August 18, 2012 10:04 PM UTC

Ken Summers, Key GOP Senate Candidate, Goes Off The Deep End

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• by: Colorado Pols

One of Colorado’s hottest state Senate races this year is for the open Senate District 22 seat in Jefferson County, stretching from Edgewater south through Ken Caryl Ranch. It’s anticipated to be a very close race between two state representatives, Democratic Rep. Andy Kerr versus Republican Rep. Ken Summers. With two on-paper equally matched contenders and a well-balanced competitive district, this is a very closely watched race. Because of this, SD-22 also doesn’t lend itself to extremism on either side of the political spectrum.

As this audio we were forwarded of Rep. Summers speaking yesterday at the Colorado Republican Business Coalition’s monthly luncheon explains, that “no crazy candidates” rule for a swing district could be a big (and a bit surprising) problem for the GOP in this race.

SUMMERS: For the first time I think in history what we’re seeing is there is real doubt as to, even though Mike Coffman got criticized for saying that–he questioned whether the President was a true American at heart, and I think everybody has in their minds that question. [Pols emphasis] (Applause) Where really is this man’s heart? What are the [unintelligible] that form and shape him? Are they really more towards the core values of uh, of America? Or does he really want to fundamentally reshape America?

It’s important to understand how damaging this kind of Mike Coffman-esque prattle could be to Summers, who otherwise presents himself as an intellectual and sensible (if quite conservative) Republican, and needs that perception to hold fast with independent voters with whom he’s already at a disadvantage due to conservative stands on social issues. Aligning himself so explicitly with the most embarrassing and well-publicized spectacle for the GOP in Colorado politics this year–Rep. Coffman’s questioning of Barack Obama’s “American-ness” and disastrously hamfisted attempt to walk it back–is really just incalculably foolish.

Properly utilized, this could be a tremendous gift to Andy Kerr in this tight race. If his campaign has their wits about them, some variation of this quote is going to find its way into every snail and voice mail box in SD-22 between now and Election Day.