The Colorado Republican Committee sent a mailer attacking Sen. Mark Udalls immigration record to some registered voters this week.
In the final week of the campaign, the Colorado Republican party this week is sending some registered voters a mailer attacking Sen. Mark Udall and his fellow Democrats for failing to pass immigration reform.
What, you say?
The U.S. Senate, controlled by the majority Democrats, passed a bipartisan, far-reaching immigration reform bill last year, with Udalls and Democratic President Barack Obamas support. And it promptly landed in the U.S. House controlled by Republicans with a thud. Udalls opponent, U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, has not supported that bill, while saying he supports some alternative reform measures that would provide an undefined path to legal status for immigrants in the country illegally.
The mailer does point out that for part of the time Obama has been in office (2009-2010), Democrats had a majority in both chambers of Congress. And when they had full control, they refused to honor their campaign promise, the mailer says.
Fair point. The mailer then says its time to give a new generation of leadership a chance.
But the lack of context on the mailer for why Democrats have failed to pass immigration reform since then namely, fierce disagreement by the Republican House over the Senates comprehensive bill, including opposition to the bill by Gardner is striking. It suggests the state party is making an attempt to sow doubt in voters who might otherwise support Udall as Tuesdays election approaches.
Its unclear whom the GOP is targeting with the mailer. I received the images above and below from a Latina woman who lives in Denver and is registered as an unaffiliated voter. Will recipients vote for Gardner instead? Maybe. But more likely, if the mailer affects their vote, it will be to simply sit out the election.
Owen Loftus, spokesman for the Colorado GOP, would say only that We dont talk about the universes were targeting with our mailers and advertisements.
Heres the other side of the mailer, which seizes on a 2005 vote by Udall:
Original post:
Colorado GOP mailer hits Mark Udall on immigration reform, neglects GOP role