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October 09, 2014 08:31 AM UTC

Making Julie Williams The Face of The GOP

  • 26 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

GOP state senate candidate Tony Sanchez and Jeffco board member Julie Williams.
GOP state senate candidate Tony Sanchez and Jeffco board member Julie Williams.

As the months-long protests against actions of the new conservative Jefferson County school board majority have raged on, and in the last few weeks gained international media coverage, we've tried to stay focused on the next logical question for a political blog–what effect these highly visible and popular protests will have on next month's elections. Jefferson County is considered one of the state's (and for that matter, the nation's) foremost political bellwethers, and a win in Jefferson County is generally considered to be mandatory to winning any statewide race.

In addition to the general fact that the Jeffco school board is now controlled by identifiably partisan Republicans, board member Julie Williams has close ties to the Neville family of well-known conservative Republican Jefferson County activists. As Williams has emerged as the central figure in the recent AP history curriculum review controversy, her personal connections to Republican state legislative candidates–along with the damage to the GOP brand her proposal caused just ahead of a major election–are a legitimate concern for Republicans who want to win elections next month.

As FOX 31's Eli Stokols reported last night, Democrats are doing what they can to bring about the GOP's worst-case scenario:

In a new television ad, Colorado Democrats attempt to draw a line between the three conservative Jefferson County School Board members whose effort to square the district’s AP U.S. History curriculum with their idea of “American exceptionalism” has sparked weeks of protest, with four Republican state senate candidates looking to oust Democratic incumbents.

The Democratic Senate Campaign Fund, an initiative of the Colorado Democratic Party, is behind the ad, the most serious effort yet to leverage the ongoing controversy over the Jefferson County School Board into a political advantage in next month’s election.

The group is betting that swing voters in Colorado’s biggest bellwether county will side with the students and teachers who have protested the board’s move — and that linking four GOP senate hopefuls to the conservative board majority could swing these competitive races that are certain to affect the balance of power within the Capitol’s upper chamber come January.

“Jefferson County families are against the extreme Tea Party slate pushing their ideological agenda on families. That’s not how we do things in Colorado, said Andrew Short, the DSCF’s executive director. “They have nationally embarrassed us and they will pay for it in November.” [Pols emphasis]

UPDATE: From the Democratic Senate Campaign Fund's press release:

Tim Neville’s sister-in-law, school board member Julie Williams is trying to push her extreme agenda into the State Senate. She has the backing of her brother-in-law, Tim Neville and is also supporting Laura Woods, Tony Sanchez, and Larry Queen.
 
“We stand on the side of students, parents, and teachers – and against the extreme Tea Party agenda.  This isn’t about party politics.  This is about what is right.  The Tea Party won all the Jefferson County primaries last June and is now pushing their ideological agenda on Jefferson County families. This will not be accepted by middle of the road, Jefferson County voters,” said Short.
 
Beginning with a pop quiz, the ad asks, “The censoring of textbooks and rewriting of history recently resulted in public protests, where?”  The answer is Jefferson County.  The ad outlines how the new school board extremists nationally embarrassed Jefferson County families. It also highlights Julie Williams’ support for the Jefferson County Tea Party slate for State Senate.

Williams' original proposal to review Jeffco's new AP history curriculum to ensure it "promotes patriotism" and does not "encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law" was, it's safe to say today, politically disastrous. The literally worldwide attention it received precipitated anger that transcended party lines–at least with the overwhelming majority created by Democrats, independent voters, and yes, even Republicans who draw a bright white line at political censorship of history. It's another case where this new majority has tried to impose a right-wing agenda item that's simply out of step in a moderate place like Jefferson County. And with so much bad blood between this new board majority and the community already, stripping the review committee proposal of Williams' incendiary language did little to assuage fears.

Voters can already see, and will find it easily if they haven't, that this is a partisan political battle unfolding. The ad above supplies important data points that connect what's happening on the streets of Jefferson County with Republicans on the ballots going out next week.

We'll say it again: as Jefferson County goes, so goes Colorado. There is a possibility, and it is growing, that Republicans well above the county level will pay a dear price for Julie Williams on Election Night.

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26 thoughts on “Making Julie Williams The Face of The GOP”

  5. It is the right issue at the right time. Still, I would like to see something more affirmative as a closing argument, and less boosting of the name recognition for some of those candidates. Something like…
    "As one of our highest rated Jeffco history teachers, Andy Kerr has always prepared our kids to compete – and as our State Senator,  Andy Kerr has made history: working hard to rebuild our economy and to make sure Jefferson County has world class schools. Now his opponents want to rewrite history, trying to censor out the parts they don't like, and leaving our children unprepared. Let's keep Colorado on track…"
     

    1. Curriculum vs framework.  she has no idea what is in the district AP History curriculum.  Why doesn't she just ask the teachers or the principals?  I doubt the superintendent knows, either.

  8. An unforced error committed by rank amateurs that could upset the best laid plans of their plutocrats.  Talk about having the mask slip at exactly the wrong time.  Instead of playing defense for control of the legislature, Dem are in position for some long term gains in Jeffco courtesy of their incompetent political cousins.

  9. I got a mailer yesterday warning about how much more dangerous and difficult a cop's job will become in Tony Sanchez and his ammosexual cohorts were to get elected…… I'm guess folks in those parts of Jeffco where Laura Waters-Woods and Timmy Neville are running are getting similar pieces?

    BTW, who is Queen?  I don't recall his name, just the unholy trinity of Neville, Waters-Woods and Sanchez.

    3. Moddy —  Here's the real problem (posted on the Denver Post website):

      The GOP has become a malignant cancer on society. 
      Perhaps the Tea Party will ultimately consume the Republican Party. Once the desiccated corpse is buried, a new party can take it's place, probably bequeathing a portion of the Democratic Party's Blue Dog contingent. Then, we might return to the days where both sides took their governing and loyal opposition roles seriously.

      Fascist Birchers like the Koch Brothers have fatally corrupted the GOP, and I don't see any cure other than complete self-immolation by the Republican Party.

      You can become part of the solution, but I suspect you're content to remain the problem.

       

      1. This is your problem. The Kochs are no fascists, they're libertarians. But Obama and Udall's views are truly socialistic. When I call them out, you liberals come unglued.

        Why should you be able to call the Kochs fascists, which is untrue, but I can't call you socialists, which is true? It's a double standard.

        2. No, "libertarian" is the less-threatening sounding misnomer the Koch oligarchs intentionally employ to cloak their nefarious, anti-democratic aims. They are fascists. Look up the definition.

        3. I don't think you knw what "libertarian" means, modster. Ask CHB to explain it. He knows what it means.You also don't know what "socialist" or "fascist" mean. Many good standard dictionaries are available on line. Try using one.

        4. Exactly how libertarian are they on reproductive choice, or marriage equality for gay men and lesbian, or freedom of religion for non-Christians?

        5. Moddy, we should have a heart to heart chat about our "trolling" experiences. i actually attempted a friendly opposition post or two on Redstate once. Big mistake. Their posting rules would make Putin proud. 

          "Dissent must be crushed!!! No Democrat talking points! Only Republican candidates can be supported! "

          You know me. I don't insult, I don't curse or wish other posters harm…I bring the facts, and the links for anyone wishing to investigate my claims. Anyway, long story short, after only two short fairly neutral posts, I was called a troll, and my posts were hidden from view within an hour, although all the responders and insulters are still fully visible.

          Yet you and AC post here, day in, day out, promoting your conservative candidates and causes, insulting the intelligence of "da libruls". AC even likes to throw in the occasional ethnic slur, and so far has gotten away with it.

          You both enjoy your full 1st amendment rights on here. It's more than Redstate, or most other rightie web sites, allow their dissenters.

          They are afraid of alternative points of view, so much so that they immediately suppress them. You are free to make whatever arguments you care for, without worrying about getting banned or suppressed as long as you meet minimal standards of courtesy. 

          Yeah, you get insulted and mocked relentlessly. You keep coming back…And guess what? You still can. 

          Because Pols, and Polsters, actually believe in ALL the remifications of the first amendment.  When you start calling others "socialistic" you might want to consider how much your rightwing buddies emulate the worst socialist dictatorship's practices in suppressing dissent. 

           

           

           

    4. Oh, really? . . .

      Please, Moddy,do tell us all here right now — what's wrong with Julie Williams?  The current JeffCo schoolboard?

      Why wouldn't any gun-loving, god-fearing, GOPer Hoper not want to have this association?

  11. I love this ad because it shows the voters what is actually going on.  The BoE majority's defense to almost all criticism is that they are elected and are doing what they were elected to do. I disagree. I think they were elected because people were not paying attention and/or were misled.  I could be wrong, but maybe, with ads like this, we will find out.  If this is what people want, at least they will know what they are voting for.

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