On September 10, 2013, Colorado voters in two state Senate districts will go to the polls for a special election. The central question on the ballot is whether or not to recall Colorado Senate President John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and state Senator Angela Giron (D-Pueblo) from the state legislature and, if the recalls are successful, who should replace them.
Both Senators Morse and Giron are committed public servants. Senator Morse served as a police officer, detective and sergeant in Colorado Springs and as Chief of Police in Fountain. Later, as President and CEO of Silver Key Senior Services, Morse worked to ensure that aging seniors can live independently in their own homes for as long as possible.
Senator Giron has dedicated her life to improving the lives of the youth of her community. For nearly three decades at the Boys and Girls Club, she worked to steer countless youth away from the dangers of drug addiction, and now she travels the country helping to build quality youth programs across the United States. Senator Giron brought her passion for helping our youth to Colorado's Capitol, where she sponsored legislation that ensures that children in low-income school districts are guaranteed breakfast each day.
In 2012, Democrats won the majority in the Colorado House and retained leadership of the Colorado Senate. Working with a Democratic Governor, Senators Morse and Giron fundamentally improved the lives of Coloradans during the 2013 legislative session.
They ensured greater participation in future elections by implementing vote-by-mail for all Colorado voters.
They passed a state-level version of the DREAM Act, allowing immigrant children to attend Colorado colleges and universities and pay in-state tuition.
They enacted popular civil unions provisions guaranteeing that Colorado's gay and lesbian couples' relationships are recognized and their rights protected under state law.
They fought to keep jobs in Colorado by giving preference in state contracting to Colorado businesses.
And they protected Coloradans through gun-safety legislation that implements universal background checks on gun purchases and limits most ammunition magazines to fifteen rounds.
Each of these commonsense measures was previously blocked by Republicans when they controlled the House of Representatives.
With leadership from Senators Morse and Giron, Colorado is on the right track. But now extremists want to move Colorado backwards and intimidate lawmakers who stand up to special interests and do what is best for their constituents and the state.
Coloradans disagree. By a two to one margin, independent polling shows that Colorado voters think that these recalls are unnecessary, and they believe that when voters disagree with a legislator, "they should wait for reelection, rather than attempt a recall."
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the only national organization whose mission is to elect Democrats to state legislatures across the country. In 2012, we helped Democrats take control of eight legislative chambers in six states, including Colorado.
These and other victories have had national implications on issues such as women's health, voting rights, and workers' rights.
So when dedicated public servants like Senators Morse and Giron come under attack from radical groups that seek to intimidate them and other lawmakers who are doing the right thing, we fight back. We fight back with dollars and with whatever other resources are needed.
Make no mistake--these recalls are not just about two senators, and their implications are not just limited to Colorado. These recalls are about good public policy and the principles of electoral democracy all across this country.
Through the efforts of the DLCC and all of those who have joined the fight against these recalls, we will win on September 10th. And as a result, common sense will prevail.