May 02, 2025 04:08 PM UTC

Unrecognizable "Dark MAGA" Cory Gardner Resurfaces

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• by: Colorado Pols

Colorado’s long-ousted but still not forgotten Sen. Cory Gardner appeared on the Fox News Channel earlier today to praise President Donald Trump’s agenda and chastise Democrats for “calling half of the country traitors” and “telling people to eff off when they disagree”–the premise being these are things that Democrats do and not, you know, Donald Trump himself. All in all a typical Cory Gardner doublespeak session that Colorado voters became painfully familiar with before he was tossed from office in the 2020 elections.

SLF Chairman @CoryGardner joined @HARRISFAULKNER today explaining how Democrats are united in stupid ideas of opposing an agenda that the American people have embraced. pic.twitter.com/mkNxF8dzBj

— Senate Leadership Fund (@Senate_Fund) May 2, 2025

But readers who alerted us to Gardner’s appearance were struck not by what Cory Gardner had to say today, rather what seems to have happened to Cory Gardner personally since we last saw him on television:

On the left is Sen. Gardner as he appeared in office just a few years ago, cherubic and ruddy as we remember him scurrying into elevators to avoid reporters. On the right is a Trumplike spray-tanned gentleman we only vaguely recognize, and we suppose could be a shriveled version of Gardner left out in the sun too long at Mar-a-Lago. Today’s Cory Gardner could also do a passable impression of Sopranos antagonist Phil Leotardo, an impression that we suspect will only get better over time.

Ribbing aside, we do hope the former Senator is happy and healthy, not least since if Trump’s Cabinet members start dropping like flies Gardner could be the third or fourth-tier choice to replace one of them. Or perhaps Gardner could pick up one of Marco Rubio’s multiple jobs?

Let’s not get Gardner’s hopes up though, despite loyalty to Trump that cost him his career he’s been passed over for a reason.