The editorial board for the Denver Post rescinded its 2014 endorsement of Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) Thursday after the senator sided with President Donald Trump on the national emergency declaration.
“Gardner has been too busy walking a political tightrope to be a leader,” the board writes. “He has become precisely what we said in our endorsement he would not be: ‘a political time-server interested only in professional security.’”
“These are extraordinary times,” it continues. “This is a bogus emergency that takes executive overreach to an extreme not seen even under President Barack Obama. Trump’s declaration is an abuse of his power, a direct overturning of Congress’ deliberate decision to pass a federal budget without funding for a wall. Put simply this is a constitutional crisis and one of Colorado’s two senators has failed the test.”
The editorial ends on a stinging note.
“Gardner was a never-Trumper in the primary who in recent months endorsed the president’s re-election campaign even as Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation continues to unveil the worst of this administrations web of lies and deceit. Tuesday’s vote was the last straw,” the board concludes. “We no longer know what principles guide the senator and regret giving him our support in a close race against Mark Udall.”
Gardner narrowly beat former Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) in 2014. He is widely considered one of the most vulnerable senators up for reelection in 2020.
Twelve Senate Republicans sided with Democrats on Thursday to reject Trump’s national emergency declaration. Gardner was not among them.
