AURORA | Attendees of an Aurora Chamber of Commerce luncheon chewed on politics for lunch Wednesday, and the main course chewed on each other.
Congressman Mike Coffman, the Republican incumbent, and Jason Crow, a Democrat, served up policy ideas and swapped political jabs at the luncheon forum, described by the hosts as “non-partisan.” The two answered questions ranging from immigration to student loan debt to campaign finance reform —all of which have been major talking points for each campaign over the last year or so.
There appeared to be nothing new come from the debate, as the two covered familiar territory in the race.
During opening remarks of the luncheon, sponsored also by the Aurora Association of Realtors, Coffman commended Crow on his military service, as both led troops through combat.
“But we didn’t have film crews when I was out there,” Coffman jabbed.
After the audience verbally agreed to neither jeer nor cheer during the lunch, the candidates started in, dishes quietly clanked and there was an occasional scoff from supporters of both candidates.
Coffman said he believes the biggest issue facing the 6th Congressional District is labor and finding workers — which he said requires “compassionate” immigration reform.
Later on in the forum, Coffman said “the first thing, no doubt, is DACA,” referring to the federal program that allows young immigrants illegally brought to the country to legally remain in the U.S.
Crow said passing a DREAM Act is long overdue, and voters must elect people willing to make it happen.
“We’re facing a lot of crisis,” Crow said, but above all pointed to problematic leadership, and Coffman’s opening statements as part of that.
Moderator Ed Hardey, former chairman of the Aurora Association of Realtors, asked candidates where they stand on campaign finance reform, as political ads fill TV commercial breaks and flyers increasingly pour into mailboxes across the district.
The audience snickered.
Coffman said it starts with transparency. He doubled down on Crow, noting the Democrat’s pledge to not take corporate PAC money. Coffman said that was misleading, as Crow takes leadership fund dollars.
“First off, to be clear, there’s only one person on this stage that takes corporate PAC money. It’s the gentleman sitting to my right,” Crow said. “He’s taken almost $2 million of that money.”
The forum also featured props.
Before the forum started Coffman campaign staff circulated two versions of Crow’s biography. Both were from the Holland and Hart, a corporate law firm Crow works for, but one was dated from before Crow announced his run for office — it listed details of Crow’s work experience, including defending “health care companies and private medical groups in fraud and abuse investigation,” which was marked with bright yellow highlighter.
The other, more recent, biography distributed, which is still on the Holland and Hart website, didn’t include the detail’s of Crow’s work experience, but does include the practices Crow specializes in. Crow’s campaign said of course the bio has changed over time, and has several times, but not because of politics, but rather because of Crow’s growing experience.
The Coffman campaign has repeatedly attempted to tie Crow to the work the Holland and Hart law firm deals in, including lobbying and defending clients accused of white collar crime.
Coffman’s opening statements featured the biographies, as the congressman said he’s always been honest about who he is.
After being distributed, one journalist at the event tweeted a woman walked up to him, took the papers, ripped them up and walked away with no explanation.
