August 04, 2017 01:58 PM UTC

LIVE: Gardner/Bennet/Hickenlooper "Town Hall"

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #3: The Denver Post’s Jesse Paul reports from the scene–hoo boy:

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner was shouted at and derided during a Durango town hall Friday afternoon that was slated to center on the Gold King Mine but which focused on anything but, as an unruly-at-times crowd pressed the Republican on health care.

“Why on Earth did you voter for the Republican (health) care bill when the vast majority of your constituents opposed it?” one man asked Gardner to cheers.

“Seven years ago when I ran for Congress I said that I would vote to repeal and replace Obamacare, and I’m going to continue to live up to the promise that I made,” Gardner said, being yelled down. “… The reason is: The Affordable Care Act isn’t working.”

Gardner has been chastised for months by liberal activists for failing to hold an in-person town hall with his constituents, and his first such appearance in more than a year was full of fireworks.

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UPDATE #2: We’re waiting for news stories to be filed about today’s event, in which Sen. Cory Gardner was singled out by the capacity crowd who demanded answers on health care and loudly heckled his highly inadequate rote answers on the subject. The event is reportedly still going on, but we’ll be talking about this confrontation for days–we really thought Gardner would be better prepared for this.

Stand by for updates when coverage comes in…

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UPDATE: Denver7’s feed has extended discussion continuing after the official end of the event:

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Stand by for updates.

At @SenCoryGardner‘s 30min “town hall” Q&A, reporters told to put their names in raffle with public for the chance to speak. #copolitics

— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) August 4, 2017