Colorado GOP pushes back on endorsement scheme to pick winners and losers

May 3, 2024

The Colorado Republican Party is getting a lot of pushback from grassroots members and within its own ranks for picking winners and losers and telling voters who they must vote for in party primaries.

Led by party chairman Dave Williams, the majority of GOP delegates who went to the assembly last month voted to give the state party the power to endorse candidates who kiss the party ring.

Every candidate who dares go the petition route to gather voter support instead of playing party politics is now ostracized, voter intent be damned.

So now Williams is playing kingmaker and trying to make every candidate beholden to him in exchange for an official endorsement.

Williams is digging his own swamp that reeks of establishment politics.

He’s turning the party into everything conservatives claim to abhor, which is why many leaders are now speaking up and refusing to participate in this sham litmus test that grants party favoritism for comrades candidates.

Republican leaders and candidates are taking their frustrations public on social media, and the GOP chairs of two congressional districts where primaries are highly competitive are refusing to participate in the charade.

Three congressional candidates have denounced the plan to endorse candidates in the primary. And party leaders in two of the state’s eight congressional districts — the 3rd and 8th, both of which are competitive — told The Colorado Sun they won’t participate by refusing to make recommendations to state party leaders. They said it’s unfair to endorse candidates when more than one are nominated at assemblies, as happened in both districts.

Dave Peters, party chairman of the 3rd Congressional District, said members of his committee are voicing their concerns with Williams.

Williams and his clique have already endorsed 3rd District U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert for the spirited 4th District primary in which numerous other Republicans are running.

Now the party has issued a three-page litmus test for every Republican already on the ballot through either the party or voter system, for the grand poohbahs to determine who gets to sit at their table.

Question number two asks candidates if they are Republican a populist who supports Trump, or the devil.

Instead of asking for the “no new taxes” pledge, the new Republican populist party asks candidates to waffle on taxes and fees that are necessary.

The only foreign policy question is on Ukraine aid. Nothing about China, the Palestinian problem, support for Israel, or reinstating Trump’s Iran policy.

Then there are the softballs, asking if the education system is broke, duh. Candidates get about as many words as a tweet would allow to explain the magic solution.

Are you a RINO? Circle yes or no.

It’s very juvenile and so poorly worded, many sound like trick questions.

We’re not even sure Trump could pass this test.

Granted, voters want to know the answers to many of the questions, and that’s what the primary process is all about, getting to know the candidates so voters can make an informed decision.

And it is voters who should make the decision based on the candidates’ merits.

When Williams announces his endorsements, which will likely include himself for Congress in the 5th district, voters will have a clear picture as to which candidates are so malleable as to bend their knee to party insiders who are intent on creating their own fiefdom of power.

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