Colorado Senate race tests whether a Republican feuding with Trump can win HEAD TOPICS

Colorado Senate race tests whether a Republican feuding with Trump can win

10/22/2022 8:51:00 PM

Colorado Senate candidate Joe O Dea said in an interview that he would actively campaign against Trump in the 2024 presidential primary Trump fired back

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The Washington Post

Colorado Senate candidate Joe O Dea said in an interview that he would actively campaign against Trump in the 2024 presidential primary Trump fired back Colorado Senate candidate Joe O Dea said in an interview that he would actively campaign against Trump in the 2024 presidential primary Trump fired back “The idea that you can make up enthusiasm with the unaffiliated by distancing yourself from the base — I’ve never seen it work,” said Randy Corporon, a Republican National Committee member and local conservative talk radio host who said he is worried some Republican voters in the state will leave the Senate race blank on their ballot in protest. A libertarian candidate, who has been endorsed by one of O’Dea’s more conservative primary rivals, also could siphon off some GOP votes. “If you’ve got a problem with Joe on anything, put it aside,” conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt urged the crowd.“O’Dea’s not a party guy. He doesn’t like Trump,” said Kelsey Alexander, a 67-year-old Republican voter at the event. “That’s okay. We’re not voting for him to like Trump — we’re voting for him to be a U.S. senator.” And even Hildebrand, who was offended by O’Dea’s criticism of Trump, said she will vote for him over Bennet at the end of the day. Read more:
The Washington Post » Trump Doubles Down On Undermining Defense Against E. Jean Carroll's Defamation Case Trump Rips 'Partisan Hack' Judge Who Ruled He Deliberately Lied About Vote Fraud In Suit Jan. 6 Panel Issues Subpoena to Trump, Setting Up Legal Battle Over Testimony Steve Bannon, longtime Trump ally, sentenced to 4 months in prison for defying subpoena

Biden says it s his intention to run again in 2024 CNN Politics

President Joe Biden said Friday that while he has not made a formal decision about running for reelection in 2024, it is his 'intention' to do so. Read more >> He'll lose.Trump Doubles Down On Undermining Defense Against E. Jean Carroll's Defamation CaseTrump argued he was protected as president to verbally attack journalist who accused him of rape. Then he bizarrely repeated the attacks as a private citizen. HuffPost censors all opinions they don’t align with their positions. Either that or twitter Nazis shadow ban away all discussion. Trump Rips 'Partisan Hack' Judge Who Ruled He Deliberately Lied About Vote Fraud In SuitTrump yet again presses 'rigged vote' claims in personal attack, even though a federal judge determined this week that he knows better. Trump needs to pull his head in with these continual narcissistic lies……. He wants attention & he wants to incite his shadow army again. We would be wise to pay attention to DOJ, the courts & the Jan. 6th Committee instead of falling for his every tirade. Jan. 6 Panel Issues Subpoena to Trump, Setting Up Legal Battle Over TestimonyWhile the former president has suggested he might testify live before the committee, it was far more likely that the demand would lead to a protracted legal fight. Win. Follow BFBT_ for news on spying and terrorism. We tweet daily. PeopleWatching Steve Bannon, longtime Trump ally, sentenced to 4 months in prison for defying subpoenaBannon was convicted in July of two counts of contempt of Congress. FOX13 Contempt of Congress? At this point, aren’t we all guilty of that? such bullshit But was release pending appeal. Steve Bannon sentencing updates: Former Trump adviser faces up to 2 yearsFormer Trump adviser Steve Bannon is scheduled to be sentenced today following his conviction on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress. How many shirts does one wear for a sentencing affair? I can never recall the proper etiquette 😂 RB_Citizen America is doomed when congress can sell appoint themselves as judge and jury without due process and evidence withholding in order to condemn and attack ppl who disagree with their ideology. This is the stuff com countries do Cool, joining Lois Lerner and Eric Holder in this distinction, but oh wait, they were let off with a harsh word and some Hersey Kisses. Pays to play ball with the winning team. .By.Trump yet again presses"rigged vote" claims in personal attack, even though a federal judge determined this week that he knows better.Updated 3:25 p. Advertisement But O’Dea’s candidacy is also testing the forbearance of the state’s base voters, who are being asked to support a candidate who is feuding with Trump. “The idea that you can make up enthusiasm with the unaffiliated by distancing yourself from the base — I’ve never seen it work,” said Randy Corporon, a Republican National Committee member and local conservative talk radio host who said he is worried some Republican voters in the state will leave the Senate race blank on their ballot in protest. A libertarian candidate, who has been endorsed by one of O’Dea’s more conservative primary rivals, also could siphon off some GOP votes. Republican luminaries who gathered here Tuesday night for the rally had a clear message for the GOP base in a state where a Republican hasn’t won a Senate seat since 2014: suck it up. Advertisement “If you’ve got a problem with Joe on anything, put it aside,” conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt urged the crowd. The subpoena was the most aggressive step taken so far by what was already one of the most consequential congressional investigations in decades. George Brauchler, a former Republican district attorney, told them they could send their letter about how “unhappy” they are to Sen. Joe O’Dea next year instead of to the incumbent, Democratic Sen. Michael F. Bennet. “That’s how you know you’ve made progress in the state of Colorado,” he said. Trump refused to comply, members of the panel would “take the steps we need to take,” although it was unclear how successful any enforcement effort would be, particularly if Republicans win control of the House in next month’s elections. It’s a message many pragmatic Republicans are embracing in a state Trump lost in 2020 by more than 13 percentage points. Trump’s brand of politics has been devastating for Republican candidates here, and trying something different makes sense, they say. “O’Dea’s not a party guy. He doesn’t like Trump,” said Kelsey Alexander, a 67-year-old Republican voter at the event. “That’s okay. The subpoena to Mr. We’re not voting for him to like Trump — we’re voting for him to be a U.S. senator.” And even Hildebrand, who was offended by O’Dea’s criticism of Trump, said she will vote for him over Bennet at the end of the day. Advertisement O’Dea’s supporters say it’s possible his public fight with Trump could even benefit the candidate, who probably needs to win the state’s large share of unaffiliated voters to defeat Bennet. “The deposition will be under oath and will be led by the professional staff of the Select Committee — including multiple former federal prosecutors — as well as members,” the committee’s letter to Mr. “It will prove to these unaffiliateds that O’Dea has a spine,” said state GOP Rep. Colin Larson, who has endorsed O’Dea. “He’s proving that he’s able to stand up to the biggest bully in his party.” Dick Wadhams, the former chair of the state’s Republican Party, said on a local conservative radio show hosted by Dan Caplis that the dust-up with Trump gave O’Dea a better shot at winning. “If he suddenly decided to embrace Trump right now … he can go on vacation for three weeks because he cannot win if he did that,” he said. He has indicated privately to aides that he would be willing to testify to the House panel, but only if he could do so live, according to a person close to him. But Caplis is an example of how O’Dea’s candidacy has split some on the right in the state. He’s said his Catholic faith prevents him from supporting O’Dea given his stance on abortion, which O’Dea says should be legal in all cases up to five months’ gestation. Advertisement Without naming Caplis, Hewitt appeared to reference his objections at the end of Tuesday’s event, calling it “nonsense” to think Catholicism means a person shouldn’t vote for O’Dea. “It is the Catholic thing to do to get a Republican majority,” Hewitt said. “We have got to keep the bad justices off the Supreme Court. Trump did not testify during either of his two impeachment trial s, nor did he sit down with the special counsel, Robert S. ” In a Marist poll of registered voters taken before Trump’s comments, 90 percent of Republicans said they planned to vote for O’Dea, with 5 percent undecided. Nine percent of Republicans said they had an unfavorable impression of O’Dea compared with 3 percent of Democrats who feel the same about Bennet. Bennet, who’s running for a third full term in the Senate, led by seven percentage points among voters overall — but by just three percentage points among crucial independent voters. President Biden’s approval rating was 40 percent among voters there, underscoring Bennet’s vulnerability. Hewitt praised O’Dea as a “great candidate,” and Steven Law of the McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund PAC has also touted him as one of the best recruits of this cycle. The subpoena issued on Friday seeks records of calls, texts, Signal exchanges or other messages concerning the events of Jan. His race has been pegged by some pundits as a potential “sleeper” that could deliver Republicans the Senate majority, mentioned in the same breath as closer-fought battles in Nevada and Georgia. Still, O’Dea has not garnered the same investment from outside Republican groups as other candidates who are competing in states where Biden did not win 2020 by such a wide margin. Advertisement “I just think, with all due respect to Steven and Senator McConnell’s efforts and his team, I think a lot of that is just lip service. Otherwise, we’d see a lot more money be put to work,” said David Flaherty, a Republican pollster in Colorado. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has spent $851,000 in ads in the state, more than the $241,000 that the National Republican Senatorial Committee has put forward. Trump had with potential witnesses before the committee and with the Secret Service. The Senate Leadership Fund announced this month that it’s contributing $1.25 million to an O’Dea-aligned PAC and says it hasn’t ruled out future spending. But overall, Democratic-aligned groups have spent or reserved about $3 million more in the race, and Bennet has spent more than twice as much as O’Dea, according to an analysis by the AdImpact firm. The same week he drew Trump’s ire, O’Dea attended a fundraiser hosted by former president George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush in Texas. Flynn, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Rudolph W. Advertisement “They just said, ‘Keep your head down. Keep grinding,’ ” O’Dea said of the Bushes advice to him. The candidate has kept a laser focus on inflation, crime and the border, and brushed off concerns that Trump may have driven a wedge between him and conservatives. “I can’t control the president,” he said. “I’m running my campaign. Trump’s many lawyers would be willing to accept service of the subpoena. My campaign wants to close the border, secure the border … those are good conservative things. I’m going to reduce the spending. Those are what conservatives want, and so they’re with me.” Understanding the 2022 Midterm Elections November’s midterm elections are likely to shift the political landscape and impact what President Biden can accomplish during the remainder of his first term. Here’s what to know. Trump could put himself in legal jeopardy if he testifies. When are the midterm elections? The general election is Nov. 8. Voters in more than half of the states will need to register before Election Day to cast a ballot. 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