Is working on the state budget more important than attending a candidate forum?

Brian Watson, a Republican candidate for Colorado Treasurer, jabbed at three of his GOP opponents for not attending a forum hosted last week by the Republican Liberty Caucus of Colorado.

In a Facebook post, Watson snipped that “only 3 of 6 candidates showed up” for the Liberty Caucus event.

But Watson didn’t explain why the no-show candidates, State Rep. Justin Everett (R-Littleton), State Rep. Pollly Lawrence (R-Douglas County), State Sen. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud), weren’t at the forum: They were doing the people’s work at the state Capitol, working overtime on the state budget during an evening legislative session.

Does passing the state budget qualify as a reasonable excuse to Watson, a businessman, for not attending the candidate event?

He didn’t return a call seeking an answer to that question.

The Republican Liberty Caucus seemed to give Everett and Lundberg a pass, noting on Facebook March 29, “Justin Everett and Kevin Lundberg were stuck at the Capitol hammering out the budget. Damn Democrats. Kristi Brown filled in for Everett.”  It’s not clear why Lawrence was left out.

GOP treasurer candidates attending the event, in addition to Watson, were Routt County Treasurer Brita Horn and prosecutor Brett Barkey.