“Former Army Ranger Jason Crow has never shied away from a tough fight, and he’s ready to bring that dedication and passion to Washington,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “Jason’s working-class roots and service to his country and community will be a huge asset in Congress. Jason helped lead the charge to bring the Veterans Medical Center to Aurora, is fighting to get big money out of politics and is ready to unseat Mike Coffman in a year when Coloradans are eager for change.”
To: Interested Parties
From: Rachel Irwin, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 26, 2018
RE: The Case Against Mike Coffman
In his nearly 30 years in office, Mike Coffman has learned the art of political survival. But with the rise of Donald Trump and his divisive Presidency, Coffman is exposed as a career politician who goes along with whatever his Party leaders and donors tell him to do, despite his empty rhetoric back home.
Of all the promises Coffman has broken over the years, his failure to stand up to President Trump in Washington is number one. In a tough re-election battle last cycle, Coffman cut a TV ad “Country First,” where he promised his constituents that he would stand up to Trump “plain and simple.”
But in Washington, Coffman is putting his Party first by voting with President Trump 95 percent of the time. There’s nothing independent about his near-perfect record of advancing Washington Republicans’ most harmful policies that give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and raise healthcare costs, while failing to take action on gun safety and protecting DREAMers.
Coffman’s trail of broken promises are stacking up and Colorado voters are taking notice. With Democratic enthusiasm at an all-time high and unaffiliated voters hungry for a check on Trump, Coffman will have a difficult time holding onto this suburban Denver seat that is trending in Democrats’ favor.
But it’s not just Trump or Mike Coffman’s record with him in the White House. Here are the top factors that make this race Coffman’s toughest re-election to date, including the formidable candidacy of former Army Ranger Jason Crow.
FIVE REASONS WHY 2018 IS THE PERFECT STORM FOR DEMOCRATS IN CO-06:
- DEMOCRATIC ENERGY AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH
Coffman first got a wakeup call in early 2017 when he had to escape out of the back door during a public event. Coffman wasn’t prepared for the level of intensity or backlash as Colorado voters protested his record on repealing the Affordable Care Act. Coffman’s ongoing attacks – by voting more than 60 times to destroy the ACA – jeopardized protections for those with preexisting conditions like asthma, cancer and diabetes, and he’s failed to stand up to the Trump administration’s lawsuit to take away those protections.
His repeated and ongoing attacks on healthcare will be a focal point in November, as Republican sabotage – which Coffman supported – leads to increased premiums in Colorado. But it’s not just healthcare, Coffman has faced backlash at every town hall, whether it’s on the issue of guns, taxes, or immigration, and his lack of results for the people of the 6th District.
This spells trouble for Coffman as Democrats are energized across the country, especially in suburban districts like CO-06, where recent polling shows unaffiliated voters leaning toward Democrats this fall.
- A NEAR-PERFECT RECORD WITH TRUMP
Since redistricting, Mike Coffman has never run with a Republican in the White House, let alone one as unpopular and divisive as Trump. While Coffman tried to distance himself on the campaign trail, back in Washington he’s voting with him 95 percent of the time, the 2nd highest of the Colorado delegation. Coffman voted for the GOP Tax Scam that gives more than 80% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans and a huge handout to large corporations. And he voted to gut the Affordable Care Act, which would lead to an increase in healthcare premiums on Coloradans.
And despite moderate rhetoric back home, Coffman has praised Trump’s approach to immigration and endorsed his “zero-tolerance” approach that created the family-separation crisis at the border. And he turned his back on DREAMers by voting to destroy the discharge petition after it was revealed that he supported a bill written by anti-immigrant hardliners.
His record won’t sit well with well-educated voters – in a district that Donald Trump lost by 9 points – who are turned off by Trump’s policies and rhetoric and are looking for a check on the President.
- NEW LEADERSHIP VERSUS WASHINGTON INSIDER
In his first TV ad, Jason Crow shared his own humble beginnings and working-class roots and values that inspire him to lead. Jason worked construction to put himself through college, then put on a uniform to serve his country in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the Army as a Captain, he learned to lead by example. This cycle, he was one of the first candidates in the country to reject corporate PAC money. That is in stark contrast to career politician Mike Coffman who has taken millions in corporate PAC money over the course of his career and voted to advance the agenda of his Party leaders and donors.
- VETERAN VERSUS VETERAN MATCH-UP
Coffman is used to being the only veteran in the competition and running against candidates with long legislative records. This year, he’s running against a combat veteran and a first-time candidate who comes from a working-class background. Former Army Ranger Jason Crow is making servant leadership a key platform of his campaign and has a long track-record of problem-solving in his community. Crow served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with both conventional and special operations units, receiving a Bronze Star. Since leaving the military, Crow has launched a successful legal career and has advised state and federal officials on national security, military, and veterans issues.
He has also served as a member of the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs and has dedicated hundreds of hours mentoring individual veterans transitioning from military to civilian life. Jason chaired the veterans committee that brought the much-needed VA hospital to Aurora, working with and advocating on behalf of Colorado veterans’ organizations. He received the United Veterans Committee’s Outstanding Service Award in 2011 for his work advocating for the VA hospital.
As we’ve seen in races across the country, Jason’s long track record of serving his country and his community will earn him the trust of voters looking for a better direction.
- GUN SAFETY TOP OF MIND FOR COLORADO VOTERS
Colorado’s Sixth Congressional District has been personally touched by mass shootings. Its home to the deadly 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting and before it was redrawn, included Columbine High School. Voters here felt the impact of mass-shootings firsthand and the sea change happening across the country is felt in this community.
After the Parkland shooting, Mike Coffman faced angry constituents calling out his “A” rating from the NRA. During town halls, he was booed by Colorado voters tired of his lack of action on guns. And the pressure isn’t going away. The parents of a woman killed in the Aurora shooting placed billboards on Coffman’s A NRA rating, with another set of another set of billboards asking Coffman, “How many dead kids until you say no to the NRA.”
None of this was enough for Coffman to act. Mike Coffman has taken more money from the gun lobby than any other member of Congress in Colorado, including donations after the Parkland shooting. He’s voted with Republicans to make it easier for the severely mentally ill to buy guns and has opposed allowing a vote on common sense background checks for gun purchases. Between donations and outside spending on his behalf, Coffman’s re-election campaign has benefited from more than $100K from the gun lobby.
Former combat veteran and father Jason Crow is making gun safety a top campaign issue. In his first digital ad of the campaign, “Enough,” Jason says, “these are the weapons that I needed when I was fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now they’re tearing our communities apart.” A NOW This video highlighted his commitment as a parent to stand up to gun violence. Crow has rolled out his own plan on gun safety and is endorsed by Moms Demand Action, GIFFORDS and Never Again Colorado.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“Introducing the man who could be the most vulnerable Republican in Congress
Mike Coffman has survived tough races before. But Trump will make things much harder.” [CNN Magazine, August 2017]
“Crow is an unassuming guy with a disarming smile who also acquired a particular set of skills in the Army as a Ranger that would probably help him kill anyone in our interview, if necessary. He served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, and earned a Bronze Star for his service in the invasion of Iraq. Crow left the service in 2006 to attend law school and his struggle to get Army benefits spurred him to get involved in politics.” [Inside Elections, 10/11/17]
“Coffman belies image of politically moderate fiscal conservative by backing middle-class nightmare tax bill” [Aurora Sentinel (Editorial Board), 11/17/17]
“Democrat Jason Crow unveils campaign reform package, challenges Coffman to reject ‘dark money’” [Colorado Politics, 2/27/18]
“Trouble might be brewing for Coffman after Ryan steps down because of potential ‘Democratic wave’” [KDVR, 4/11/18]
“Democratic House candidate Jason Crow thinks he can run on gun control — and win” [Vox, 4/17/18]
THE PATH TO VICTORY
Jason Crow is unlike any Democrat that Coffman has faced in the past, and coupled with the national environment and competitive nature of this district, CO-06 is a top seat to flip in 2018. It represents one of the 25 districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016. It’s a well-educated, suburban district that is trending toward Democrats: Obama won it twice and Clinton outperformed Obama in ’16. It’s also a diverse district that is nearly 12% Hispanic and 9% African-American.
Back home, Coffman likes to take credit for his tweets and statements standing up to President Trump. In D.C., his record tells a different story. His near-perfect voting record with Trump and Party leadership show his true colors in a year when voters are frustrated by the dysfunction in Washington and with Republicans in control of Congress.
While Coffman has won tough races in the past, he’s never faced an environment as unfriendly as this one. Unfortunately for Coffman, having an R next to your name might be the final straw for voters who feel betrayed by the ongoing broken promises of a career politician who’s played both sides for far too long.
The energy and momentum is clearly on the side of first-time candidate Jason Crow who, despite his pledge not to take a dime from corporate PACs, outraised Coffman in multiple filing periods and has nearly $1 million COH heading into a tough election. Just look at the polling showing that Crow is ahead by 5 points and is on track to win back this seat in 2018. By comparison, Democrats never led in a public poll in 2014, 2015, or 2016.
All signs point to this year being the perfect storm for Democrats to take back this seat and oust career politician Mike Coffman once and for all.