Taxes, jobs, budget shortfalls _ the usual fodder for political wrangling is already spurring debate in the Colorado governor's race. But the time it takes to approve oil and gas permits?

That bit of bureaucracy has become a flashpoint as Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter defends his record against two Republican challengers.

The GOP candidates are echoing the industry's complaints about new oil and gas rules Ritter promoted during his first term. They say tougher regulations and lengthy wait times for permits are costing the state jobs and tax revenue when Colorado needs all the economic stimulus it can get.

Former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis, considered the GOP frontrunner, will conduct a "stem-to-stern" review of what he believes are the most punitive regulations in the country if elected next November, spokesman Sean Duffy said last week.

Evergreen businessman Dan Maes said Wednesday that he believes the regulations send the wrong message to the industry.

"We're in a battle for these companies," Maes said. "They're going to go somewhere else."

Plummeting natural gas prices _ not the new regulations _ explain the halt to Colorado's natural gas boom over the past year, said Michael Freeman, an attorney who represented environmental groups in negotiations on the rules.

"Companies in Colorado are actually making major long-term investments in Colorado," Freeman said. "When the price of gas comes up, you'll see drilling come up."

State regulators say the permit processing time has dropped from more than 80 days earlier this year to an average of 45 days. A backlog surged as companies submitted applications to beat the new rules, which took effect April 1.

While debate continues over the rules' effect, longtime Colorado political consultant Floyd Ciruli said there's little doubt about the effect on the governor's race. He said he expects McInnis to make the regulations a signature issue of his campaign.

"It's been a major controversy in the governor's first term," Ciruli said.

It cost Ritter dearly in last year's effort to eliminate a tax deduction for the industry, he added.

Opponents, including oil and gas companies, raised millions of dollars to help defeat the ballot measure that Ritter backed.

Complaints about how long it takes to process drilling permits might sound "narrow and picayune," Ciruli said.

"But it fits nicely in the Republican argument that in the rush for green energy, (Ritter) has disparaged this huge conventional energy industry with the jobs and the economy dependent on them," Ciruli said.

Timely approval of drilling permits is the No. 1 concern of members of the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, a trade group, spokesman Nate Strauch said.