Nancy Pelosi’s brigade may have been able to block Moms Demand Action’s Shannon Watts from entering the primary to replace liberal U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, but, apparently, there was no stopping Colorado local Ken Toltz from throwing his hat in the ring. And there was no stopping Toltz from disgustingly using the tragedy to advance his own political agenda. Toltz told the Denver Post that his experience in Washington will make him an effective representative.
“’If I don’t step up now, when is the time?’ Toltz told The Denver Post in announcing his candidacy, saying that his decision to run was in part motivated by Sunday night’s mass shooting in Las Vegas. ‘… My experience(s) in Washington are going to make for an effective congressman on Day One.’”
Toltz is most recently known for his Safe Campus Colorado initiative, which was designed to disarm college kids on campus, but he is no stranger to the Colorado political scene. In 2000, he lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo when he ran on an anti-Second Amendment platform. Toltz also worked for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington.
While no Republicans have joined the race yet, Toltz faces a large Democratic primary including Joe Neguse, who appears to have lined up tremendous support from the Democratic establishment, former Boulder County Democratic Chair Mark Williams, Nederland Mayor Kristopher Larsen, and some guy named Howard Dotson.
Toltz may not be Pelosi’s favorite, but his organization may help him more easily leverage grassroots support.
Pass the popcorn.