Election Day earlier this month felt much better than last year. Unlike last year, I woke up the next day feeling hopeful about the direction of our county. Throughout the nation, extraordinary citizens with diverse backgrounds stepped up to take their country back from the status quo and won. The winners on 2017 Election Night were not only Democrats, they were first-time candidates, they were moms and teachers and truck drivers. They are people with the authentic desire to make their neighborhoods a better place. The losers on Tuesday were entrenched politicians that care more about getting re-elected than representing their constituents.
Here at home, voters delivered a sharp rebuke to the politics of division and fear. No one should be more concerned about this change than Congressman Mike Coffman.
Across the country we saw the frustration of people who felt that their voices were not being heard. The huge influx of dark money was not enough to save corporate candidates who did not represent their communities. Specifically, in the Republican party, the schism between the Trumpists and Paul Ryan’s GOP continues to grow as both sides fail to get anything done.
Here in the 6th Congressional District, we can see this dissatisfaction in the mounting anger among local Republicans. There is now a serious primary challenger to Coffman, Roger Edwards, who has been clear that he does not believe Coffman is conservative enough. Edwards states that Coffman “…has alienated enough of the Republican base and unaffiliated voters. Those people are not going to be inclined to vote for someone who says one thing and votes another way.”
Edwards is right. This fall, while knocking on doors with local candidates, I heard voters expressing deep mistrust of their elected officials. One Centennial voter has deep concerns about accountability, and doesn’t believe that politicians will keep their promises. He does believe that Washington is either sitting on its hands, or catering to the wealthiest people in the world.
These elections saw a high suburban Democratic turnout to support candidates that felt called to be a voice for their own communities. Their credibility hinged on their authenticity, because professional politicians have lost their connection to their voters. The people of Aurora rewarded the credibility that comes with strong ties to their community and a compelling personal narrative.
The people of the 6th District have felt all too deeply the lack of a voice representing them in Washington. Coffman has voted dozens of times to revoke protections for pre-existing conditions, and each of those votes would have risked thousands of his constituents. Two of them are in my family. My wife, Karen, survived breast cancer thanks to the support of this community. My daughter, Sofia, has Down Syndrome, and is growing into a remarkable, spirited young woman. Yet Coffman’s priorities are not to meet their needs. Vice President Biden said:
“Show me your budget and I’ll show you what you value.” The voters in this district are not feeling valued or supported by Washington.
Voters will no longer tolerate such failures from their elected officials. Coffman’s well-funded smile and drive-thru appearances are not enough for a people crying out for authentic leadership, honest representation and meaningful change. I don’t expect to agree with Edwards on much, but I do agree that people of this district are not going to vote for someone whose tweets are louder than his actions.
David Aarestad is an Aurora lawyer running for the 6th Congressional District Democratic nomination in 2018.