Colorado held its primary elections yesterday; caucuses were last spring. For our 2nd CD, three strong candidates were vying for the Dem nomination. Our community was strongly in support of Joan Fitz-Gerald, who lost to Jarid Polis, 42% - 38%. Will Shaffroth was third with 20%.
Joan has worked her way up through the political ranks, culminating as the first female President in Colorado's State Senate's history. Polis is an internet millionaire whose only elective experience is on the State School Board, which some feel he was elected to because of the money he dumped into that election. Of the $4.6 million war chest he threw at the Congressional primary race, $3.5 million came out of his own pocket. Much of that went into negative ads, portraying Joan as beholden to special interests because she had to take campaign contributions and he did not.
Joan: experienced. Jarid: um, not so much. Joan: always been there for our community, especially on the I-70 expansion battle. Jarid: The only time I've heard of him even being here is when there was a crowd to get in front of this summer.
Then I got an interesting Polis Pitch, on Facebook no less: A 16 y.o. from California (!) posted to tell me how much he liked Jarid because he'd be only the third openly gay Congressman, if elected. !. I didn't know he was gay; 2. That fact would make me MORE likely to support him; but 3. Why is some Californian trying to influence MY congressional race, and because of his candidate's sexual orientation only? What about the similar under-representation of the population's majority gender in the House?
Sigh.
At least no one implied it would be anti-gay of me to vote "against" Jarid, aka for Joan. But that seemed like the next tactic that might come my way.
Now: I feel like "our" candidate was upset by an internet-connected sub-group; that it was about the money; that I will hate having this character in office and he won't speak for me and...sound familiar?
As an Obama supporter, I've shaken my head at Hillary backers who can't "get over it". Now I know exactly how they feel. I will understand if they don't vote for O. in November. I won't like it, but I'll understand. I might not be able to pull the lever for Polis, either.
Joan has worked her way up through the political ranks, culminating as the first female President in Colorado's State Senate's history. Polis is an internet millionaire whose only elective experience is on the State School Board, which some feel he was elected to because of the money he dumped into that election. Of the $4.6 million war chest he threw at the Congressional primary race, $3.5 million came out of his own pocket. Much of that went into negative ads, portraying Joan as beholden to special interests because she had to take campaign contributions and he did not.
Joan: experienced. Jarid: um, not so much. Joan: always been there for our community, especially on the I-70 expansion battle. Jarid: The only time I've heard of him even being here is when there was a crowd to get in front of this summer.
Then I got an interesting Polis Pitch, on Facebook no less: A 16 y.o. from California (!) posted to tell me how much he liked Jarid because he'd be only the third openly gay Congressman, if elected. !. I didn't know he was gay; 2. That fact would make me MORE likely to support him; but 3. Why is some Californian trying to influence MY congressional race, and because of his candidate's sexual orientation only? What about the similar under-representation of the population's majority gender in the House?
Sigh.
At least no one implied it would be anti-gay of me to vote "against" Jarid, aka for Joan. But that seemed like the next tactic that might come my way.
Now: I feel like "our" candidate was upset by an internet-connected sub-group; that it was about the money; that I will hate having this character in office and he won't speak for me and...sound familiar?
As an Obama supporter, I've shaken my head at Hillary backers who can't "get over it". Now I know exactly how they feel. I will understand if they don't vote for O. in November. I won't like it, but I'll understand. I might not be able to pull the lever for Polis, either.
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Joan Walsh
Kerry Lauerman
Salon.com
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