We fully expect for Arn Menconi, who is running in the Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District, to quickly become the gift of political gab that will keep on giving.
In Menconi’s first interview since he petitioned his way onto the ballot for a spot at challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, he told the Aspen Daily News he’s running because it was the Democrats who pissed him off after the Parkland school shooting in Florida.
“I wasn’t hearing the other candidates — and I’m not hearing Michael Bennet, and I’m not hearing (Gov.) John Hickenlooper — say what the country’s students are wanting us to say, that we have to ban assault weapons and put that legislation into place,” he said.
Gun control, fracking ban, impeaching Trump — those are Menconi’s “winning” issues to run on the Western Slope.
The former Eagle County commissioner who now lives in Carbondale claims to be the most anarchistic, liberal, progressive of the three candidates running in the Democratic primary.
“The Democratic candidates always lose,” he said. “They always run to the center, they don’t stand for anything. That leaves out the youth vote, the progressives, the people who are as mad at government as I am.
“I think I’m neither left nor right, I’m radical,” Menconi continued. “I think our government is run by an oligarchy. I won’t take special-interest money. … The others will say that too, but then they’ll stand next to Michael Bennet who takes millions of dollars from the oil-and-gas industry, the pharmaceutical industry.”
Menconi said he has extensive lobbying experience in Washington, D.C. He said he’s been arrested five times in Washington, “trying to stop endless wars, trying to stop the repeal of Obamacare.”
Dare we hope that he could win the Democratic primary? In our wildest dreams, yes.