Lookback: Behind the scenes of the Colorado recalls

Billboard sponsored by Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (Courtesy)

Rocky Mountain Gun Owners grassroots efforts fueled the first successful recall efforts in Colorado’s history, but only one effort overcame the primary and general elections.

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RMGO was involved in all three recall elections, and because of the close proximity of the third recall in Senate District-19 in Jefferson County, the most competitive county in Colorado, RMGO Super PAC funded the effort and ran the operations.

RMGO did not stop their efforts in Jefferson County after forcing anti-gun State Senator Evie Hudak SD-19 to resign in 2013. RMGO focused their attention in Jefferson County for long-term gain to defeat the Democrats replacement candidate, Rachel Zenzinger.

The 2013 Democrat controlled State Senate betrayed their constituents by voting for and signing into law the magazine ban restriction, a tax on all gun purchases and expanded background checks. These anti-gun bills spurred the recall elections and RMGO was not about to let the public in Jefferson County forget it.

RMGO recruited a candidate to run in the 2014 election against SD-19’s recall replacement candidate, Rachel Zenzinger. They urged prominent recall leader Laura Woods to run for office to represent the public’s lost voice.

Woods was slated to run against the establishment Republican Party’s candidate Lang Sias in the primary election. RMGO’s Super PAC was able to give Woods’ campaign some money, but was still outspent by outside establishment groups by a 4 to 1 margin.

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RMGO resorted to what they do best, grassroots mobilization. They let the public know her stances on specific Second Amendment legislation and Sias’ refusal to go on the record on the issues. Volunteers and supporters of the recall effort came in droves to offer grassroots support to Woods’s campaign.

Woods’ Primary Election was victorious and RMGO prepared for another nasty fight in the general election.

RMGO bombarded Woods’ Senate District with the most revealing political ads aimed to weaken Zenzinger, her anti-gun opponent.

Once again, RMGO’s efforts in this battle were outspent by a 3 to 1 margin from outside, liberal groups intent on destroying Second Amendment freedoms.

Make no doubt about it, if Rocky Mountain Gun Owners sat on the sidelines of this race, the Colorado State Senate would be in Democrats hands.

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