Elections

Outside group ignores Colorado guv’s plea to butt out of recall fight

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Greg Campbell Contributor
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In spite of calls by Gov. John Hickenlooper for outside interest groups to keep out of the latest Colorado recall election, an out-of-state group has dropped $30,000 on behalf of the endangered Democrat.

If state Sen. Evie Hudak is recalled, it will tip the balance of power in the state Senate, where Democrats hold a one-seat majority. Democrats also control the state House.

The Colorado Observer reported that the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Majority PAC ignored Hickenlooper’s request and spent $5,000 on an issue committee called Stand With Evie and another $25,000 on the Democracy Defense Fund.

The latter is running ominous robocalls to voters in Hudak’s district that sound like reverse-911 calls used by emergency services.

“This is a community alert for Arvada and Westminster from the Democracy Defense Fund,” the message says. “Paid signature-gatherers who have not gone through a criminal background check could be in Westminster and Arvada this week asking for signatures on a recall petition. Do not sign this petition.”

Hudak finds herself targeted for the same reasons as former Democratic Sens. John Morse and Angela Giron, both of whom were successfully recalled in September for their support of Colorado’s tough new gun control laws. They were both recalled despite heavy spending on their behalf by powerful national interests, in particular by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

Bloomberg became a lightning rod for the opposition, however, and in the wake of the defeats, Hickenlooper told a USA Today reporter outside groups shouldn’t involve themselves in the effort to oust Hudak.

“Colorado is a state that people like to be themselves and solve their own problems,” he told the newspaper’s weekly video series. “They don’t really like outside organizations meddling in their affairs, and maybe the NRA gets a pass on that.”

Hudak was targeted for recall earlier in the year, but recallers failed to gather enough signatures to trigger a recall. With the successful recalls of Morse and Giron providing momentum, they’re again trying to collect 18,900 valid signatures for a special election by Dec. 3.

The Observer reports that the effort is being hard fought on both sides, with those opposed to the recalls turning out in force to protest the signature drives.

“Recallers are also upset with what they describe as the overly aggressive tactics of some demonstrators, who have used bullhorns, tambourines and other noisemakers to discourage voters at sign-and-drive sites,” according to the article.

Recalls have also reported that the robocalls are having an effect.

“The robocalls are affecting people such as seniors who mostly stay at home,” organizer Mike McAlpine told the Observer. “It sounds like an official public-service announcement, and they’re very concerned about it.”

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