Friendless: GOP Base Turns On Cory Gardner

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by: Colorado Pols

Following the announcement yesterday by Colorado’s imperiled junior GOP U.S. Senator Cory Gardner that he would now support legislation to reopen parts of the federal government without funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall, in effect caving to Democrats on the same day they took control of the U.S. House for the first time since 2011, prominent members of Gardner’s own party still loyal to President Trump reacted–and it wasn’t kind:

Is this @SenCoryGardner…or @CoryBooker? “GOP senator calls on Congress to end shutdown without border deal” https://t.co/MIyaaplCzM

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) January 4, 2019

President Trump (left) and Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma).

Ouch! It’s a safe bet that Laura Ingraham’s 2.4 million followers were not impressed, and the replies to her Tweet certainly indicate as much. The real test, of course, will be whether President Trump himself chooses to personally weigh in on Gardner’s new groove. Trump has given Gardner several warm mentions in the past few months both in person and via the Twitters, not least a glowing send-up at a campaign rally in West Virginia after Gardner accompanied Trump to the event on Air Force One (photo right).

Strategically, this move has been broadly recognized as a first step in what pundits agree will be a wholesale political transformation for Sen. Gardner if he has any realistic hope of staying in office after 2020. Much like when Gardner launched his 2014 Senate campaign by audaciously declaring he no longer supported the “Personhood” abortion ban initiatives, Gardner is making a highly public splash of dissent in hopes of disrupting the “Trump toady” image he currently is saddled with.

The problem, as you can see in Ingraham’s response, is that Gardner is alienating base Republicans that he needs every bit as much as swing voters by caving on Trump’s signature priority. Because Gardner is running in a state whose politics have moved steadily away from Republicans, it makes sense that he is trying to put distance between himself and the Republican brand–but whatever Gardner nets in terms of swing support, which won’t be much, comes at the expense of base Republican votes.

Is there a good move for Gardner at this point? Maybe not, but the people who rightly consider themselves Gardner’s closest allies say this is not it.

14 thoughts on “Friendless: GOP Base Turns On Cory Gardner”

davebarnes says:

January 4, 2019 at 11:52 am

Clearly. the Koch Brothers™ are not happy with the shutdown. I cannot figure out why they are unhappy.

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1. JohnInDenver says:
  
  January 4, 2019 at 12:04 pm
  
  Of course, it is merely my speculation … but the Koch Brothers™ may not like the shutdown because it means the IRS cannot issue personal OR corporate income tax refunds.
  
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  1. davebarnes says:
    
    January 4, 2019 at 1:07 pm
    
    Nope. They certainly do not get tax refunds as they would never lend the gubmint money.
    
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2. RepealAndReplace says:
  
  January 4, 2019 at 1:57 pm
  
  Really…..isn't it easier to drown the government in the bathtub if it is shut down rather than if it is up and running?
  
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RepealAndReplace says:

January 4, 2019 at 11:53 am

Stay the course, Senator. Some day they will thank you!

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1. davebarnes says:
  
  January 4, 2019 at 11:55 am
  
  https://coloradopeakpolitics.com/2019/01/04/end-the-shutdown-gardner-is-right-go-to-battle-plan-b/
  
  Some people (one person?) is happy with Cory becoming a traitor to his Great Leader, The Dumpster®.
  
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bullshit! says:

January 4, 2019 at 12:34 pm

IOW, the same way Mike Coffman went down.

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1. RepealAndReplace says:
  
  January 4, 2019 at 12:42 pm
  
  Exactly. Gardner today reminds me of Coffman during his last year in office. Flailing around trying to be the loyal foot soldier for Paul Ryan and Trump yet also trying make it appear that he is independent.
  
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Gorky Pulviczek says:

January 4, 2019 at 1:16 pm

In case any of Gardner's staff is reading this – tell me again how this shutdown has anything to do with border security? E-Verify is unavailable for the duration:

Due to the government shutdown, employers across the country are unable to complete E-Verify checks for new employees. The program is down for everyone — including on Capitol Hill.

Seems to me that could be one way Gardner might placate some of his base – "the shutdown is hurting border security!". But then, I know little about how to placate Trumpistas; I've been a (D) for nearly 40 years.

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1. MADCO says:
  
  January 4, 2019 at 7:49 pm
  
  E-verify?!
  bwahahahahaha
  
  Broder security is about arresting and killing brown people.
  
  Not about punishing their employers.
  
  geez- you're killing me
  
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  1. Gorky Pulviczek says:
    
    January 4, 2019 at 9:32 pm
    
    You're right, my bad, this is not actually about border security. What could I have possibly been thinking?
    
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Davie says:

January 4, 2019 at 1:29 pm

The latest on the shutdown is that Cheetolini is threatening to declare a national emergency (hey, is that like "martial law"?) and summarily build the wall.

Trump Suggests Shutdown Could Last ‘Months or Even Years’

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1. Diogenesdemar says:
  
  January 4, 2019 at 4:41 pm
  
  “ . . . summarily build the wall.”
  
  LMAO — Drumpf can’t even build an outhouse. (He may be able to buy an outhouse with enough laundered Russian money, but he can’t build anything.) Mexico would have to build the wall, plus pay for it . . .
  
  https://www.propublica.org/article/here-are-the-trump-projects-where-ivanka-and-her-dad-misled-buyers
  
  President Scammer is working his ultimate grift and graft gambit. He’s wet dreaming himself at the possibility of having some say so about how those Billions are spent, and whose pockets they get to.
  
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  1. Davie says:
    
    January 4, 2019 at 4:59 pm
    
    I think Cheetolini will eventually accept Pelosi's offer of a Lego set included with the funding bill to satisfy his demand for a wall. He could build it himself, and keep him occupied for weeks in the process
    
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