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“In a party filled with extremists, Republican nominee Erik Aadland outpaces them all. Erik Aadland’s embrace of dangerous conspiracy threatens Coloradans’ most fundamental rights, while doing nothing to address the legitimate issues Coloradans face. In Brittany Pettersen, Coloradans have an obvious choice to succeed Rep. Ed Perlmutter. For a decade in the state legislature, Brittany fought tirelessly for Colorado families, making historic strides to bolster public safety and expand education access. Colorado families deserve a fighter like Brittany Pettersen working on their behalf in Congress.” – DCCC Chairman Sean Patrick Maloney
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To: Interested Parties
From: Maddy Mundy, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 28th, 2022
Subject: The Case Against Erik Aadland
For a decade in the Colorado legislature, Brittany Pettersen fought relentlessly to make life better for Jefferson County families. As a state legislator, Brittany expanded early childhood education and full-day kindergarten, lowered the cost of health care, and led on the crises facing our nation: from rising costs, to gun violence, and the opioid epidemic.
As prices spike, working families need common sense leadership in Congress now more than ever. Yet, instead of working towards solutions, extreme Republicans remain fixated on a dangerous agenda to attack our fundamental rights and slash critical programs that uplift middle class families. In Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, Republican nominee Erik Aadland outpaces even the most radical congressional Republicans in his race to the right.
Erik Aadland is a dangerous extremist who would push a MAGA agenda if elected to Congress. Aadland stands against reproductive health care, common sense gun reform and public education, while embracing far-right conspiracies that threaten the very foundation of our most treasured rights.
For over a decade, the residents of Colorado’s 7th Congressional District have placed their trust in Democratic leadership. Erik Aadland’s dangerous, out-of-touch agenda is a slap in the face to the hardworking families of this district, and that’s why voters will reject Aadland this November.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
The Colorado Times Recorder: Colorado Politicians Respond to Jan. 6 Hearings [June 15, 2022]
“Thus far, 865 people have been charged for their actions on Jan. 6, but some conservatives have claimed those charges are political persecution. ‘It’s an unacceptable breach of due process of law, their constitutional right to a speedy trial,’ said congressional candidate Erik Aadland of Jan. 6 prisoners during the Teller County Big Tent Event last weekend. ‘The fact that they haven’t been able to post bond is unconscionable. These are political prisoners, and I’m going to do as much as I can to draw a light to this. It’s unconscionable that it’s happened here in this country.’”
Colorado Politics: Republican Erik Aadland sues for spot in primary, argues Griswold threw out valid signatures [March 22, 2022]
“Aadland, one of five Republicans running in the Jefferson County-based 7th Congressional District, announced a week ago that he was switching to the assembly process after the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office notified him on March 14 that he had failed to qualify for the primary by petition, falling 46 signatures short of the 1,500 valid signatures required for congressional candidates.”
The Colorado Times Recorder: Colorado’s 2022 U.S. Senate Candidates: Who Are Bennet’s Challengers? [July 8, 2021]
“‘This country is on the brink of being taken over by a communist government and perpetuating their communist agenda. We need to open up our eyes and be very aware of that. That’s what’s happening,’ Aadland said. ‘The 2020 election, it was rigged. Absolutely rigged.’”
Erik Aadland: Too Extreme for His Own Party, Let Alone Colorado
To the chagrin of his party, a radical Republican who struggled to get on the primary ballot now finds himself in the unlikely position of being the GOP nominee in a blue district. Erik Aadland is so extreme, national Republicans do not even want to adopt him as their own. While Aadland’s primary opponent was placed on the national Republicans’ recruitment list, Aadland was shunned throughout the weeks leading to the primary.
National Republicans know Erik Aadland is simply unelectable. His extreme views would raise eyebrows in nearly any part of the country, but especially in Colorado’s Democratic-leaning, suburban 7th District. Aadland has perpetuated election integrity conspiracy, attacked reproductive rights, lambasted sensible gun reform, and threatened to defund public education.
Residents of Colorado’s 7th Congressional District will be incensed by Aadland’s out-of-touch and dangerous priorities. Coloradans demand substantive solutions to real world issues, not imagined grievances fueled by right-wing paranoia.
A Threat to Our Democracy
In 2020, 147 Republican legislators betrayed their oath to the American people and voted against certifying a legitimate election; many of those representatives remain in office. MAGA Republicans continue to threaten our democratic institutions at all levels of government. If Coloradans want to protect their sacred vote, they can not send another Big Lie proponent to Congress.
Aadland makes no attempts to hide his election conspiracy. On the campaign trail, he declared “the 2020 election, it was rigged. Absolutely rigged.” Aadland has called the January 6th House Committee that meticulously revealed a highly-orchestrated plan to overturn the results of the 2020 election to the American public “an atrocious scam.”
Aadland even sympathized with insurrectionists, calling those arrested on January 6th “political prisoners.” The majority of CO-07 residents voted for Joe Biden and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the legitimate president of the United States. They will not tolerate Erik Aadland’s dangerous, anti-democratic delusions.
An Anti-Choice Extremist
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade, national Republicans are already plotting the implementation of a nationwide abortion ban if they retake majorities in Congress this fall. In 2022, the stakes have never been higher for Colorado voters to send a champion of choice to Congress.
Erik Aadland is a threat to Coloradans’ reproductive rights. He “applauded” the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe. He claims that abortion access is a decision that should be determined by the states, yet railed against the Colorado bill to codify abortion rights into state law, claiming the bill was “evil at its core” and on par with North Korea’s regime.
Erik Aadland wants to impose his extreme, anti-choice views on Coloradans, who join the overwhelming majority of Americans in adamantly support abortion access. Against Aadland’s dangerous, anti-freedom views, Coloradans will gladly put their support behind Brittany Pettersen. As a state senator, Brittany led the charge to protect Coloradans’ rights at the state level. In Congress, she will fight for federal protections for reproductive rights.
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has also jeopardized the legal foundation of established rights for LGBTQ individuals. In such a precarious environment, Aadland’s documented record of anti-LGBTQ bigotry is all the more troubling. Aadland has attacked LGBTQ people, parroting conspiracies and absurdly framing them as threats. Aadland even confirmed he hopes to see Obergefell v. Hodges – the Supreme Court decision that recognized the right for same-sex couples to mary – overturned. Coloradans cannot allow Erik Aadland and his extreme views to take our country backwards.
An Obstacle to Common Sense Gun Reform
At a time when our country is gripped by a gun violence epidemic, Erik Aadland leaves no doubt that he will obstruct common sense reform. Aadland stated if he were in Congress today, he would not support the historic bipartisan legislation passed by Congress to address gun violence reform, including closing the boyfriend loophole to impede domestic violence. Instead, Aadland’s solution to gun violence is to put more weapons in classrooms.
Though 90% of Americans support universal background checks, Erik Aadland refuses to support even the most basic gun violence reforms. His dangerous record falls flat against Brittany Pettersen’s proven leadership. In the Colorado Senate, Brittany Pettersen led the charge to bring sensible gun violence reform to the state and make Colorado families safer.
A Threat to Education
As the first in her family to attend college, Brittany Pettersen understands the importance of accessing education and has fought to expand education funding in the Colorado legislature. Her record of fighting for Colorado’s next generation stands in stark contrast to Erik Aadland’s relentless attacks on public education.
Erik Aadland has lambasted teachers and spread conspiracy about the things children are learning in classrooms, latching on to the far-right’s obsession with pedophilia. Public schools offer a fundamental building block to ensure every child has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream – no matter their background. Yet Aadland envisions public schools as a threat to be vanquished. While Aadland insists we must “defund schools,” Brittany Pettersen is fighting to ensure every Colorado child has a chance at an education.
PATH TO VICTORY
In Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, Democrats hold a registration advantage over Republicans. The district continues to trend in Democrats’ favor: President Biden won this district in 2020 with 57% of the major party vote, a 14-point margin, and performed 3 points better than Secretary Clinton in 2016.
The electoral landscape is only one factor bolstering Democrats in Colorado’s 7th Congressional District. The biggest asset in CO-07 is the Democratic candidate herself. State Senator Brittany Pettersen has fought for Jefferson County families for over a decade, lowering costs for middle class families and investing in the same public education programs that propelled her to be the first in her family to graduate college.
Brittany understands the hardships Colorado’s working families face, because she has faced them too. Now she is ready to take her experience and proven records of results to Congress. This November, Colorado families will reject Erik Aadland’s dangerous, extreme agenda and send their champion Brittany Pettersen to Washington.
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