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What’s At Stake in Morse, Giron Recall

KUNC

September 10th will be a make or break day for two Colorado lawmakers facing recall.

Democratic Senator’s John Morse and Angela Giron are facing recall because of their support of gun control legislation during this year’s legislative session.

What’s at stake is the balance of power in the State Senate. Republicans are in the minority but even if Morse and Giron are ousted Democrats would still have a one seat majority.

Interview Highlights

Party leaders say they are behind Morse and Giron, but they have to be concerned about possibly losing two seats.

“Of course, mainly because trying to keep a caucus united, all the Republicans or all the Democrats in the Senate is tough. You’ve got some rural representation that’s doesn’t always agree with some of the people from the urban areas so that makes the Democrats vulnerable as it does Republicans and it’s very chancy. You’re trying to get your legislation passed and your agenda promoted and if you have to worry about just having one vote as a cushion – it makes it a lot more difficult.”

Democrats could hold onto the seats and avoid a recall if Morse and Giron resign.

“Neither campaign says they’re going to be employing that strategy and their supporters as well say they’re lined up behind Morse and Giron and those are the candidates that they are supporting. Like you said, it’s an option but not one that Morse or Giron have decided to take.”

On the role of outside influence and money on the recall effort.

“I think we’ll see money from organizations like Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which is New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun group as well as the National Rifle Association, there are rumors that they’ll become involved. And then there are the local campaigns that are raising money not just in Colorado but outside the state as well. Morse has raised more than a $150,000.00 and Giron has raised close to $90,000.00 – and it’s coming from mostly liberal groups as far away as Washington, D.C. and even New York. On the other side the El Paso Freedom Defense Community, which is working to get rid of Morse, has raised about $85,000.00 in contributions and they’re likely to bring in a lot more national money. Because this is almost a recall on gun control and gun legislation and a lot of people see this as a national example.”

Jody Hope Strogoff is the publisher of the Colorado Statesman.

Email: brian.larson@kunc.org
Jody Hope Strogoff is the editor and publisher of The Colorado Statesman. The Statesman is a non-partisan political weekly newspaper, founded in 1898. Jody began working at the newspaper in the late 1970s, later purchasing the publication in 1988. She discusses the state’s political scene each Tuesday at 6:35 and 8:35 during KUNC’s Morning Edition.
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