Gage Skidmore at Flikr
Audio By Carbonatix
A big question looms over the gubernatorial election: Will Donald Trump campaign for Republican candidate Walker Stapleton?
Though nothing is officially on the books, our Chris Bianchi pondered the many ways in which Trump could stump for Stapleton, including endorsing him on Twitter or paying a visit to one of Colorado’s GOP hubs. Judging from reader reactions, Trump would not be entirely welcome in this state.
Bonnie says:
Make sure you get Tancredo in the mix.
Megan wonders:
Is there even a venue in this entire state that could house all that ego at once?
Manilus notes:
Let’s hope so that would be the kiss of death for the prick.
Charles asks:
Who wants to protest if he does?
Keep reading for more stories about Stapleton and Trump.
Brandon Marshall
“Ex-Denver for Trump Head: We’ll Recall Any Republican Disloyal to the President“
“Inside the Controversy Over Donald Trump’s Portrait at the State Capitol“
“Stapleton Has Bigger Problems Than His KKK-Stained Great-Grandfather“
“Walker Stapleton Is From a Loaded Connecticut Suburb – Just Like Me“
Trump lost Colorado by about 5 percent in 2016, and his local approval rating is even further underwater than that. But the state’s registered Republicans overwhelmingly and fanatically support the Donald, they account for more than 30 percent of Colorado’s voters, and registered Republicans’ share of the vote tends to increase during midterm elections.
Stapleton has to keep the Trump-loving Republican base excited and get them to turn out, all while appealing to the state’s more Trump-skeptic 1.2 million unaffiliated voters, who’ll almost certainly decide the election. It’s the same tap dance that Senator Cory Gardner is doing – though, in general, Stapleton has been friendlier to Trump than Gardner or Representative Mike Coffman.
Trump has concentrated his nationwide midterm stump efforts on more reliable GOP-friendly turf. In the past few weeks, he’s visited West Virginia, Indiana, Montana and Ohio to boost congressional candidates in those states, all of which supported Trump by substantial margins in 2016. He’s planning on visiting swingier states like Virginia and Michigan to help in statewide elections there in the next few weeks, though the candidates in both of those races are considered to be heavy underdogs.
Do you think Trump will stump for Stapleton? Do you want him to? Let us know in a comment or at editorial@westword.com.