DENVER — As head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Michael Bennet did everything in his power two years ago to sink Republican Cory Gardner’s Senate bid, but that was then.
This year, Mr. Bennet is touting his relationship with the popular Gardner as the Democratic incumbent fights to hang onto his Colorado Senate seat.
“I’m working with Cory Gardner to force senators to stay in Washington if another government shutdown seems possible,” said Mr. Bennet in a recently released television ad airing in Colorado media markets.
His campaign website highlights his ties to Mr. Gardner as well as Republican Rep. Scott Tipton while emphasizing that the Democrat “isn’t afraid to take on his own party.”
“Michael is working with Republican Sen. Cory Gardner to reform outdated tax provisions hindering investment in water and irrigation infrastructure,” says the Bennet for Colorado website.
Two years ago, however, Mr. Bennet went full war-on-women against Mr. Gardner. The Democrat raised $60 million to fund the DSCC’s Bannock Street Project, an effort to demonize Republicans with women voters that the Bennet campaign had pioneered in 2010.
The tactic wound up backfiring spectacularly: Not only did Republicans retake the Senate, but Democratic Sen. Mark Udall lost his reelection bid to Mr. Gardner in what may have been the biggest Senate upset of the year.
Mr. Bennet is widely viewed as the Senate’s most vulnerable Democrat in 2016 even though Colorado Republicans are still in the process of choosing their Senate candidate.
So far five Republicans have qualified for the June 28 primary ballot: businessman Robert Blaha, former Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier, El Paso County Commissioner Darryl Glenn, former Colorado State University athletic director Jack Graham, and former state Rep. Jon Keyser.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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