(CNN) Colorado Republican Senate nominee Ken Buck and his former challenger, Jane Norton, teamed up Wednesday, in the first joint-appearance by the two since the state's August 10 primary.
Norton, a former lieutenant governor, formally endorsed Buck at an event in suburban Denver.
"This is a really important election and we have an opportunity to take the Senate back. Ken is an extraordinary campaigner. He is going to go to Washington, he is going to vote to take our country back and to get us on sound financial footing. So I'm here to say, 'please support Ken.' I am doing it, and I hope all of you will," said Norton at the unity event, according to a press release from the Buck campaign.
Buck, the Weld County district attorney, was once a long shot in the battle for the GOP nomination, but thanks in part to support from some in the Tea Party movement, he defeated Norton, who was recruited to run by national Republicans and was the early favorite in the race. While the primary battle turned negative on the airwaves in the weeks leading up to the election, Norton did endorse Buck in her concession speech.
"I said on primary night that we had a little dust up in the family, and the family is now coming together, and I really appreciate what Jane has done for us," said Buck.
Buck now faces off in November against Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who survived a spirited primary challenge from former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. Bennet and Romanoff teamed up with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine at a unity rally on the steps of the state capitol in Denver two days after the primary.
"Democrats came together immediately following the primary last month. We are unified to turn out all our supporters in November for the Democratic ticket. It says a lot about the disharmony in the Republican party that it took Norton almost a month to have a public appearance with Ken Buck and at such a small venue," said Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak, in a statement to CNN.
The most recent polls of likely Colorado voters suggest Buck leads Bennett by single digits.
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
From CNN Politics
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How sweet. They've kissed and made up. Still doesn't mean anything. No one with half a brain is going to vote for these extreme right wing politicians.
I didn't support Jane Norton, but I'm disappointed she'd back someone like Ken Buck. I'm even more disappointed by the fact politicians and others keep saying "take our country back", nobody has taken our country away from us! Please stop with the fear mongering!
The Denver Post did a little more reporting. The headline: "Norton says a few words on Buck's behalf, then bolts."
Norton was there for about 60 seconds, according to the Post.
Buck = Cheney = bankrupcy = death squads = corruption = rich-boy republican = torture camps = all the rest. Yuck !!
Two Republicans teaming up equals one brain with twice as much hate and lies.
Norton, Ralph and Alice would be very disappointed in you.
It is good that they show unity. Democrats don't want to believe the polls and just wait to jump on anything written about their beloved potus. The Obama recession is out of control. It was evident last night that he is in over his head. It is time to get the kids out and let the adults clean the mess up. That will happen in November.
Buck and Norton want to "take our country back". Back from what? After eight years of the disasterous Bush and Cheney, we now have an intelligent, highly-educated president in office who is doing everything possible to restore the country from eight years of Republcian rule. And the Republicans hate him for it. What they want to do is take our country back into the age of no social security, medicare, unemployment insurance and give tax breaks to the wealthy, torture prisioners, give no-bid contacts to Cheney's Hallibruton and, what-the-heck, if you don't like a country, let's just invade it like we did Iraq. That's the Republican Way.