search
Sections List
American Journal News

GOP admits 2 more recall efforts have failed in Colorado

Republicans admitted defeat in two more recall efforts, failing as they did at the ballot box last November.

By Dan Desai Martin - September 11, 2019
Share
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis

After losing races across Colorado in the 2018 midterm election, Republicans schemed to bypass the will of the voters and recall a number of Democratic lawmakers. On Tuesday, Republican operatives admitted defeat in two of those efforts, according to KRDO.

The group leading the recall effort against state Sens. Pete Lee and Brittany Pettersen told the Colorado secretary of state’s office that they would not be turning in the required signatures by this week’s deadline.

The news comes after Republicans failed to recall both Gov. Jared Polis and state Rep. Thomas Sullivan, a father who lost his son in 2012’s mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora.

“If Colorado Republicans want to keep wasting their time on these Sisyphean recall attempts, we’ll gladly keep batting them down,” Matt Harringer, press secretary for the DLCC, said in a statement. “These radical Republicans can’t win at the ballot box, so they’re playing political games,” he added.

In 2018, Democrats won every statewide election in Colorado, including the governor, attorney general, state treasurer, and secretary of state. Further, the party flipped control of the state Senate and maintained control of the state House, giving the party unified control of both the legislative and executive branches of government.

The depth and breadth of the Democratic victories made the recall efforts all the more ludicrous, according to the Colorado Democratic Party.

“Considering that both Senators Lee and Pettersen won their 2018 elections overwhelmingly by double digits, it is hardly surprising the sore losers running these sham recalls are throwing in the towel,” Morgan Carroll, chair of the Colorado Dems, said in a statement. “As has been the case with the previous failed recalls, this was never about their votes. These were far-right activists who are upset they lost so badly in 2018 and were desperate for a redo through these ridiculous recalls,” she added.

In July, the Denver Post slammed efforts by Republicans to use recall petitions as a way to circumvent the will of voters.

“Voters knew when they cast ballots for Polis, Pettersen and Lee that they were progressive Democrats. These three individuals won while being honest with their constituents about the positions they held,” the editorial board said.

The failed recall effort “only serves to tarnish [Republicans’] already suffering reputation in Colorado and will hurt GOP candidates at every level of the ballot next November,” Harringer said.

In 2020, not only will Trump be on the ballot in Colorado, once a swing state, but so will the state’s vulnerable Republican senator, Cory Gardner. Gardner has faced massive backlash after voting to allow Trump to steal $8 million from one of the state’s military bases and use the money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

If Harringer is correct, the failure of state-level Republicans could have national implications.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


Read More
New NC GOP chair flirts with bogus stolen election conspiracies

New NC GOP chair flirts with bogus stolen election conspiracies

By Jesse Valentine - April 19, 2024
Texas activists pushed abortion restrictions in NM cities and counties, records show

Texas activists pushed abortion restrictions in NM cities and counties, records show

By Austin Fisher, Source NM - March 04, 2024
Cannabis workers across Missouri begin push to unionize dispensaries 

Cannabis workers across Missouri begin push to unionize dispensaries 

By Rebecca Rivas - December 04, 2023
Curtis Hertel Jr. places public service over politics in Michigan congressional run

Curtis Hertel Jr. places public service over politics in Michigan congressional run

By Alyssa Burr - October 20, 2023
Republican Virginia Senate candidate Danny Diggs has ties to hate groups and extremists

Republican Virginia Senate candidate Danny Diggs has ties to hate groups and extremists

By Josh Israel - October 20, 2023
Demands grow for Wisconsin Supreme Court to redraw the state’s legislative maps

Demands grow for Wisconsin Supreme Court to redraw the state’s legislative maps

By Rebekah Sager - October 19, 2023
AJ News
Latest
GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

By Jesse Valentine - April 15, 2024
GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

By Jesse Valentine - March 29, 2024
GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

By Jesse Valentine - March 08, 2024
Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

By Jesse Valentine - March 07, 2024
Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

By Jesse Valentine - March 04, 2024
Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2024
Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

By Jesse Valentine - February 09, 2024
Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

By Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 31, 2024
UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom - January 24, 2024
Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

By Jesse Valentine - January 17, 2024
A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

By Bonnie Fuller - January 10, 2024
Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters - January 08, 2024
How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

By Jesse Valentine - January 05, 2024
NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

By Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 04, 2024
Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

By Jesse Valentine - December 22, 2023
Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

By - December 15, 2023
Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

By Jesse Valentine - December 08, 2023
Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

By Jesse Valentine - December 07, 2023
Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance - December 06, 2023
105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

By Jesse Valentine - December 05, 2023
For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - December 04, 2023
Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - November 30, 2023
Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

By Jesse Valentine - November 06, 2023
Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

By Jesse Valentine - November 03, 2023
Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

By Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today - October 24, 2023
 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

By Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner - April 24, 2024
Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal - April 23, 2024
President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

By Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury - April 23, 2024
Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix - April 22, 2024