October 20, 2022 12:48 PM UTC

In Which Erik Aadland Realizes That He's Sunk

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• by: Colorado Pols

Republican Erik Aadland is sinking fast, and he has finally realized that national Republicans will not be extending any branches to save him.

Aadland is a full-fledged election denier who began the 2022 election cycle as a candidate for U.S. Senate before switching metaphorical horses and capturing the GOP nominee for Congress in CO-07 (Jefferson County-ish) for the right to take on Democrat Brittany Pettersen.

Aadland used his “Big Lie” beliefs to garner enough Republican support to win the June 28th Primary, but his subsequent efforts to scrub away the MAGA went over about as well as Joe O’Dea pouring a Michelob Ultra into a glass of ice. Aadland has struggled to raise money for his campaign, but even if he had the resources to reach more voters, it’s not clear that he has a coherent message for them anyway. National Republicans have been pouring money into Colorado’s eighth congressional district but have largely ignored CO-07 because of its Democratic-leaning electorate and Pettersen’s strong, well-financed campaign operation.

As The Colorado Times Recorder explains today via Twitter, the reality of Aadland’s situation is sinking in (pun intended):

Some Colorado Republicans have attempted to make the ridiculous argument that Democratic spending in CO-07 is a sign that Aadland is doing well, but Aadland’s admission today correctly blows up that strained logic. National Republicans (or Democrats) don’t expend resources in races that they don’t think they can win.

None of this should come as a surprise to anyone not sipping the MAGA Kool-Aid. Aadland is a completely-unknown candidate who has been running a middling campaign against a well-known and well-prepared Democratic opponent. He kept hope of national help alive for as long as he reasonably could, but you can’t rely on big lies about your own lack of movement forever.

For Aadland, the end is near here.