It what appears to be the first radio interview of his U.S. Senate run, former state Rep. Jon Keyser eagerly offered his opinion on the Iran nuclear deal, but he dodged questions on whether he'd like to change TABOR and abolish a state program offering in-state tuition for undocumented college students.
On KNUS 710-AM Saturday morning, Craig Silverman asked Keyser, "Are you a high tax or a low tax kind of guy? And how do you feel about changing TABOR -- the Taxpayer Bill of Rights in Colorado?"
Keyser (@8:35 below): Well, certainly, that's a state issue, and I'm running for United States Senate, but I am a low tax guy.
Keyser's refusal to answer questions on state issues came just five days after he resigned from the state house.
But worse for Keyser, political operatives say, is the likelihood that Keyser's Republican primary opponents will hammer Keyser for his refusal to comment on TABOR, the constitutional measure that places extreme limits on state government spending.
In a series of short questions about policy issues, Silverman asked Keyser, "Should we have in-state tuition for illegal immigrant children?"
Keyser (@7:30 below): You know what? I don't think we need to - that's something that the Colorado voters, I think, have already discussed. But where my focus will be is National security. And Michael Bennet has been terrible on that. You know, he wants open borders.
In fact, in the unlikely event you don't know this, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet does not want open borders.
Keyser aligned himself with U.S. Senate Republicans when he told Silverman that Syrians should not be allowed in the U.S. for now because he doesn't think they can be screened well enough at the present time.
Keyser expressed his opposition to the Iran nuclear agreement negotiated by Obama, which lifted economic sanctions while aiming to stop Iran from developing nuclear bombs.
Keyser said Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet's vote in favor of the pact shows he "cares more about the Iranian economy than he does about the Colorado economy." Ouchy.
In response to a question about global warming, Keyser said he thinks "the climate is changin, but the question is, how much, and to what extent human factors are contributing to that."
Keyser, who also indicated he is for the death penalty but against most abortions, is part of a crowded field of about a dozen Republicans vying to take on Bennet.