GOP Rivals Jane Norton, Ken Buck Fight Over "High Heels" and Manhood

Jane Norton, who is facing off against Ken Buck in the GOP Senate primary in Colorado, has released an ad spotlighting Buck's comment that people should vote for him because he does not "wear high heels."

"Why should you vote for me? Because I do not wear high heels," Buck is shown saying in the spot, in comments he made last week. "I have cowboy boots. They have real bullsh** on them."

Says a narrator: "Now Ken Buck wants to go to Washington? He'd fit right in."

In a statement trumpeting the fact that the ad is going "viral," Norton campaign spokesman Cinamon Watson said, "Ken is going to have to use all of his best lawyer-speak to explain this really stupid statement." Watson went on to argue that the comment could have a significant impact on the race.

In an email to Politico's Ben Smith late yesterday afternoon, Buck spokesman Owen Loftus said, "Obviously, the comment was made in jest after Jane questioned Ken's 'manhood' in her new ad. The Norton campaign has routinely commented about her being a good choice because she is a woman, and [on] her choice of shoes."

Norton previously ran an ad in which she said: "You've seen those ads attacking me. They're paid for by a shady interest group doing the bidding of Ken Buck. You'd think Ken would be man enough to do it himself."

The Colorado primary takes place August 10th. Norton, the former lieutenant governor, is the establishment candidate and has the backing of a number of conservative organizations; she is trailing in the polls to Buck, an insurgent candidate with the support of the Tea Party movement and conservative South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint.

Both candidates agree on most of the issues, as Time reports, railing against big government as well as abortion, illegal immigration, health care reform and same-sex marriage. Their disagreements tend to be rhetorical: After Norton said there is a "real measure of truth" to Tom Tancredo's suggestion that President Obama is the greatest threat America faces, Buck disagreed - saying instead that the greatest threat is the "progressive liberal movement."

Speaking of the Norton "High Heels" spot, an unnamed Republican operative told Politico's Mike Allen that the ad buy will be "significant" and will likely have an impact because the primary is mail-in ballot only and the electorate is mostly female.