other matters:

when we spoke about gun rights, she knew that the Heller case was called the Heller case... I think she’s tougher and more philosophically well-grounded than her nice (possibly too-nice) persona might make one think.

On social issues... I think it’s safe to say that Jane Norton is not a libertarian like I am; she is certainly not pro-choice, likely not for drug legalization, etc. But nobody’s perfect and, to be frank, it’s hard for me to worry a lot about drug legalization while Democrats are destroying capitalism.

Editor's Comment - Coffee for the mainstream Republican, and Hot Chocolate for the Libertarian? Shouldn't it be the other way around?