A November 9 Pueblo Chieftain article by Denver bureau reporter Charles Ashby quoted state Sen. Lewis Entz (R-Hooper) as saying he would have won re-election in a tight race against District 5 opponent Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass Village) “if it hadn't been for [U.S. Sen.] Ken Salazar (D-CO).” The article further reported that “Entz said his troubles stemmed from U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's endorsement of Schwartz.” Similarly, a November 8 Rocky Mountain News article by reporter Lynn Bartels about election results in state legislative races repeated Entz's complaint that Salazar cost him re-election, apparently because of Salazar's “unexpected endorsement” of Schwartz. But in reporting Entz's criticism of Salazar for failing to remain “neutral” in the Colorado Senate District 5 race, the Chieftain and the News failed to note that Entz reportedly endorsed Salazar's Republican opponent, Pete Coors, during the 2004 U.S. Senate race.

Entz's complaint that Salazar cost him re-election stems partly from an alleged broken promise that Salazar would “remain neutral” during the campaign. As the Chieftain reported on September 19, “Entz said Salazar promised him earlier this year that because of their history and mutual support, he would remain neutral in what could be Entz's last campaign for elected office.” The Chieftain further reported on October 6 that a rift between Salazar and Entz developed “when Salazar officially endorsed Schwartz to replace Entz in the 11-county state Senate district, one that Entz has represented in one capacity or another for more than 20 years.” The same article noted, “In 1998, Entz broke with his own party and endorsed Salazar when he ran for, and won, the attorney general position, repeating that endorsement during his re-election in 2002. Salazar returned the favor that same year, backing Entz over his Democratic rival, Rafael Gallegos.”

Although the September 19 Chieftain article reported that Entz “backed Republican Pete Coors against Salazar in the 2004 senatorial race,” neither the News nor the Chieftain mentioned that endorsement in their post-election articles.

The Chieftain reported on November 9 that "[a] clearly disappointed Entz said his troubles stemmed from U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's endorsement of Schwartz. Though Salazar and Schwartz are fellow party members, the senator and Entz are long-time friends who have routinely supported each other in previous races." The same article quoted Entz as saying, “I'd of won this deal if it hadn't been for Ken Salazar. It's just a case that he went south on me after promising that he'd stay neutral, then he told me she raised a lot of money for his campaign last time and is going to raise money for the next one. Money verses [sic] friendship, I guess.”

Similarly, the News reported on November 8 that “Entz today blamed his loss on U.S. [Sen.] Ken Salazar's unexpected endorsement of his opponent.” According to the News:

Entz said Salazar had promised he would stay neutral in his race against Democrat Gail Schwartz, but endorsed her because she helped raise money for his senatorial campaign.

“I guess it was money over friendship,” Entz said. “But that costs me votes here in the valley.”

From Ashby's November 9 Chieftain article, “Entz blames Salazar for loss to Schwartz”:

After all was said and done, Democrat Gail Schwartz surged ahead Wednesday to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Lewis Entz in Senate District 5.

Schwartz, a University of Colorado regent representing the expansive 3rd Congressional District, ultimately won the highly contentious race 51 percent to 49 percent.

[...]

A clearly disappointed Entz said his troubles stemmed from U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's endorsement of Schwartz. Though Salazar and Schwartz are fellow party members, the senator and Entz are long-time friends who have routinely supported each other in previous races.

“Pitkin County went after me. The (San Luis) Valley and Ken Salazar went after me, too,” the Hooper potato farmer said. “I'd of won this deal if it hadn't been for Ken Salazar. It's just a case that he went south on me after promising that he'd stay neutral, then he told me she raised a lot of money for his campaign last time and is going to raise money for the next one. Money verses friendship, I guess.”

Schwartz, however, said Entz has only himself to blame for the outcome.

It wasn't Salazar who caused Entz to agree to endorse a renewable energy plan, but then say he was still thinking about it, she said.

It wasn't the U.S. senator from Manassa who got Entz to promise publicly that he would never go negative in his campaign, and then send out negative flyers about his opponent.

From Bartels's November 8 News article, “Dems dominate in state House, Senate races”:

In the Senate, Democrats saw their 18-17 majority go to 20-15 after beating Republican senators Ed Jones, of Colorado Springs, and Lew Entz, of Hooper.

[...]

Entz today blamed his loss on U.S. [Sen.] Ken Salazar's unexpected endorsement of his opponent.

Entz said Salazar had promised he would stay neutral in his race against Democrat Gail Schwartz, but endorsed her because she helped raise money for his senatorial campaign.

“I guess it was money over friendship,” Entz said. “But that costs me votes here in the valley.”

Entz said his tally shows him losing by 588 votes, but Schwartz's campaign has her up by 1,755 votes.

“Either way I lost,” Entz said. “There's going to be one less farmer up there. I guess they want people up there who don't know anything about agriculture and water.”