Vice President Joe Biden was in Denver recently to help raise money for Senator Mark Udall (D. CO) in his bid for re-election:
http://kdvr.com/...
Udall, seeking a second six-year term, is facing a challenge from GOP Congressman Cory Gardner in what’s become one of the most closely-watched and competitive Senate races in the country.
Biden, who is giving the commencement address to the 2014 class of graduating cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs on Wednesday morning, flew in early to appear at a joint fundraiser for Udall’s campaign and the Colorado Democratic Party.
After landing at Denver International Airport Tuesday afternoon, Biden rode in a motorcade along with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and District Attorney Mitch Morrissey to Common Grounds Coffee Shop in Sunnyside, where he joined Udall, City Attorney Scott Martinez and other activists around a table to discuss the need to pass immigration reform. - KDVR, 5/27/14
While pushing for immigration reform, Biden reminded voters who was on the right side of immigration reform:
http://www.brushnewstribune.com/...
Biden said the "vast majority of the American people" support the need for immigration reform. Reporters were granted limited time to hear Biden's remarks.
The vice president, who was scheduled to attend a fundraiser for Udall later Tuesday evening in the Hilltop neighborhood, called the senior Colorado senator a champion for immigration reform.
The vice president, who was scheduled to attend a fundraiser for Udall later Tuesday evening in the Hilltop neighborhood, called the senior Colorado senator a champion for immigration reform.
"Now is the time to act. The one request I have is keep up the drum beat on these guys," said Biden.
House Republicans have not acted this year on a bipartisan immigration reform bill passed by the Senate. - Brush News Tribune, 5/28/14
Biden also believes that now would be the perfect time for Republicans in the House to pass immigration reform:
http://www.latinpost.com/...
He said that GOP lawmakers, who have been intransigent on moving the Senate-passed immigration reform bill forward in the House, said they may move the bill forward now that primaries are over.
Many Republicans were apprehensive to bring immigration reform to a vote in the House out of fear of appearing soft on immigration reform to their conservative constituents.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is one GOP lawmaker who is strengthening his hardline stance on immigration reform ahead of the midterm elections. He recently sent out fliers suggesting he wants to crack down on immigration, although he formerly said that he would support a pathway to citizenship for those who came to the U.S. illegally.
"They've got their chance now," Biden said of House Republicans. "Most of the primaries are over."
Biden also read a statement from immigrant advocate groups that urged the Obama administration to refrain from limiting deportations until the August recess. Previously, immigrant rights groups slammed the administration for not taking unilateral action to curb the number of deportations. - Latin Post, 5/28/14
As I have said before, immigration could be the top issue in Colorado that helps Democrats like Udall fend off anti-immigration reform candidates like Tea Party Congressman Cory Gardner (R. CO). In fact, pro-immigration reform conservatives like American Spectator columnist Ross Kaminsky are trying to get Gardner to be more supportive of immigration reform:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Kaminsky complimented Gardner for favoring a guest-worker program, and he's not troubled by the fact that Gardner opposed a guest-worker program back in 2008 in the state legislature that would have created a guest-visa program for agricultural workers.
"People change, things change," replied Kaminsky. "And you know what, staying cynical, even though I like Cory, politicians frequently do what's best for politicians. Even the ones who I think are good people, they are always balancing, how do I make sure I keep my job versus what's best for the country. And I think that of all of them. I don't think Mark Udall is a bad person. I've met him. He was very pleasant to me, and I enjoyed talking to him. I just disagree with him. Whether it's him or Cory Gardner, they're just considering their futures."
In his column, Kaminsky accused Democratic Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet of having "no interest in actually dealing with the question; they, like their party leaders, want a wedge issue more than they want a solution."
Given that 68 Senators passed comprehensive immigration reform in bipartisan fashion, with 32 Republicans opposed, how is immigration reform, as accomplished via the Senate bill, a wedge issue? (Gardner has made no secret of his opposition to the Senate immigration bill, even though he supported comprehensive reform after the last election.) - Huffington Post, 5/23/14
The last thing Gardner or any other Colorado Republican wants to talk about is immigration reform, especially with infamous immigration opponent, Tom Tancredo (R. CO), at the top of the ballot. Not sure if Tancredo will win his primary but his stance doesn't help guys like Gardner or vulnerable Birther Congressman Mike Coffman (R. CO-06). They would rather make it about fracking and the ACA but with Colorado's growing Latino population, there's no way of avoiding this topic. If you would like to donate and get involved with Udall's campaign, you can do so here:
http://markudall.com/