Frazier’s charisma helps him stand out in U.S. Senate race
DENVER – Ryan Frazier is charismatic on stage unlike any other Republican in the U.S. Senate race.
Frazier stood out in early debates when other candidates – at one time there were more than a dozen – seemed green and uncomfortable on the stage.
The former 9NEWS political pundit has a measured, easy way with the press and the public, and aside from his troubles getting on the ballot, Frazier has managed to stay mostly above the fray in a five-man GOP primary that is getting uglier by the day.
Frazier has kept his race positive, focusing instead on an inspirational message of hard work and hope. Election day is Tuesday.
“I was that kid who grew up in a single- parent home and didn’t have much. But my mom taught us the value of a dollar, to have faith in God and the belief that if you work hard you can make a life for yourself,” Frazier said during one debate. “We need policy to push forward opportunity in our country. That way no matter who you are, you can make a life for yourself.”
Frazier is sharing some version of that message as he travels the state trying to win votes in advance of Tuesday’s primary.
He grew up in North Carolina, the middle of three children, with a single mom who worked multiple jobs.
The Navy, where he worked for the National Security Agency, brought him to Colorado 18 years ago.
“My time in the Navy absolutely helped me pay for my college,” Frazier said.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in Centennial and a master’s from Regis University in Denver.
The founder and president of High Point Academy, a charter school in Aurora, Frazier is passionate about education issues.
“For me, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” he said. “I think we are at a point in our country where we have to reignite that American spirit of hard work entrepreneurship.”
Policywise, he said the country needs to focus on the middle-skills jobs. Jobs that don’t require a college degree but require experience and training beyond a high school diploma.
“We have to bring together our business community with our technical and trade schools so we have a collaborative effort,” Frazier said. “As a senator and as a leader in our country and our state, I can help facilitate bringing together the business. This is not something that necessarily requires federal law or federal funding . this is an area where we can see real gains in job growth.”
Frazier, 38, is no stranger to politics.
He served two consecutive terms, or eight years, on the Aurora City Council. Little on his time in the council has come up during the campaign. Frazier said while in office he helped redevelop the Fitzsimons Army base on East Colfax Avenue.
Frazier also ran unsuccessfully in 2010 for Colorado’s 7th Congressional District against Democrat Ed Perlmutter.
In 2011, he lost in a bid for mayor of Aurora to Steve Hogan.
Since leaving office, he has run a small consulting firm that provides technology, energy, tourism and education sectors with strategies for growth.
“One of the things that sets me apart in this race is we have businessmen, military veterans, local government representatives, but I’m the only guy who actually brings all of those things together,” Frazier said.
His time in the Navy allows Frazier to weigh in with expertise on national security issues.
“It’s one of my highest priorities, having served, having worked in intelligence for five years in uniform and then a defense contractor for almost five years after that,” Frazier said. “I had a daily responsibility, an opportunity to understand a lot of the threats we face in the world and the importance of our national security apparatus to keep our nation safe.”
He criticized Sen. Michael Bennet, the Democrat who will face the winner of the GOP primary, for his poor stance on national security issues.
“He has a lackluster record on issues of foreign policy as evidence by his vote on the Iran deal, which I do believe could potentially be the biggest foreign policy debacle of a lifetime,” Frazier said.
But the real contrast between the two might come on education policy.
Bennet is the former superintendent of Denver Public Schools, Colorado’s largest and most urban school district. Frazier runs a charter school that has a significant minority population and free and reduced lunch status.
“I’m definitely for school choice, empowering families to have more choice,” said Frazier, a father of three school-aged children in Aurora.
Republican Ryan Frazier is running for U.S. Senate. He was speaking at a debate for Republican candidates at UCCS Wednesday, June 8, 2016. (photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette)
Republican Ryan Frazier is running for U.S. Senate. He was speaking at a debate for Republican candidates at UCCS Wednesday, June 8, 2016. (photo by Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette)