Gardner Invokes McConnell for Fundraising: Colorado Times Recorder

Senator Cory Gardner

Gabrielle Bye in a Colorado Times Recorder article analyzed the purpose and risks incurred in a Senator Cory Gardner fundraising email that appeals for donations by using quotations from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell claiming that Colorado is being targeted by Democrats. I was quoted as saying:

Floyd Ciruli, a pollster and political analyst in Colorado, told the Colorado Times Recorder that Gardner’s campaign is focusing on the Senate majority because of how important it is to Republicans.

“When you rate what is most important for Republicans, it is holding national power,” said Ciruli. “…In fact, that’s true of the Democrats.”

“When you’re asking for money, you’re trying to really get people’s attention and reflect some of their concerns, and the top concern among Republicans, particularly those who are gonna give money, is the Democrats could take over [the Senate],” Ciruli continued.

Ciruli agreed that Coloradans don’t favor McConnell, but he thinks that when it comes to Gardner’s potential donors, a strong association with McConnell might work in his favor.

“Among the general public, in particular the Democrats who are going to take him on, they are clearly going to attack him for his close relationship with Mitch McConnell, and for his close relationship with Donald Trump,” Ciruli said. “Those are two people who have just terrible favorability in the state of Colorado–and Trump, in particular, is going to be running with him; they’re both going to be on the same ticket. So where I’m going here is that he really can’t avoid it. And for the audience that he is talking to, specifically with his fundraising appeal, Mitch McConnell is very important. And very popular.”