Sen. Cory Gardner, two former rivals join candidate Darryl Glenn on GOP ‘unity tour’
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner threw his support behind Darryl Glenn on Saturday up and down the Front Range as the two Republicans stumped for each other in what was billed as a “unity tour.”
“Darryl Glenn understands what it takes to grow this economy. He understands what it takes to share the values of limited government, free market opportunities and how to truly make this country a better place,” Gardner said at a stop in the Denver Technology Center, where the GOP headquarters are. “He also understands as a veteran, someone who stood up on the front line of freedom for this country, that you don’t make our enemies weaker by being weak ourselves. That you don’t turn around and empower the greatest state sponsor of terror, Iran, by supporting President Obama’s nuclear deal.”
Glenn has an uphill battle if he hopes to follow in Gardner’s footsteps and unseat an incumbent Democratic senator in Colorado.
Gardner did it in 2014, defeating former Sen. Mark Udall.
Glenn hopes to unseat Sen. Michael Bennet in November.
“I got in on March 1, 2014, and between March 1 and November, we were able to raise $12 million,” Gardner said. “That’s an incredible amount of money, but that race cost over $100 million. This race is going to take that same kind of outpouring of support from people across the state and around the country.”
He and GOP chairman Steve House asked a room full of supporters to open their wallets and donate what they could to help Glenn.
Glenn focused on the volunteer efforts that his campaign relied on heavily to get through a tough primary that at one point had more than a dozen candidates in the race.
“From a power-lifting standpoint, our theme is ‘just one more,’ and when you’re tired, when you don’t think you can make one more phone call, when you’re thinking that you can’t walk to another place, just do one thing more,” Glenn said, who is an NCAA power-lifting champion.
Glenn was also flanked along the way by his former competitors Jack Graham and Ryan Frazier.
Frazier applauded Glenn’s work ethic and his authenticity, while Graham focused on the contrast between Glenn and Bennet.
Robert Blaha was absent, but House hinted Blaha was on an important mission. Later, Patrick Davis, state director for Trump’s Colorado campaign, confirmed that Blaha will be a co-chairman of the Trump campaign. Blaha is the first to be announced.
“Robert Blaha has been for the last six or eight months doing battle on these very issues that Donald Trump has been doing battle on,” Davis said. “He’s very qualified to be a leader in this campaign in Colorado.”
Jon Keyser was also absent from the unity tour but was out of town as part of his active-duty reserves status.
Secretary of State Wayne Williams also spoke in support of Glenn talking about their time working together in El Paso County.
U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn attended the stop in Colorado Springs on Saturday.
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Contact Megan Schrader 286-0644
Twitter: @CapitolSchrader
Colorado Springs County Comissioner Peggy Littleton speaks to the crowd while introducing Darryl Glenn during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.
2016 Republican Senate Candidate Darryl Glenns speaks to the crowd during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.
Colorado Senator Cory Gardner jokes with 2016 Republican Senate Candidate Darryl Glenn during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.
2016 Republican Senate Candidate Darryl Glenn speaks to the crowd during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.
Jeanie Lamborn, center, wife of congressman Doug Lamborn, applauds during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.
2016 Republican Senate Candidate Darryl Glenn laughs during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.
Secretary of State of Colorado Wayne Williams speaks to the crowd during the Colorado Springs stop of the GOP Unity Tour at the El Paso County Republican Headquarters on Saturday, July 9, 2016. Photo by Ryan Jones, The Gazette.