Republican gubernatorial nominee Walker Stapleton spent most of the Republican Primary race telling anyone who would listen about how much he embraces President Trump. Stapleton talked up Trump at every campaign stop and repeated his “support” of the President in every television ad. It was a calculated strategy aimed at locking up Republican Primary voters who love them some Trump, and to that extent, it worked well in ensuring Stapleton an easy victory for the GOP nomination.
But being a fervent Trump supporter doesn’t make the same kind of sense in a General Election that it does in a Republican Primary, and literally minutes after Stapleton had accepted the Republican nomination for Governor, he was squirming and twisting over a simple question about whether he would campaign with Trump:
When I went back for round 2, @WalkerStapleton answered “I’ll welcome the President,” on if he wants @realDonaldTrump campaigning for him in Colorado. (Raw video, I apologize). #copolitics #9NEWS pic.twitter.com/P2WZ7cAgxZ
— Marshall Zelinger (@Marshall9News) June 27, 2018
Here’s what Stapleton told 9News reporter Marshall Zelinger in Zelinger’s second attempt to get an answer on campaigning with Trump:
I’m…I’m going to welcome all Republicans, starting with Bill Owens, who introduced me. I’ll welcome the President. I’ll welcome…uh, uh…the Bush family to Colorado. Anybody who wants to…we have a big tent. And they’re all welcome in Colorado. Governor Weld. You name it.
Stapleton mentions former Governor Bill Owens, his cousins in the Bush family, and even former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld in his rambling effort to avoid the subject of Trump. It is striking that Stapleton is so clearly nervous to be talking about Trump now that he is pivoting to a General Election, but more astonishing is that Stapleton is utterly unprepared to answer what is a very obvious question to be asking a newly-minted Republican nominee for Governor. If you were prepping Stapleton on his post-Primary talking points, responding to the question “Will you campaign with President Trump?” should have been at the top of the list.
Stapleton made his own bed in being so open with his support for Trump and right-wing firebrands like Tom Tancredo. If Stapleton’s General Election strategy is just to pretend that none of this actually happened…well, good luck with that.
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Stapler isn't the dumbest scion of the Bush family, but it took considerable testing and heated debate to determine that.
Yes, he's smarter than Neil. It's a close call between Dubya and Simpleton. Low Energy Jeb has them both beat.in the IQ department.
Lamebrain all in with Trump. We gotta marry these Motherfuckers to Trump every day in every way.
And don’t be afraid to be a Democrat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Damn straight, Zappy!
Oooh! It's the immensely successful "Etch-a-Sketch" strategy. Good thinking Repugs!
Stumbleton is fortunate to have The Tank around his neck reminding everyone about how much he loves Trump and his policies!
You mean he's not running on the "make Colorado great again" mantra?
To Make Colorado Great Again, we'd have to chase out pretty much everyone who's moved here in the last ten years and driven the cost of living up so absurdly, and aren’t those the know-nothings who are backing him?
Hey…that's not a bad idea…
Stapleton promising to welcome all Republicans may make for some good commercials.
I can just see an outside group providing the ties to Republicans, starting with national Republicans DJT and DJT, Jr., & Pence. Throw in some nationally prominent types, like Cheney, Romney, and any Arizona elected Republican. Plus the whole Bush clan.
Add in a few locals — Tancredo, the Neville family, Baumgardner, Grantham, and new Republican Lebsock. And of course, featuring Victor Mitchell and his comments on Dubya.
Between the "ick" factor for Democrats and left-leaning unaffiliateds, I think it would be worthwhile to show Dubya is supported by RINOs and Trumpists, perhaps enough to antagonize various suspicious factions of the Republicans.