September 01, 2020 08:52 AM UTC

Cory Gardner Milks 96-0 CARES Act Vote Dry

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• by: Colorado Pols

A new TV spot began running today across Colorado from Sen. Cory Gardner’s re-election campaign, and it’s all about one thing:

Watching this ad, you might get the idea that Cory Gardner played some kind of particular role in the passage of “forgivable loans for small businesses,” which was a component of the CARES Act coronavirus economic relief package passed in March. That’s certainly what is intended.

“But wait,” you’d then reasonably ask if you’re the type who follows political news in detail, “didn’t the CARES Act pass the U.S. Senate unanimously?”

And the answer is yes–the CARES Act passed the Senate by a 96-0 margin on March 25th.

New @CoryGardner ad is about a diner in Monument kept open by the Paycheck Protection Program, which Gardner, like every other senator, voted to create. #cosen #copolitics pic.twitter.com/xna9ZkKZKX

— Justin Wingerter (@JustinWingerter) September 1, 2020

If you’re waiting for the payoff here, the additional thing that Cory Gardner did beyond joining a 96-0 vote to approve the CARES Act, you’re not going to find it. Had Gardner voted the other way, the loans that kept Rosie’s Diner afloat would have still passed by a 95-1 margin. Gardner’s campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) are promoting this ad with the tagline, “no one works harder for Colorado than Cory Gardner,” but in this case literally every other Senator worked as hard as Gardner did.

Although there’s nothing wrong with Gardner’s vote with the entire Senate to approve the CARES Act, building an entire ad campaign around this 96-0 vote only demonstrates once again how little Gardner has to offer voters as he asks them for another six years in office.

Cory Gardner. He’s the incumbent.

That’s it. That’s the whole pitch, with Trump’s pic if you’re outside Colorado.