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“Doctor Yadira Caraveo is the product of the American Dream. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Dr. Caraveo grew up in Colorado and was the first in her family to graduate college. She has dedicated her life to serving Colorado families as a pediatrician and state legislator. Dr. Caraveo’s record of cutting costs while expanding opportunities for Coloradans to pursue their own American Dream stands in sharp contrast to the dangerous agenda of Barbara Kirkeyer, whose extreme, disastrous policies would burden Colorado families. In Colorado’s Democratic-leaning 8th Congressional District, Barbara Kirkmeyer’s dangerous platform doesn’t stand a chance against Dr. Yadira Caraveo’s proven record of leadership.” – DCCC Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney
To: Interested Parties
From: Maddy Mundy, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 28th, 2022
Subject: The Case Against Barbara Kirkmeyer
Following the 2020 census, Colorado’s independent redistricting commission created a new district to empower Colorado’s growing Latino communities. Dr. Yadira Caraveo, the child of Mexican immigrants, has served the residents who make up Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District as both their pediatrician and state legislator. Dr. Caraveo grew up here and understands the challenges working families face.
Dr. Yadira Caraveo, the only Hispanic candidate in the race for Colorado’s 8th, grew up the child of Mexican immigrants who moved to Colorado for a chance at a better life for their children. Dr. Caraveo was the first in her family to attend college and pursue a medical degree.
After earning her degree as a pediatrician, Dr. Caraveo worked at a practice in Adams County. Over the years, Dr. Caraveo realized that many of the challenges her young patients faced required broader solutions. That’s why she ran for state legislator – and won. In the legislature, Dr. Caraveo took on corporate greed and rising costs. Now, with a new district created to empower Colorado’s Latino voters, Dr. Caraveo is taking up the call to serve once again – this time in Congress.
The residents of this brand new district have a clear choice this November between Dr. Yadira Caraveo, a proven champion of working families, or MAGA Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer. With prices soaring and our fundamental rights under attack, Coloradans cannot afford to send an extreme, out-of-touch politician like Kirkmeyer to Congress.
Barbara Kirkmeyer’s record as a former county commissioner and state legislator is riddled with extreme stances – like pushing a motion for several Colorado counties to secede from the state, undermining Colorado’s red flag law, and denying the existence of climate change while stating we must dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency.
Barbara Kirkmeyer opposes sensible gun legislation, abortion access, and the Affordable Care Act. She has proudly touted her ties to Trump in a district that went for President Biden. Barbara Kirkmeyer’s dangerous, out-of-touch agenda is a slap in the face to the hardworking families of Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, and that’s why voters will reject her this November.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
CPR News: What Colorado’s candidates for governor and Congress are saying about the Supreme Court abortion ruling [June 24, 2022]
“State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer called it an ‘Exciting day for those of us who have toiled for the pro-life cause for so long!’ She went on to write, ‘History will not look kindly on the last 50 years, but today we as a country are righting that wrong.’”
Colorado Times Recorder: Most GOP Congressional Candidates at Forum Would Support ‘Patriotic Education,’ Repeal Obamacare [March 25, 2022]
“‘We just really need to go back and look at what’s in place, what’s working, what’s not working, and come back with a comprehensive plan of what we can do to make sure health care costs go down and people can access health care when they need it,’ said Kirkmeyer, saying we’ve progressed beyond Obamacare at this point. ‘We need to have affordable health care.’”
Colorado Times Recorder: In Ad, GOP Candidate Kirkmeyer Fires Gun & Then Vows To Fight ‘Gun-Grabbing’ Liberals [March 17, 2022]
“During her time as commissioner, Kirkmeyer and several other policymakers passed a resolution to make Weld County into a Second Amendment sanctuary. The resolution effectively declares that the county will not enforce any gun control legislation that it does not agree with. In theory, this allows Second Amendment sanctuaries to ignore even federal laws, such as mandatory background checks. The resolution was passed in response to a 2019 bill that allowed individuals to petition a judge to remove firearms from someone they think is dangerous to themselves or others.”
CPR News: Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer announces she’s entering the race for Colorado’s newest — and swingiest — congressional seat [November 15, 2021]
“During her time as a county commissioner, Kirkmeyer was one of the faces of the short-lived secession movement to pursue a 51st state. County voters eventually rejected the effort.”
Barbara Kirkmeyer: An Unabashed MAGA Extremist
Barbara Kirkmeyer must not realize that the majority of residents living in Colorado’s 8th district supported Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Throughout her primary campaign, she claimed the label of staunchest Trump supporter. She aligns with the former president on dismantling the Affordable Care Act, attacking reproductive rights and denying the man-made realities of climate change.
While the majority of this district and country voted against Trump, MAGA Republicans pushing a dangerous agenda remain in Congress. If Barbara Kirkmeyer is sent to Washington, she will be a rubber stamp on deeply unpopular stances that threaten Coloradans personal freedom and livelihood. Coloradans need real solutions – not extremism. That’s why voters will reject Kirkmeyer’s out-of-touch and dangerous priorities this November.
Barbara Kirkmeyer Will Ban Abortion Nationwide – Without Exceptions for Rape and Incest
Hours after the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade, national Republicans wasted no time plotting a nationwide abortion ban if they retake majorities in Congress this fall. If Barbara Kirkmeyer goes to Washington, she will not rest until abortion is made illegal across the country – without exceptions for life of the pregnant woman or rape or incest.
Barbara Kirkmeyer is dangerously anti-choice. She cheered the Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights – calling it an “exciting day.” Barbara Kirkmeyer’s opposition to abortion, even in instances of rape and incest, is wildly outside the mainstream. The overwhelming majority of Americans support abortion access, regardless of party.
Against Barbara Kirkmeyer’s dangerous, anti-freedom views, Coloradans will gladly put their support behind Dr. Yadira Caraveo. As a state legislator, Dr. Caraveo led the charge to protect Coloradans’ reproductive rights at the state level. In Congress, she will fight to undo the damage done by the Supreme Court and implement federal protections for reproductive rights.
Barbara Kirkmeyer Will Dismantle Americans’ Health Care
Nearly 700,000 Coloradans have gained health care through the Affordable Care Act. Thanks to the ACA the rate of uninsured Coloradans has dropped six percentage points. Yet, Barbara Kirkmeyer has indicated she would dismantle the protections enshrined in the ACA, stating in a recent forum that the United States has progressed beyond it.
Kirkmeyer’s statement comes as the GOP opposed caps on prescription drug prices, while pushing a dangerous platform to slash Social Security and Medicare. MAGA Republicans in Congress are campaigning to raise taxes on millions of middle-class Americans and sunset away essential programs like Social Security and Medicare if they retake control of Congress. Barbara Kirkmeyer would be a rubber stamp on their health care slashing, cost-raising agenda.
As a pediatrician, Dr. Yadira Caraveo understands that health care costs are too expensive. In the state legislature, she led reforms to cut the costs of prescription drugs. Reforming our health care system is why Dr. Caraveo got into politics. In Congress, she will use her expertise to expand affordable health care for Colorado families.
Barbara Kirkmeyer Opposes Sensible Gun Violence Reform
At a time when our country is gripped by a gun violence epidemic, Barbara Kirkmeyer is campaigning against popular, common sense reforms. In the wake of devastating mass shootings across our country, Kirkmeyer spent her campaign’s resources on an ad that pushes falsehoods about gun reform. While some 90% of Americans support background checks, Barbara Kirkmeyer dismissed the need for universal background checks and even introduced a resolution to allow a county to skirt state and federal gun violence protection laws.
Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children. As a pediatrician, Dr. Caraveo has dedicated her life to protecting families. In Congress, she will address the dangers facing our children and lead on sensible gun reforms that make Colorado families safer.
PATH TO VICTORY
Colorado’s 8th Congressional District was created in part to empower Colorado’s growing Latino communities. As a first-generation American and lifelong Colorado resident, Dr. Caraveo will offer CO-08 residents an authentic voice of representation. In this new district, Democrats hold a registration advantage over Republicans, and it continues to trend in Democrats’ favor: President Biden flipped this district in 2020 with 52% of the major party vote, a 4-point margin, and performed 3 points better than Secretary Clinton in 2016.
This Democratic-leaning district will not tolerate Barbara Kirkmeyer’s out-of-touch platform. Kirkmeyer supports policies that would raise costs on Colorado families while dismantling the rights Coloradans hold dear. That’s why this November, Coloradans will proudly cast their ballot for Dr. Yadira Caraveo – the clear choice to represent Colorado’s 8th.
As an Adams County pediatrician and Colorado legislator, Dr. Caraveo is a proven ally to Colorado families. As a child of immigrants, Dr. Caraveo knows we must protect the American Dream and create more opportunities for Coloradans to thrive. In the state legislature, she has done just that: cutting taxes for working families, capping prescription drug prices, protecting reproductive rights and expanding investments in public education. Dr. Caraveo will take her record of results to Washington and deliver for the hardworking families who make up Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District.
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