Republican voters in the new 8th district of the Congress of Colorado chose US Senator Barbara Kirkmeier as their candidate on Tuesday, rejecting Democrats’ efforts to encourage former US Lori Sein, who received financial support from the PAC of House Speaker Pelosi.
Kirkmeier, a Colorado senator, garnered 40.9 percent of the vote, while Thornton Mayor Ian Kullman received 22.8 percent and Seine took 19.6 percent with 97 percent of the vote.
Colorado is one of several states where Democrats have helped conservative or far-right candidates, betting they will be easier to win in the fall.
Such was the case with Saine, who was promoted with $ 46,000 in television commercials by the Pelosi-run House Majority PAC. The ads highlighted Seine’s support for allegations of voter fraud by former President Donald Trump in 2020, as well as her stance against abortion and gun rights.
“Do we really want a conservative warrior as our next member of Congress?” Went the script for an ad that concluded, “Lori Sein: She’s too conservative for Colorado.”
Saine won 19.6% with 97% of the vote. AP / Brennan Linsley
Elsewhere, Democrats spent more than $ 2 million on Colorado Ron Hanks’ candidacy in the Senate, betting on him to knock out businessman Joe O’Dea for inconvenience to Republican voters with O’De’s moderate stance on abortion.
In Illinois, the Association of Democratic Governors spent heavily on commercials in support of State Senator Darren Bailey, who opposed the closure of Governor JB Pritzker’s COVID-19.
And in Pennsylvania, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro spent more than six figures on commercials, attacking Republican Sen. Doug Mastriano during the Republican primary. Mastriano – who organized bus trips to Washington for Trump supporters to attend the Stop Theft rally, which sparked the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, and was seen in videos walking with his wife through broken barricades – eventually pulled away from a crowded field to win the race.
Pelosi and the Democrats gave financial support to several Republican candidates who thought they would be easier opponents of the general election. AP Photo / J. Scott Applewhite, file
Some Democrats have warned against the tactic, saying it could backfire in a medium-term environment that is expected to be hostile to the party.
“This has to be done very carefully,” former Missouri Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill, who successfully nominated Republican Todd Akin in his primary election before defeating him to win re-election in 2012, told NPR. so you have to be careful what you wish for. ”
Kirkmeier will face Yadira Caraveo, a US lawmaker.
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