September 14, 2017 10:15 AM UTC

Victor Mitchell Busts Down Everybody

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• by: Colorado Pols

A story from yesterday’s Grand Junction Sentinel from reporter Charles Ashby we wanted to make sure got a mention:

Don’t call Victor Mitchell the Jared Polis of Colorado political campaigning.

Instead, the businessman who’s loaned more than $3 million to his bid for the GOP nomination for governor prefers to be known as “the nice Trump.”

“It’s probably just a down payment,” Mitchell said after addressing the Mesa County Republican Women monthly luncheon Monday. “Anything worth doing costs money.”

Mitchell said he needs that money because of the intense competition he faces.

“We’re competing against a government lawyer who’s been in front of the camera for six years to politicize a tragedy of our state,” Mitchell said. [Pols emphasis] “I’m competing against George Bush’s cousin. I’m competing against Mitt Romney’s nephew. So, of course, we’re going to have to put money in, but the flip side to that is I’m not indebted to anybody.”

Damn, folks. In one brief statement, GOP gubernatorial candidate Victor Mitchell blisteringly slammed all three of his principal rivals in ways voters will key on: Doug Robinson and Walker Stapleton as wealthy scions of famous political dynasties, but especially George Brauchler’s handling of the prosecution of the Aurora theater shooter. As we discovered in our interview with Mitchell earlier this summer, he possesses a keen understanding of the playing field in this race. He knows who his targets in the GOP primary are, and the message most effective for knocking them off balance. In Brauchler’s case, Mitchell is punching where Brauchler imagines himself strongest–a bold tactic that, when it works, can work very well.

Whatever happens next, Mitchell’s not afraid to land the heavy blows. And that will count for something.