Campaign events, Trump flap show Colorado will be a key player in 2016 presidential election
Colorado is clearly still in the game – the presidential politics game.
Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton will be in Commerce City, a northern industrial suburb of Denver, on Wednesday afternoon for a public rally.
She also will attend at least one public fundraiser in Aspen this week, according to Colorado Public Radio.
Meanwhile, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Republican nominee Donald Trump’s running mate, will hold a rally in downtown Colorado Springs on Wednesday evening. Jeff Hays, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, said no other details about the Pence campaign stop have been announced, but it will be after a Pence event in Denver earlier Wednesday.
“I’m excited Mike Pence is coming here,” Hays said. “This is a conservative town with a lot of Christian influence. I think he’s a great match for Colorado Springs. Their emphasis on Colorado Springs and El Paso County is very perceptive.”
The Clinton and Pence campaign events come on the heels of Trump’s visit to the state Friday, which still has some circles reeling about a peculiar spat with the Colorado Springs Fire Department.
On Friday, Trump stayed at The Mining Exchange, A Wyndham Grand Hotel, in downtown Colorado Springs.
Trump’s elevator got stuck just before his motorcade took him to the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs for a political rally.
Colorado Springs Fire Department Capt. Steve Wilch said Trump spent no more than 15 minutes in the elevator before he was rescued via a ladder lowered into an escape hatch for the 10 people on board.
Perry Sanders Jr., co-owner of the hotel, confirmed the elevator issue but said by all accounts Trump had a good stay and the campaign staff members were wonderful guests.
Sanders said the elevator’s computer said an error with the master key caused it to stop being operational. Sanders said Trump’s security had requested a master key so it could have manual operation of the elevator.
Typically that key is not kept on the property, Sanders said, because it can be technical to operate and lead to shutdowns if not executed properly.
Sanders said the Fire Department responded promptly and professionally, and Trump waited only minutes in the elevator before being rescued. But instead of relaying the story of being rescued from the elevator at his rally in Colorado Springs, Trump lambasted Fire Marshal Brett Lacey for refusing to increase the occupancy of the 1,500-capacity Gallogly Events Center to allow some of the thousands of people lined up outside into the center.
The Colorado Springs Professional Firefighters Association issued a statement over the weekend defending the decision not to exceed the capacity.
“Colorado Springs firefighters know exactly what we are doing – we are professionals and we take our jobs very seriously,” wrote Justin Kock, Firefighters Association president.
“Occupancy levels are set to protect the public’s safety and we find it unfortunate that Trump’s campaign would question our judgment, expect us to break the law or waiver (sic) from our mission to protect our community.”
Trump’s Colorado campaign declined to comment.
Both the Republican and Democratic nominee are battling for Colorado’s nine electoral votes in a state that is historically anyone’s game.
–
Contact Megan Schrader: 286-0644
Twitter @CapitolSchrader
FILE – In this March 23, 2015 photo, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
Protestors make peaceful chants toward Donald J. Trump supporters as they wait in line to enter the Gallogly Events Center at UCCS on Friday, July 29, 2016. Photo by Stacie Scott, The Gazette
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton (AP file photos)
In this photo taken July 11, 2016, Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has sold his wealth to working class supporters, who believe the man they describe as a “blue collar billionaire” understands people like them. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)