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October 10, 2014 08:00 AM UTC

If "Dr. Chaps" Is "Center Right," We Are All Screwed

  • 28 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

FRIDAY UPDATE: We can't explain the Gazette's milquetoast profile (below) of Gordon "Dr. Chaps" Klingenschmitt, but reporter Megan Schrader has reported quite a bit of Klingenschmitt's craziness over the last few months–and posted this latest one late yesterday:

Gordon Klingenschmitt, a Colorado Springs state House candidate who has gotten attention from making controversial statements, told three members of the Colorado Springs lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community he would only meet with them after the election and only if his "security staff" screened the attendees first to determine whether or not it would be a "safe meeting."

Who would be unsafe here, exactly? And are we the only ones who consider it a little freaky that a guy like Klingenschmitt has, you know, "security staff?"

—–

Gordon Klingenschmitt.
Gordon Klingenschmitt.

The Colorado Springs Gazette published a profile of the HD-15 race today, which as our readers know is a longshot bid by Democrat Lois Fornander against the winner of the GOP primary to succeed Rep. Mark Waller in this heavily GOP district, Gordon "Dr. Chaps" Klingenschmitt. Even before, but especially since winning his primary, Klingenschmitt has made national press for over-the-top extreme views expressed on his Youtube video program–such as his belief that Obamacare "causes cancer," and the FCC is allowing "demonic spirits" to "visually rape your children." Most recently, Klingenschmitt's claim that Rep. Jared Polis was about to "join ISIS in beheading Christians" provoked condemnation from both sides of the aisle–but no push from Republicans for Klingenschmitt to exit the HD-15 race.

From the read of today's Gazette profile, it looks like the plan is now to sanitize Klingenschmitt, not push him out:

The competition for Colorado House of Representatives District 15 features two newcomers who say their opponent is too extreme…

"He does not represent this district," [Fornander] added. "I don't understand how people can support him."

Voter support, however, looks to be in favor of her challenger [Pols emphasis] for the seat now held by Rep. Mark Waller, a Republican who is not seeking re-election.

…Klingenschmitt, an Air Force Academy graduate, believes his views represent the district, which includes eastern Colorado Springs and Peterson Air Force Base.

He believes local control in education, lower taxes and less regulation for businesses and a protection of constitutional rights are the biggest issues in the upcoming election.

"My opponent is far more extreme on the left than I am in the center right," Klingenschmitt said. [Pols emphasis]

The profile does mention in passing Klingenschmitt's remarks about Rep. Polis, but nothing else from the long list of other objectively crazy things "Dr. Chaps" has said on his show. It's very difficult to take Klingenschmitt's claim that he is part of the "center right" seriously if you know the things he very routinely says. But short of a detailed exposure in the media of those statements before the election, it's just as hard to imagine how Lois Fornander can win in a district with more than twice as many registered Republicans as Democrats.

If that's how it plays out, the real disaster for Republicans may be when "Dr." Chaps is sworn in as Representative Chaps next January.

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28 thoughts on “If “Dr. Chaps” Is “Center Right,” We Are All Screwed”

  1. Meanwhile Joe Salazar says that women are too emotional to know if they're really being raped and shouldn't have guns.

    Republicans do not have a monopoly on gaffes. Stop pretending we do.

    2. Pols, why are you allowing the demonic spirits of Modster's responses to visually rape me through my computer screen?!?  I'm certain his ignorance is carcinogenic.

    3. gaffe ɡaf/ noun

       

      an unintentional act or remark causing embarrassment to its originator; a blunder.

       

       

       

      What Klingenschmitt is saying aren't gaffes, they're actually his beliefs. 

      1. That's not true. Klingenschmitt admitted it was hyperbole and he apologized. Say what you want, but you can't deny he acknlowedged his mistake.

        1. That's not true. Klingenschmitt said his statement that Jared Polis wanted to bankrupt Christians who refused to worship and endorse his sodomy and would next join ISIS in beheading Christians was hyperbole and he "apologized." Say what you want, but you can't deny he acknowledged a mistake.  FTFY

          How about saying that gays want to recruit children?  That Obamacare causes cancer?  That politicians who pass laws to prevent discredited "ex-gay" therapy from being used are possessed by demonic spirits of persecution that causes them to silence "prophets?"  That every natural disaster that has befallen America since 1991 is punishment for us "forcing" Israel to give up land for peace?  That atheists who'd rather not attend graduation in a church need to undergo an exorcism?  That Obama is ruled by the “demonic sprits” of “death,” “murder,” “child-murder,” “sexual abuse,” “genocide,” “paganism,” “witchcraft,” “homosexual lust” and “anti-Christian oppression” and is worthy of death?

  3. "Klingenschmitt said Christian business owners should print Romans 1:32, which he claims declares that gays are "worthy of death," on the back of all their business cards and announce that if any gay couples hires them to photograph their wedding, they are going to print the same verse on the back of each and every photo."

    Fuck him.  With a very, very large dildo.

  5. Moderatus: you're bringing up one Joe Salazar mistake in an attempt to try and distract attention from Mr. Klingenschmitt's multiple gaffes. I don't think it's working. My advice to you; from one conservative to another; is to just lay low when it comes to commentary on this guy. Once he's sworn in in January, I don't think it will be long until he comes another Doug Bruce and a state-wide embarassment. Maybe he'll kick a photographer from the Post, since the Rocky Mountain News is no longer around.

    Regards,   C.H.B.

    1. I want to see Klingenshmuck resign his candidacy effective immediately then go smoke tons of meth and get caught having the ghey.

      CHB: I respect you a LOT, but please stay away from Zippy and Skippy. They're both toxic waste

       

  7. I really wish that the Democratic party in the Springs would have been more aggressive in promoting the candidacy of Lois Fornander (Klingenschmitt's opponent)  from the start. Republicans do outnumber Democrats in her district, but there are more than enough Independents / unaffiliateds to make up the deficit, if people were aware of how embarrassed they are going to be represented by Klingenschmitt.

    To close the margin, Fornander needs to be messaging to address the fears of HD15 residents. Klingenshchmitt is all about encouraging fear, and terror, as in, "Be terrified". 

    It does seem as though every right wing candidate is doing the same thing now. It's no longer "Benghazi!". It's "Ebola!" "ISIS!" And in Klingenschmitt's case, "Demons!"

     

    1. The problem faced by Lois Fornander and others from difficult districts is not, at least in El Paso County, lack of support from the local county party. The El Paso County Dem party has supported Lois in a similar way to the high profile races–HD 17, HD 18 and SD 11. The county party and Lois' campaign have done lit drops to every Dem household in HD 15–same as for 17, 18 and SD 11. The county party simply does not have the money to do more.

      The problem is the lack of support from the state Dem party and from progressive groups that are totally focused on the "Top Tier" races. The state party and the Dem's House Majority Project have given no help to Lois beyond a couple of phone calls. Most progressive funding organizations are also totally focused on the top races. Not only will they invest resources and funding only to a small number of races, many will not even endorse candidates like Lois in "difficult" districts. Some have even expressed anger at being asked to consider endorsing someone they think can't win. It is, of course, a self-full filling prophesy.

      The local party leadership and other local activists have tried to make the case to the state party and to progressive groups that Lois Fornander in HD 15, against Klingenschmitt, is an opportunity for an upset. But they are focused on their "win" strategy. It is ultimately counter productive. If you ignore 55 of 65 House races and 25 of 35 Senate races, how do you build a broad base? How do you build support? How do you develop candidates? How do you build grass-roots support? How do you build a party organization?

      To be clear, there have been some PACs, small donor committees and many individuals who have stepped up with money and help as a matter of principle, despite the odds. And Lois is working very hard. The limited funds she has raised will be well utilized.

    1. Not really, BlueCat. He was obviously near the center of the hard-core Rep party activists who chose him at the Assembly, and his primary was against another homophobic extremist. But when you consider the Dems, Us and others, no, he is not close to the center for Colorado Springs. Unfortunately, once on the ballot, too many folks just vote the party. And despite our focus here on Pols, the average person in the district still knows nothing about Klingenschmitt.

  9. He isn't inspired by Jesus (the real one). This man is a walking, talking personality disorder. And they're all the same: tough talking when they're in their bubble with their pals. Peel them off to a one-on-one and they are nothing but pure chickenshits. Any one who was ever bullied as a child recognizes these flaming assholes in a nanosecond  

    1. At least RWW spelled Lois Fornander's name correctly. In that district people might not have even known who was running against Dr. Chaps My Hide.  Who knows that piece may give her a boost..

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