Colorado voters stunned the nation Tuesday night by ousting two heavily funded Democratic state legislators in a recall election that was cast as a national referendum on gun control.
Senate President John Morse and state Sen. Angela Giron lost their seats in the state’s first-ever legislative recall election, despite the support of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hundreds of ground troops from groups like Organizing for America, and a 7-to-1 spending advantage.The results of the double recall shocked state Democrats, who had insisted voters would back the Legislature’s recently passed gun bills. Meanwhile, gun-rights advocates and Republicans were elated, betting that the recalls will discourage other states from pushing forward with gun-control legislation.
Both Colorado Democrats conceded defeat shortly before final election results were announced. Mr. Morse lost his Colorado Springs seat by 51 to 49 percent, while Ms. Giron was defeated in her Pueblo district by 56 to 44 percent.
The ousted Democrats will be replaced by Republicans who also appeared on the recall ballots. Former Colorado Springs city councilman Bernie Herpin will succeed Mr. Morse, while retired deputy Pueblo police chief George Rivera takes over the Giron seat.
……conservatives saw the election results as a rallying cry. “Starting tonight, Colorado is fighting back against the onerous policies of Colorado Democrats,” said Kelly Maher, Compass Colorado executive director. “Hickenlooper and his allies are one step closer to joining Morse and Giron come next November.”
The outcome flew in the face of the conventional political wisdom, which regarded Mr. Morse as the more vulnerable of the two Democrats, given his more conservative Senate district. Once the recalls began, the Morse recall drive drew the lion’s share of resources from outside groups like the National Rifle Association.
……Mr. Morse dismissed the leader of the Pueblo recall drive, 28-year-old Victor Head, as an “unemployed plumber” in an interview Friday on MSNBC. After the election results were announced Tuesday, Mr. Head, who runs his family’s plumbing business, came back with a response.
“And I have a message for John Morse: who’s unemployed now?” said Mr. Head, according to the Pueblo Chieftain.
Good for them. If you value your freedoms, defend them.
WooHoo! What a sweet and delicious victory for the champions of self-defense and the 2nd amendment.
‘Boohoo…the voters might start paying attention, get active and throw us out. What a terrible way to guarantee my job security’ whines John Morse