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April 12, 2016 02:42 PM UTC

Cruz Colorado Crew a Cavalcade of Crazy--and Chaps!

  • 11 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

With GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz solidly in control of Colorado’s slate of delegates to the Republican National Convention in July, it’s worth taking a look at exactly who constitutes Cruz’s “Colorado Leadership Team.” At least as of today, Team Cruz Colorado is a list noteworthy for its omissions as much as its inclusions:

U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, Colorado Chairman
Secretary of State Wayne Williams
Scott Gessler, Former Colorado Secretary of State
John Carson, CU Board of Regents CD-6
Sue Sharkey, CU Board of Regents CD-4
Sen. Chris Holbert
Sen. Kevin Grantham
Sen. Kent Lambert
Sen. Kevin Lundberg
Sen. John Tate
Sen. Laura Woods
Former Sen. Ted Harvey
Rep. Perry Buck
Rep. Justin Everett
Rep. Stephen Humphrey
Rep. Janak Joshi
Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt
Rep. Tim Leonard
Rep. Paul Lundeen
Rep. Patrick Neville
Rep. Dan Nordberg
Rep. Kim Ransom
Rep. Kevin Van Winkle
Rep. Cole Wist
Brita Horn, Routt County Treasurer
Regina Thomson, Cruz for President Colorado Grassroots Director
Bill Eigles, Cruz for President Grassroots Leader
John Bliss, Cruz for President Grassroots Leader
Mike McAlpine, Cruz for President Grassroots Leader
Scott Anderson, Grassroots Leader
Randy Corporon, Arapahoe Tea Party
Steve Hofman, National Chair, Citizens Against Government Waste
Ted Cruz.
Ted Cruz.

As you can see, Cruz’s “Leadership Team” in Colorado consists of the far-right wing of the Colorado legislature including most of the “Hateful Eight” Senators, as well as Secretary of State Wayne Williams and his immediate predecessor Scott “Honey Badger” Gessler. Missing from the list are such luminaries as Sen. Cory Gardner and Rep. Mike Coffman. But there is a name our readers know very well, Rep. Gordon “Dr. Chaps” Klingenschmitt–arguably the state’s most famously controversial Republican lawmaker.

MSNBC’s Steve Benen noted that Chaps’ presence on the list in particular today:

This is the guy Cruz welcomed onto his official Colorado Leadership Team.

I suppose the question I can’t quite shake is this: is there anyone too extreme for Ted Cruz? Just how far would a right-wing radical have to go before the Texas senator said, “Thanks for your support, but I’d prefer you not have any kind of association with my campaign”?

That’s really not a rhetorical question. I’m genuinely curious, because as things stand, it’s not clear if Team Cruz has any such limits.

Locally, the relationship between Republicans and Rep. Klingenschmitt has been a question of how they can keep him out of the headlines–which has included publicly condemning Klingenschmitt’s worst excesses when necessary, such as claiming Rep. Jared Polis wants to behead people like ISIS, or that the attack on a pregnant women in Longmont last year was “the curse of God upon America.”

But when it comes to Ted Cruz, it appears Klingenschmitt’s fringe follies are a feature, not a bug.

Comments

11 thoughts on “Cruz Colorado Crew a Cavalcade of Crazy–and Chaps!

  1. Let me offer my services to these legally unbound delegates as an intermediary to negotiate with the T-Rump and Cruz campaigns for their vote.  As noted in today's front page story in the Denver Post (via a Washington Post story), "the candidates will be in a bidding war for delegates. … That means gifts could flow to the delegates unseen.  …It is unclear how (anti-bribery) statutes apply to those who are private citizens rather than elected officials."

    So, unbound delegates, give me a call!   For a mere 10% of the proceeds, I will provide the anonymity you desire until you cast your surprising vote in Cleveland.  And, as long as we all report this as income on our 2016 income tax returns, everything will be nice and legal.  The sky's the limit!!

  2. Stupid guilt by association. Klingenschmitt is a lawmaker and as such his support matters. Cruz is not responsible for Klingenschmitt or vice versa, so stop trying to pretend he is.

    1. When you stand so close to people, it's hard not to paint everyone with the same brush. 

      If he didn't want to be associated with Chaps and his beliefs, he shouldn't have put him on his "team." But since he did, and is in fact publicizing his inclusion, then it's not just guilt by association, it's an endorsement of, and direct connection to, Chaps' crazy beliefs. 

      Like it or not, Cruz is Chaps and Chaps is Cruz now. I'm sorry you don't have the reasoning to see that, but then again your cognitive dissonance is something to behold. 

    2. No different than Trump being OK with being endorsed by neo-Nazis and the KKK. When crazies endorse you if you don't reject you accept. Of course this makes perfect sense for Cruz because he's crazy too.

  3. With all the snark aside (though I do appreciate it) it really says something about Ted Cruz that he chose a list like this.  National delegates at Republican conventions used to be dominated by lots of people who were just normal everyday people who gave a lot to the party.  Cruz' slate is nothing but elected officials and his hacks.  Even in 1976 when Reagan swept all but 5 delegates, those delegates were mostly just regular Joes and Janes.  Who says Cruz isn't an insider.  This slate says that he is and insider.  So much for the little guy who is the backbone of any party.  Talk about thumbing your nose at the entire party.

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