In wake of the Democrat reapportionment maps that aim to destroy the current crop of female GOP leadership in the state House, Republican women are hitting back. House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, who has been drawn into the same district as fellow GOP Representative Marsha Looper, hit the attempted gerrymander efforts by Democrats and their lap dog Mario Carrera as "disgraceful and hypocritical."
The maps drawn by Democrats at the last minute, released four days after Republicans were told their maps were due, take special aim at GOP women. They draw four of the nine female GOP state House reps into districts with fellow Republicans, including the two highest ranking women in the state House.
One of those Representatives under attack is House Majority Amy Stephens who told the Peak:
Not only is it a disgraceful and hypocritical move by Democrats – but Republican women everywhere should be decrying this! If we say nothing they will continue to get away with it! This isn't about me as a Republican leader – this is for all the smart, savvy women coming up behind me who will run for office. If ever there was a time for Republican women to make their voices heard it is now!
The Chairman of the Commission, and "wolf in sheep's clothing," Mario Carrera has yet to respond to why he voted for the destruction of hard fought gains by Republican women in legislative representation. Nor has state Senator Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora) explained to her constituents why she supports a direct assault on female leadership.
Perry Buck, President of the Colorado Federation of Republican Women, is none-too-pleased with Carroll and Carrera's sexist actions, saying in a statement:
Colorado’s tradition of recognizing women as powerful and effective voices in Colorado is threatened by the Democratic members of the Reapportionment Commission, who have drawn several Republican women members out of their districts in order to further purely partisan motives.
GOP State Treasurer Christine Mastin stands firmly against allowing these maps, and their assault on Republican women, to stand, saying:
Democrats have the audacity to claim they represent the interests of women, but their actions speak louder than words. The way Democrat commissioners are targeting our Republican female House leaders, Majority Leader Amy Stephens and Republican Whip B.J. Nikkel, and four of the nine Republican women current serving in the state legislature is unconscionable. This is an example of partisan opportunism at its worst, and should not be allowed to stand.
After getting hit hard in a Denver Post editorial for their cheating ways and opportunistic "power play," Mario Carrera and the Democrats now have a significantly more serious problem on their hands.
Do they want to be seen as sexist pigs for specifically targeting conservative female leadership in Colorado?
With women the key to close elections in Colorado, it's a constituency Democrats can't afford to offend, regardless of how much they gerrymander state legislative lines. We'll see if the Colorado Supreme Court supports this sexist action in five days, when the Court reviews the recently passed state House and Senate maps.