Energized. Determined. Optimistic. United. 

A message from CO GOP Chairman, Jeff Hays.

Energized. Determined. Optimistic. United. These were of a few of the words racing through my mind at the end of our Colorado Republican Unity Tour yesterday.

Anyone who attended knows the tour was a massive success. To use one of my notorious football analogies, the tour felt like a game in which Team Republican scored more than 100 points. Our players performed at the highest level. The audience pulsed with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, the Democrats spent most of game day scrambling for linemen willing to take the field and defend their bow-tie-wearing quarterback.

It was especially ennobling to see candidates who didn’t prevail in their primaries show up to support their successful rivals. As you probably read in our press releases yesterday, Victor Mitchell, Greg Lopez, and Doug Robinson all made the drive to rally around Walker Stapleton. Polly Lawrence was on hand to express her unequivocal support for Brian Watson. It made everyone present a slightly better person to see such shining examples of selfless devotion to a cause bigger than all of us. These candidates willing to set aside their personal disappointment for the sake of a shared cause deserve our profound gratitude and admiration.

We were also grateful that Secretary of State Wayne Williams (up for reelection), Attorney General Nominee George Brauchler, and CU Regent at Large Nominee Ken Montera came out to support the team effort.

I wouldn’t change a thing about the tour, except that, in a perfect world with 200-hour days, it would have included 64 counties instead of 7. Rest assured, though: if we didn’t make it to your neck of the woods yesterday, you’ll see plenty of us in the weeks and months to come. Our candidates are committed to earning the support of every corner of Colorado.

Yesterday was only the beginning – a glimmer, some might say, of a red wave on the horizon.