One Month After Campaign Launch Eli Bremer Nowhere to Be Found in Colorado

Bremer dodging questions on critical topics like Texas’ dangerous abortion ban & bipartisan infrastructure plan

Denver, CO -- Today marks one month since failed GOP insider Eli Bremer announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Fox News, and he has yet to hold a public campaign event in Colorado let alone in El Paso County, his old stomping grounds. 

Bremer isn’t just hiding from Coloradans, he is also dodging questions and refusing to address the issues that are top of mind for Colorado voters.

• On Texas’ dangerous six week abortion ban, Bremer said “he wasn't comfortable commenting” and it “looks technical.” 
• On the bipartisan infrastructure plan, which will help Colorado create jobs, repair critical infrastructure and expand broadband access, Bremer said he would, "be uncomfortable coming out with a position."

Instead of meeting with Coloradans to talk about his candidacy or share where he stands on the issues, Bremer’s priority is pandering to his right wing base on Twitter by attacking pronoun preferences, flirting with insurrection, and chasing Trump’s approval. Given Bremer’s rocky history with Colorado Republicans, including a messy public feud with current El Paso County GOP Chair Vickie Tonkins, it is no wonder that Bremer is afraid to get out from behind his computer.

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Erik Aadland and Peter Yu Embrace Extreme Texas Abortion Ban While Eli Bremer “Uncomfortable” Having a Position

Denver, CO – Following the Supreme Court decision to strip away abortion access and reproductive freedom from millions of women effectively overturning Roe vs. Wade, Erik Aadland and Peter Yu embraced the draconian law while Bremer continued to hide.

Hiding and not taking a position on critical issues is becoming a trend for Bremer. He has yet to hold a public event in the three weeks since he’s announced on Fox News and when asked to take a stance on the bipartisan infrastructure package, he was “uncomfortable” coming out with a position.

When will Bremer stop hiding from Coloradans and take positions on critical issues that affect millions of Americans?

Colorado Politics reported on where the candidates stand on Texas’ draconian law to ban abortion: 

Erik Aadland: "I support Texas’s (and that of any State’s for that matter) right to adjudicate abortion at the State level in alignment with the will of their constituency," Aadland wrote in a text message. "I want the Federal government out of the issue altogether and I am absolutely against any Federal funding of abortion."

Peter Yu: The Texas law "effectively banning abortion after six weeks is in line with the 10th amendment of the Constitution… As a candidate running for office at the federal level, I believe the federal government should be a government of 'limited and enumerated powers' and abortion exceeds the national government’s enumerated powers. Abortion should be handled at the state level, as this exceeds federal powers.

Eli Bremer: Said in a text message to Colorado Politics that he wasn't comfortable commenting because it wasn't clear whether the high court was simply waiting for another case that could establish a clearer precedent to reach its docket. 

Read more in Colorado Politics. 

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Where is Eli Bremer?

Bremer Nowhere to Be Found In Colorado Three Weeks After Campaign Launch

Denver, CO - Today marks three weeks since failed GOP insider Eli Bremer announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Fox News and he has yet to hold a public campaign event in Colorado or in his stomping grounds, El Paso County. Instead of meeting with Coloradans to talk about his candidacy, Bremer is doubling down on his hateful rhetoric towards trans athletes and flirting with insurrection on Twitter.

While Bremer is avoiding his turbulent history with the El Paso County GOP, his opponent Erik Aadland cozied up with Trump loyalist Mike Pompeo at Beaver Creek last Friday.

If Bremer is intending to run statewide, then why is he avoiding Coloradans? Here are two reasons. 

• Bremer wants to have it both ways on Donald Trump – he’s openly bragging about Trump’s support on Twitter while hiding from questions about whether he’ll follow Trump’s lead.
  • “A lifelong Republican, Bremer supported and worked on Trump’s successful 2016 campaign for the White House. While acknowledging that Trump is the most influential Republican in the country, Bremer demurred on whether the former president is the leader of the GOP.” [8.10.21]

• Bremer doesn’t want to confront members in his own party.
  • 2020: Eli Bremer publicly feuded with current El Paso County GOP Chair Vickie Tonkins. Bremer claimed he took issue with Tonkins leadership and “competence.” Tonkins alleged her critics had “‘unwittingly involved yourselves in a retaliation scheme that, to quote Justice Clarence Thomas, ‘is a high-tech lynching’ that was designed by Eli Bremer to cover up his corruption and keep me from speaking out against it.” She also called Bremer a “moral cancer” and “evil thug.”

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Where do GOP Senate Candidates Stand On Michael Bennet’s Historic Tax Cut for the Middle Class?

On the second monthly anniversary majority of Republican candidates remain silent on expanded Child Tax Credit

Denver, CO – Last month Republican Senate Candidate Erik Aadland went on right wing radio and voiced his strong opposition to the popular expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC). 

The problem for Republicans like Aadland is that the expanded CTC is a tax cut for middle class families, Colorado families are already reaping the benefits of Senator Bennet’s CTC, and polling shows the program is incredibly popular. On the day that the second monthly payments go out to Colorado families, and knowing the law is set to expire at the end of 2021, Coloradans need to know where their candidates stand.

“The expanded Child Tax Credit is giving middle class families the opportunity to get ahead, and yet a majority of Republican candidates are sitting on the sidelines. Will Eli Bremer, Peter Yu, and Juli Henry buck Mitch McConnell and support renewing a historic tax cut for the middle class, or will they join Erik Aadland in opposing it?” – Nico Delgado, Colorado Democratic Party spokesperson. 

According to Census Bureau data, after the first payment families started to experience a decline in economic hardship. The data also found that 47% of families spent the money on food and 17% of families with a child under 5 used it for childcare. A poll from Navigator shows 65% of Americans support expanding the CTC and making it permanent. 

On Monday, the Colorado GOP listed “combating child poverty” as an issue they want to tackle in their “Commitment to Colorado.” Aadland also tweeted that he is proud to fully support this so-called “commitment.” If they are touting this new priority, then why have the majority of Republican candidates stayed silent on a policy that would cut nationwide child poverty nearly in half this year alone?

TRANSCRIPT

[39:07] AADLAND: I mean, look at Michael Bennet's child tax credit. This is one example of a socialist policy that is buying votes, right? [...] These kinds of policies are destructive to the economy.

Listen to the full interview here.

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Two Years Since GOP’s Tax Scam, Gardner & Trump’s Corporate Giveaway Still Leaves Coloradans Behind

Denver, CO -- Today marks two years since the final vote on Senator Cory Gardner and President Trump’s tax scam, which gave massive tax handouts to corporate special interests and wealthy CEOs while leaving average Coloradans behind.

Gardner promised that the Republican bill would “generate economic growth, wage growth, investments in our economy that will far outweigh any concerns that people may have about the deficit.” That’s not happening.

CDP Executive Director Halisi Vinson:

“Senator Gardner jammed through the GOP tax bill to appease his ‘furious’ donors while telling Coloradans their scam would pay for itself. But we knew from the beginning that their bill of goods would balloon the deficit and corporate profits while doing nothing for hardworking Colorado families -- and two years later that’s proven true. We have not seen a wage growth that justifies their handout to billionaires and corporations. On top of that, the GOP tax scam also sparked a lawsuit that threatens to gut health coverage for nearly 800,000 Coloradans with pre-existing conditions. That record is exactly why Coloradans are so eager to vote Gardner and Trump out of office next November.”

Two years in, Trump and Gardner’s tax scam has:

• For the first time, allowed corporations and billionaires to pay a lower tax rate than working families [Washington Post, 10/8/2019]
• Made economic inequality worse [Vox, 5/29/2019]
• Ballooned the deficit to nearly $1 trillion -- the highest point in seven years, despite a strong economy [AP, 10/25/2019]
• Hiked taxes on Gold Star families, a cruel penalty that Gardner initially refused to address [CNN, 4/24/2019]
• Reduced tax rates to ZERO for some major corporations -- who haven’t invested in the economy as promised [New York Times, 11/17/2019]
• Enabled the GOP’s latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act [NPR, 10/12/2019]

Gardner and Trump won’t be able to fool Coloradans into thinking their scam benefitted us. But they do have one talking point to use with their wealthy donors: per Axios, “wealthy people and corporations have so much money they literally don't know what to do with it.”

Coloradans’ Pre-existing Conditions Coverage Still at Risk as Court Rules on GOP Health Care Lawsuit

Cory Gardner Supports Lawsuit, Voted for GOP Tax Bill That Sparked Latest Effort to Gut Health Coverage 

Denver, CO - Coloradans’ pre-existing conditions coverage protections and other health care benefits remain at risk following a federal court ruling on the GOP’s lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Senator Cory Gardner believes the ACA is unconstitutional and supports the lawsuit, which the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative warned could “bring a lot of chaos” to Coloradans’ access to life-saving care. The GOP’s tax scam spurred the lawsuit. 

Colorado Democratic Party Executive Director Halisi Vinson: 

“Hundreds of thousands of Coloradans’ access to quality health coverage remains in limbo as Senator Gardner and President Trump’s lawsuit moves ahead. Senator Gardner built his political career on repealing the Affordable Care Act, and now his continued sabotage could drive up costs and gut coverage protections for nearly 800,000 Coloradans with pre-existing conditions. Clearly the only way Coloradans can protect our access to affordable health care is by voting out Donald Trump and Cory Gardner next November.” 

Gardner “reiterated his desire to repeal the Affordable Care Act” in October. He has voted at least 13 times to repeal, defund or block the ACA -- and he does not have a plan to fully protect coverage for Coloradans with pre-existing conditions if the law is repealed.

If successful, the lawsuit could mean an end to:

• Life-saving protections for nearly 800,000 Coloradans with pre-existing conditions
• Medicaid expansion coverage for nearly 400,000 Coloradans
• Essential benefits like maternity care, preventative care, and limits on out-of-pocket costs -- including for employer-based plans
• Parents’ ability to keep children on their insurance until age 26 and support for rural hospitals
• Colorado’s new reinsurance program, which has lowered marketplace premiums by an average of 20 percent

Gardner Enables Trump to Raid Military Construction Funding

Gardner “failed the test” by voting to uphold national emergency declaration, which led Denver Post to rescind their 2014 endorsement

Denver, CO -- With backing from Senator Cory Gardner, the Trump administration is diverting $3.6 billion from 127 military construction projects to build an ineffective and costly border wall. 

Gardner’s vote to uphold Trump’s national emergency declaration cost him the endorsement of The Denver Post, which wrote that “Gardner has been too busy walking a political tight rope to be a leader” and they “no longer know what principles guide the senator.”

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll: 

“Senator Gardner broke his promise to stand up to his party leaders and be an independent voice for Colorado when he refused to join the dozen Republican senators who voted against President Trump’s unconstitutional power grab. Now, more than 100 military construction projects are in limbo thanks in part to Senator Gardner’s vote, and he’s also been silent on Senate Republicans’ plan to raid billions more from health and education funding. As Gardner promotes phony claims of bipartisanship, Coloradans don’t need to look beyond this vote to see that he’s just a spineless yes-man for Trump.”

POLL: Gardner 45 Points (!) Underwater with Colorado Latinos

Denver, CO -- Colorado Latinos are overwhelmingly ready to oust Senator Cory Gardner, according to a new survey from Equis Labs that found 68 percent would vote for a generic Democrat over Gardner. Only 23 percent of Colorado Latinos say they would re-elect the state’s pro-Trump junior senator. Trump’s own approval is 52 points underwater with these voters, with only 19 percent saying they’d re-elect Trump and 71 percent of Colorado Latinos ready to vote for a Democrat.The survey also found that Colorado Latinos want to protect access to affordable health care and reproductive freedom -- two issues Gardner has fought against his entire career.

Colorado State Senator Senator Julie Gonzales, District 34:

“Colorado Latinos are sick and tired of six years of Senator Cory Gardner’s do-nothing attitude in Washington. In 2020, Colorado Latinos will elect a candidate who will actually stand up to Trump’s divisive and dangerous policies. Senator Gardner sits idly by a president who has attacked immigrant communities since day one, and Gardner himself spent his entire career fighting to restrict access to affordable health care and our reproductive freedom. We’ve had enough.”

Colorado Dems on Trump’s Remarks about Jewish People

Colorado Dems Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response to President Trump's remarks that Jewish people who vote Democratic show "either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty":“As a Jewish woman, I cannot begin to express the level of anger and disgust I have over President Trump’s disturbingly ignorant remarks. Considering that Trump himself is not a Jewish man, it is frankly insulting that he would presume to tell Jewish Americans how we should vote, and to basically call us stupid or ‘disloyal’ if we don’t support his party. It boggles the mind that Ken Buck, Cory Gardner, and the Colorado Republican Party continue to go to bat for this man.”

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Colorado Dems on Cynical Recall Attempt on Leroy Garcia

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response to the news that Colorado Republicans will be collecting signatures to recall State Senator Leroy Garcia:"As a Marine veteran of the Iraq War, Leroy Garcia served our country with honor. As the State Senator for Pueblo, Leroy has led the charge on innovative legislation to combat the opioid epidemic, and to ensure that veterans can access the proper healthcare they need and opportunities for jobs when they transition into civilian life. This is yet another attempt by Colorado Republicans to steal a Senate seat because they can't win elections through legitimate means. His community re-elected him overwhelmingly by over 70% in 2018, and the people of Pueblo will not fall for this shady attempt by right-wing political operatives to overturn their decision."

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Gardner Should Call on GOP to Cancel August Recess & Get to Work to Keep Colorado Communities Safe

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement calling on U.S. Senator Cory Gardner to join Michael Bennet in demanding Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suspend August recess to act immediately to keep our communities safe:“This weekend’s tragedies in El Paso and Dayton are painfully familiar for far too many Coloradans who will always remember Columbine, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, and the thousands of other lives that have been lost to gun violence. Enough is enough. Senator Gardner needs to join Senator Bennet in calling for Mitch McConnell to bring the U.S. Senate back to session and get to work on passing legislation to keep our communities safe.”

Thanks Ken Buck!

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement thanking Congressman/Colorado GOP Chair Ken Buck for confirming with Special Counsel Robert Muller that President Trump could be charged with obstruction of justice after he left office:“Mueller confirmed that the reason he did not indict Trump was because of a DOJ policy that a sitting President could not be indicted. But, I would like to personally thank Ken Buck for confirming with Robert Mueller that President Trump could indeed be indicted and criminally charged with obstruction of justice after he is out of office. Given that the investigation resulted in nearly 200 criminal charges already filed, it’s good for voters to know that Donald Trump soon could face legal consequences for his corruption after they vote him out of office in 2020.”Below is a photo of Chair Carroll writing a personal thank you note to Ken Buck.

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Colorado Dems Statement in Advance of VP Pence’s Visit

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in advance of Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Colorado for high-dollar, closed-door fundraisers that would benefit Senator Cory Gardner and President Donald Trump:“It’s pretty clear that the GOP knows how unpopular and vulnerable Donald Trump is, which is why they’re sending Vice President Pence and other members of Team Trump for closed-door fundraisers for Senator Cory Gardner and Republicans instead of a public event. Make no mistake -- between his tax giveaway to the ultra wealthy and his multiple attacks on Coloradans’ healthcare coverage, Donald Trump has done nothing to endear himself to Colorado since we rejected him in 2016, and perhaps these private fundraisers are a sign that they’ve finally given up their desperate attempt to turn our state red.“Given Trump’s deep unpopularity in Colorado, it should come as no surprise that vulnerable Senator Cory Gardner is avoiding a public event with Trump’s VP. But hiding from a photo-op can’t erase Gardner’s record of staunch support of Trump’s divisive agenda, nor will it stop Coloradans from rejecting both Gardner and Trump in 2020.”

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Colorado Congressional Democrats Condemn -- while Colorado Republicans Condone -- Trump’s Racism

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives took up a resolution to condemn the racist statements President Trump posted on social media about four congressional women of color over the past two days. In the resolution are quotes from some of our country’s most notable leaders in its history, including President Ronald Reagan:Whereas this is "one of the most important sources of America's greatness: we lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people — our strength — from every country and every corner of the world, and by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation";Despite this resolution not just being a condemnation of President Trump’s remarks, but an affirmation that states that we as a country believe “that immigrants and their descendants have made America stronger, and that those who take the oath of citizenship are every bit as American as those whose families have lived in the United States for many generation”......only four House Republicans joined the entire House Democratic Caucus to vote “Yes”. Meanwhile -- not one of Colorado’s Republican Congressmen voted “Yes”.Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response:“It should not be hard for a U.S. Representative from Colorado to condemn racism and bigotry. Yet today, Colorado House Republicans Ken Buck, Doug Lamborn, and Scott Tipton showed how morally bankrupt they have become by standing with Donald Trump and his racist statements against Congressional women of color. Ken Buck is not only a member of Congress, but also the Chair of the Colorado Republican Party. Does condoning this type of racism really represent the Republican Party in Colorado? Their state party Chair stood on the side of racism and hate today.”“What today’s vote shows is that elections have consequences, and that the current GOP leadership is morally bankrupt. In contrast, Colorado Democrats in Congress took the fight to Donald Trump by condemning his bigoted statements on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate, and Cory Gardner, need to show that same respect for our American and Colorado values and pass this resolution.”

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CDP Statement re: Ridiculous Recall Efforts Against State Senators Lee and Pettersen

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response to news that Republican operatives would begin the process of recalling State Senators Pete Lee (SD11) and Brittany Pettersen (SD22):“Ken Buck and the Colorado Republican Party are making a strong case on why they are unfit to govern, why Colorado voters were right to elect Democrats up and down the ticket in 2018, and why they’ll do so again in 2020. Chairman Buck and the Colorado GOP have shown they are more interested in abusing the recall process instead of rebuilding their party and helping move our state forward. This is just sore loser politics. The voters of SD11 and SD22 made their voices crystal clear when they elected Pete Lee and Brittany Pettersen by overwhelming margins in 2018, and they will see through this sham.”

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CDP Statement re: Sham Recall Efforts Against Governor Polis

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response to reports that Republican operatives would begin collecting signatures to target Governor Jared Polis for recall:“I am surprised to see how far the Colorado Republican Party has fallen. Voters made it resoundingly clear they preferred Governor Polis’ bold progressive vision for Colorado to the Colorado Republicans’ stale and divisive agenda. Instead of learning how to run better candidates, who are better on the issues for Coloradans, the Colorado GOP is just showing they’ve been hijacked by extremists who are more interested in ridiculous recalls to overthrow elections than actually moving Colorado forward. Colorado voters will see through this sham, and Colorado will continue to move forward under the bold leadership of Governor Polis and Colorado’s Democratic majorities in the state legislature.”

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CDP Statement re: Lawsuit to Overturn the Affordable Care Act

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement following oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals on the Republican lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care Act:“Since he was sworn into office, Donald Trump has made it his mission to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would recklessly end healthcare protections for 750,000 Coloradans with pre-existing conditions -- and Republicans like Cory Gardner have worked right alongside him to attack people’s healthcare. What’s worse is for all their talk ‘repeal and replace’, we have yet to see Gardner and Trump actually show a plan of their own that would replace the ACA.”“Coloradans know that if Trump and the Republicans’ plan to destroy the ACA through this lawsuit succeed, millions of Coloradans could lose their healthcare coverage and people with pre-existing conditions will once again be able to be denied coverage. Colorado Democrats have fought to protect Coloradans’ access to quality, affordable healthcare at the state and federal level, and they will continue to fight against this reckless assault on healthcare.”

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Colorado Democrats to Colorado Republicans: Condemn Trump’s Support for Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections

Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response to President Trump saying that he would welcome foreign interference into our elections:“It’s time for Chairman Ken Buck, Cory Gardner, and Colorado Republicans to put country over party and join us in condemning the President in the harshest terms possible for openly welcoming foreign interference in our elections. We already know the Russian government tried to influence the elections in 2016, and the idea that a sitting U.S. President would openly accept ‘dirt’ on a political opponent from a foreign entity is un-American to the highest degree,” said Carroll.“Considering the Colorado Republican Party’s recent history* of trying to take seats through less than honest avenues, Coloradans deserve to know whether they will disavow all foreign interference in our elections, even when President Trump welcomes it -- or if they are simply just yes-men for Trump,” Carroll concluded.*In addition to the sham recalls they launched, Colorado Republicans are also known for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to hire Cambridge Analytica during the 2014 election cycle. Cambridge Analytica -- which was also hired by then-candidate Trump’s campaign -- is the now-defunct consulting firm that was found to have improperly mined millions of Facebook users’ data and use that information to influence election outcomes.

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CDP Statement on the Sullivan Recall Effort’s End

Denver, CO -- Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll released the following statement in response to the Colorado Republican Party ending their recall efforts against State Representative Tom Sullivan:“Today’s decision proves these recall efforts by the Colorado Republican Party are a sham. Representative Sullivan is an honorable man who kept his promises to the voters of HD37, and Colorado Republicans folding shows just how little support there was for this cynical recall. But they clearly haven’t ended their scheme to undermine democracy, since their statement indicates they’re still window shopping for Senate seats they can try to steal through a recall effort,” said Carroll.“Colorado Republicans know they can’t win on the issues -- that’s why they’re being backed by outside special interests to abuse the process and overturn the will of the voters by launching cynical recall efforts. Voters saw through this sham before, and they’ll see through it again if the Colorado Republican Party launches more recalls,” Carroll concluded.

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STATEMENT: Gardner Still Doesn’t Say If He’d Vote Against Trump’s Tariffs

All talk, no action as Gardner still refuses to say how he would vote

A new report reveals that Senator Cory Gardner is tying his supposed objections to President Trump's tariff on imports from Mexico to the disastrous 2017 Republican tax law, noting that "a number of Republican senators are warning the president they would vote to overturn the new levies, though Gardner has not explicitly said he would go that far.”Colorado Democratic Party spokesperson Alyssa Roberts released the following statement in response:"First Cory Gardner voted for a massive giveaway to corporations and the wealthy, and now he's trying to use that disastrous tax bill to justify his supposed opposition to President Trump’s tariff on Mexico. Colorado will see right through this: Gardner is trying to have it both ways, tip-toeing around an issue that could devastate our economy to avoid upsetting the man he has endorsed for reelection. If Gardner won’t even push the Senate to take a vote on the president’s reckless tariff, how can Coloradans trust that he won’t cave just like he did on Trump’s first costly and ineffective national emergency?”The Greeley Tribune reports that the tariff’s impact on Colorado’s economy could be “devastating,” affecting more than $1.5 billion in imports. When Colorado Politics asked Gardner about the issue yesterday, he refused to comment.Congress’ failure to overcome support from Republicans like Gardner and block Trump’s national emergency has emboldened him to threaten these new tariffs. Mexico is Colorado’s third largest source of imports, and the new 5 percent tariff is set to go into effect on Monday.