Denver Democrats look beyond their own backyard

At the monthly Denver Democratic Party meeting on Aug. 8, Nathan Ducasse had a simple message for voters still sorting through what Melat Kiros’ primary win means for the party: The work does not stop in Congressional District 1.

“Basically, the Democratic Party of Denver is going to help out some of the other candidates from around the state that have high possibility of being elected,” said Ducasse, House District 1-A co-captain and precinct organizer for Precinct 116.

The meeting, held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5061 in Denver, brought together Democratic voters and organizers from House District 1 to talk about turnout, ballot measures and the party’s strategy heading into November.

Ducasse said Denver Democrats plan to support candidates outside the city through postcard drives, door-knocking and slate cards that explain the party’s positions on candidates and ballot measures.

“Those are also going to be really important, considering all of the voting initiatives,” Ducasse said. “We need to make sure people are aware of our positions on that.”

The party’s get-out-the-vote work, often called GOTV, is a major focus heading into the election, Ducasse said. That includes turnout in Denver and volunteer support for races across Colorado, including the candidates in the seven other House congressional races: Kiros, Joe Neguse, Dwayne Romero, Eileen Laubacher, Jessica Killin, Jason Crow, Brittany Pettersen and Manny Rutinel.

That strategy now comes with a complicated backdrop.

Kiros’ upset victory over longtime US Rep. Diana DeGette energized some progressive Denver voters. However, her controversial statements about Israel and ties to the Democratic Socialists of America have raised concerns about how Democrats will campaign in Colorado’s more competitive areas, where candidates are more hesitant to associate with the politics of the state’s most reliably Democratic congressional district.

Axios reported that some Democratic nominees outside Denver are keeping their distance from Kiros, even as prominent Colorado Democrats have backed her campaign. Shimon Blau, an independent candidate, entered the race as a left-leaning, anti-Trump moderate to counter Kiros’ “extreme” views.

Ducasse contends that the party’s top priority should be electing Democrats, even if candidates in other districts do not share the same political views as many Denver voters.

“The focus is on electing Democratic candidates, no matter where on the ideological spectrum they fall within the party,” Ducasse said. “Our efforts directed toward electing candidates outside of our district and county are tailored toward achieving the best outcome for the party, which often means supporting candidates that wouldn’t have won a primary in our district.”

Kiros’ victory showed the strength of Denver’s left flank. It also exposed a gap some voters see between the Democratic Party’s stated values and how the party operates.

“On paper, the party values are already mostly aligned with those of Kiros, but in practice that isn’t as true,” Ducasse said.

For Catherine Lacey, an attendee and animal activist who voted for Kiros, that gap is part of the reason she wants new leadership.

“I know that politicians are a lot of talk and no action,” Lacey said. “And we really need fresh new voices to tell us how we can live differently and then put that into action.”

Lacey said Kiros’ support for publicly financed elections was one of the biggest reasons she supported her.

“The biggest piece of her campaign is that she doesn’t take any private money,” Lacey said.

Lacey said more voters are responding to democratic socialist candidates because financial inequality feels impossible to ignore.

“The wealth disparity and how we’re treated is so vastly different, and I think it’s almost impossible to ignore at this point,” Lacey said. “We’re just going to give everybody the basics of what they need. That’s not radical.”

Arin Frasquillo, another attendee, said cost of living and immigration issues are shaping her vote.

“I just want the right to exist without having to pay with everything,” Frasquillo said. “Groceries right now are super expensive. Gas is super expensive. Health care is super expensive. Everything is really expensive.”

Frasquillo said she does not always feel fully represented by candidates but still sees elections as a choice about who will do the least harm on the issues she cares about most.

“I come from an immigrant family, so that will always be on the forefront of my mind,” Frasquillo said. “I am worried that some soft-core Republican views can be disguised as liberal or progressive. I just hope the lesser evil happens.”

Ducasse said that feeling is one reason Democrats should not sit out general elections, even when the nominee is not their first choice.

“Vote blue no matter who,” Ducasse said. “The worst Democrat is better than the best Republican.”

He said primaries are the place for voters to choose the candidate who most closely matches their values. General elections, he said, are about which party will hold power.

“Primaries are when you vote for the candidate that you believe most closely aligns with your values,” Ducasse said. “General elections, however, are not the right time for purity politics.”

That means balancing enthusiasm for Kiros in CD1 with support for candidates running in parts of Colorado where the political terrain looks very different. Ducasse said people who want to change the party should get involved beyond voting.

“Getting involved in your local party or volunteering for a campaign is just as effective, if not more so, than a single vote,” Ducasse said. “If you want to get involved in helping power the movement and enacting real change within the party and in your community, join your local Dem chapter.”