AURORA | The campaign for Aurora’s 6th Congressional District seat between GOP Congressman Mike Coffman and Democratic challenger state Sen. Morgan Carroll continues to spin around the top of the ticket.
After Coffman reiterated to 9News today that he may not vote for any presidential candidate — saying he absolutely won’t vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton — opponents pounced.
“The right to choose our leaders is our most solemn and sacred obligation as citizens,” said Carroll’s campaign spokesman Drew Godinich in a statement. “Americans have fought and died to protect that right. Congressman Coffman abandoning that obligation is the height of irresponsibility…Indecision is not leadership.”
That drew immediate fire from Coffman’s supporters. Former Coffman staffer Tyler Sandberg, now a political consultant, fired this off in a tweet to Camp Carroll: “You’re invoking others’ military service to attack a Marine for not voting for Trump? You’re a disgrace.”
He later told the Sentinel that it’s pretty clear that Trump is going to lose, and what happens after the election is important.
“We need someone willing to hold Hillary Clinton accountable, and Morgan Carroll has never once spoken up to criticize Clinton,” Sandberg said. “I prefer someone willing to take on their own party.”
Coffman told 9News “Next” host Kyle Clark Tuesday evening that he would make public his decision on whom he voted for, if anyone, after he completed his ballot.
“I don’t know if I’ll cast a vote for president,” Coffman told Clark. “I’m not going to vote for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. I’m struggling with it like many other Americans.”
Coffman was the first Republican congressman to distance himself from Trump in a TV ad in August. He and other Republicans have struggled with how to push away from Trump without alienating his supporters, a growing part of the GOP base. Coffman has taken heat from Democrats, saying he waited too long, and his Republican predecessor, Congressman Tom Tancredo, who excoriated Coffman in an essay, saying he’s backing away from Trump for political expediency.
“Mike Coffman is the worst kind of opportunist,” Tancredo wrote in a Breitbart.com essay in August when Coffman first ran the controversial TV ad. “The only thing authentic about him is his passionate desire to keep that House Member pin on his lapel.”
Coffman’s statements yesterday were consistent with what he’s been saying the past few weeks, but reiterating them on TV Tuesday prompted the new attack from Carroll’s campaign.
“Coloradans expect their elected officials to show leadership, but Mike Coffman today decided to vote ‘present’ instead of standing up to the historically dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump,” said Tyler Law of the Democratic National Congressional Committee. “Coffman likes to pretend to be a tough guy in standing up to Trump, but when it comes time for him to do the one thing that could actually stop him – voting – he’s decided to do nothing. That is not setting an example for our children, and that is not leadership.”
Coffman’s campaign said he hasn’t wavered from being unhappy with the election.
“Mike doesn’t hide the fact he thinks America deserves better than the very poor choices we have for president,” said campaign spokeswoman Cinamon Watson. “There’s a couple reporters in this town who only care about Donald Trump’s every step. It’s like they are paid by the number of times they write the words Donald Trump. Mike doesn’t like Trump and he doesn’t trust Hillary. To anyone who has followed this election, that’s not news. Morgan Carroll said she trusts Hillary and is running to get Hillary’s back. Mike Coffman’s got Colorado’s back. Who he casts a protest vote for is a matter of great concern only to a reporter or two — oh, and Morgan Carroll.”