In an historic vote, two Colorado senators, both Democrats, have been recalled for their support of stricter gun control laws.
On Tuesday, Senators Angela Giron of Pueblo and John Morse of Colorado Springs became the first elected officials to be recalled by constituents in Colorado’s 137-year history. The special elections were held in response to a grassroots movement by constituents in both Giron’s and Morse’s districts (Pueblo and El Paso Counties). Many constituents in those counties felt their views were not being represented properly when both Giron and Morse voted for stricter gun control measures.
The recall elections garnered national attention as a test of whether voters in Colorado, a swing state in the last presidential election, would accept strong gun control measures in response to mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado, and Newtown, Connecticut. The elections also attracted big-name supporters and even bigger monies on both sides of the issue, pitting gun-control supporters against advocates for less gun control. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg personally contributed $350,000 in support of gun control, while the National Rifle Association spent approximately half a million dollars.
In the end, however, it was the grassroots movement and its voters who claimed victory, making history in the process. Senator Angela Giron was defeated 56 to 44 percent while Morse lost by a narrower margin, less than two percent.
Both Morse and Giron will be replaced by Republicans. Morse, now the former president of the Colorado State Senate, will be replaced by former Republican City Councilman Bernie Herpin of Colorado Springs and Giron will be replaced by Pueblo Deputy Police Chief George Rivera.
Commenting on the stunning recall, Rivera said “This election has been about holding our elected officials accountable. The voters of Pueblo have sent a strong message. We are the voice of democracy. We’ve definitely learned a lot about campaigning. The biggest thing I’ve learned is that the people are all good people with different points of view. It’s the politics and the politicians who make the whole thing dirty.”
In an article in the Fort Collins Coloradoan, Colorado Republican Party Chairman Ryan Call was quoted as saying, “These victories serve as a warning to arrogant politicians everywhere that they must stop ignoring their constituents.”
In response, Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Rick Palacio “…dismissed the recall’s significance.” He went on to point out that the Democrats still hold the majority in the Senate (by one vote) and that the laws requiring universal background checks on all gun sales and the ban on high-capacity magazines still apply.
In their concession speeches, both Giron and Morse defended their positions. Standing before a small crowd of supporters, Giron told the crowd, “We couldn’t have done any more. I’m a little perplexed. I know that I have not one iota of regret from what I voted on.”
Morse was quoted by The Daily Caller as saying, “We at the Democratic Party will continue to fight.”
Colorado Republicans now hope the recall will give momentum to the issues surrounding the gun-control debate, which they plan to revive during the next legislative session in January. Kurt Bardella, a consultant for the recalls, agrees. “The people of Colorado have made history … sending a loud and clear message that will reverberate throughout the country and alter the terrain of the gun-control debate.”
“What happened in Colorado, a purple state, could happen anywhere if the will of the people is ignored and politicians take their cues from New York City or Washington D.C.,” Bardella said. “At the end of the day, people will not tolerate an imposition of unchecked government overreach on their lives. The recall was a mechanism of accountability exercised by the people of Colorado.”
Only time will tell if this historic recall will have an impact on gun-control policy in America. But perhaps the real impact is more far-reaching. In the “Arsenal of Democracy,” it appears the people still have a very powerful tool which serves as a mechanism of accountability, and the “first shot” has been fired.
http://www.gcnlive.com/wp/2013/09/13/colorado-lawmakers-recalled-over-gun-control/
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