Andrew Romanoff’s campaign sent out an open letter yesterday to his supporters criticizing Obama, the DNC, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for getting involved in the Colorado primaries. On February 18, Obama made a special trip to Denver to campaign for Senator Michael Bennet who will be facing off against Romanoff in the state caucus for his U.S. Senate seat on March 16. Polly Baca, former Vice Chair of the National Democratic Party, and Ramona Martinez, 16-year former member of the Democratic National Committee, wrote the letter.
The two Democratic political activists stated they had a combined total of 38 years service to the Democratic Party, and during this time no acting Democratic president had ever involved himself in a Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. They wrote, “It is inappropriate and unacceptable for national Democratic Party officials and the President of the United States, who is the titular head of the Democratic Party, to engage in Democratic primaries. Colorado Democrats have the inalienable right and intelligence to select their own candidate for the highest political position in the state without interference from our Democratic leaders in D.C. who are supposed to be supportive of our local parties and candidates.”
They further stated they were upset by the thousands of phone calls coming into Colorado from individuals hired by Organizing for America (OFA) who were reciting phone scripts telling Colorado Democrats how to vote. They also agreed with an earlier statement by Julia Hicks, former Vice Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, who stated, “We are not children and we don't need the National Party, or the leader of our party, telling us how to vote.”
They also cited Dick Barkey, former Chair of the Jefferson County Democratic Party, who stated, “I have read the Colorado Democratic Party rules and the rules specifically prohibit party officers from endorsing any Democratic candidate in a primary election. The President needs to follow our Colorado rules."
The two women concluded their letter with a quote from Darryl Eskins, former Executive Director of the Colorado Democratic Party, who said, “It seems that big money still talks louder than the grassroots in the Democratic Party. If that doesn't change, our current role as the preeminent party nationally and in Colorado will be short lived and the voters will toss us out like yesterday's newspaper."
The full text of the letter can be found on Romanoff’s campaign website.
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