Alamosa Republican Cleave Simpson has been running a clean campaign for the district 6 state Senate seat in southwest Colorado, sticking to economic issues and banking on endorsements from respected community members.
He never asked for help from the Colorado Republican Party to fundraise or campaign on his behalf.
Yet the embattled political organization and its misdirected state officials just couldn’t help itself and came barging in anyway, slinging mud and creating a whole new controversy in their wake for Simpson to deal with.
It was all so unnecessary, stirring up controversy in a campaign that had so far been focused on the economy, which is a winner for the GOP.
Now the election has drawn unfavorable attention from the media and turned into an excuse for them and Democrats to bash Republicans.
When contacted by the Durango Herald for comment, Simpson called the email distributed by the state GOP a distraction.
The Democrat opponent is Vivian Smotherman, an adult whom voters are quite aware is transgender, having been born a man yet identifies as a woman.
Happy pride! 🏳️🌈 #votevivian #viviansmotherman #democrats #pride #LGBTQCommunity @coloradodems @COSenDem @COYoungDems @cohsdems pic.twitter.com/QkLBkuWDZW
— Vivian Smotherman (@VoteVivianSD6) June 17, 2024
Smotherman used the opportunity to bash conservatives who want to make America great again, which the left sneers as MAGA.
Simpson said he’s concerned the misdirection caused by the party may hurt him with some voters, and that his campaign had been focused on Democrats’ inept handling of the economy and the high cost of living impacting his constituents.
From the Durango Herald:
Simpson said he has tried to distance himself from the Colorado GOP since Williams took over. He noted that Thursday’s email contained several inaccuracies – SD6 contains part, not all of Montrose County, it contains not only the Southern Ute Indian Reservation but also the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation, and the district’s shape was changed after redistricting, not after it was “restricted.”
“Really? This is the level of professionalism at the State Central Committee?” he said.
Apparently.
The email was a cheap shot that Williams and his Vice Chair Hope Scheppelman hoped would win them points with party members concerned that teacher unions seem be more concerned about a child’s sexual and gender preference than teaching them how to read.
But Smotherman is an adult and not running for the board of education.
So why result to insults when Republicans can win on the issue voters care most about?
It’s the economy, stupid.
And yet the email served the purpose of those who sent it by stirring up infighting within the party to keep attention off Williams and Scheppelman and the multitude of complaints against them that includes misspending party funds on Williams’ failed congressional campaign.