Denver, CO – The Colorado Democratic Party today launched an unprecedented campaign in Western & Southern Colorado: The 546 Project.
Lauren Boebert has spent more time promoting herself and catering to extremists than she has fighting to address drought, create jobs, and save people money on health care, housing, and energy costs. Winning her race in 2022 by a mere 546 votes shows that rural Coloradans are tired of the nonsense and deserve a Member of Congress focused on getting stuff done, not on becoming famous.
The 546 Project organizes the Democratic Party earlier than ever in CD3 and utilizes nearly 500 neighborhood leaders to reactivate and strengthen our relationship with rural and high-country voters who were regular voters and then sat out the 2022 election. Had these voters turned out as they usually do, Lauren Boebert would be a footnote in Colorado political history. The Colorado Democratic Party is partnering with county parties to engage in direct voter contact across the district starting today and continuing over the next 17 months.
The 546 Project will make hundreds of contacts with voters per week in CD3, reactivating voters who typically vote but sat out 2022. Not only will this project lead our efforts to defeat Lauren Boebert in 2024, but it will allow us to organize around important local races in 2023, and give us a nearly year headstart on winning critical county commissioner, county clerk, sheriff, state house, and state senate seats in 2024. This campaign is structured around four phases of engagement, with the first phase focused on listening, learning, and reengaging with voters. The campaign will continue to organize around issues in local races this fall, and will spend 2024 educating voters about why Lauren Boebert and her allies must be defeated.
“As Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, I made a promise to aggressively fight for Democratic victories in rural Colorado, and this campaign activates 500 neighborhood leaders to engage thousands of voters across CD3, elect community-minded leaders in local races, and defeat Lauren Boebert,” said Shad Murib, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party. “We can’t win if we don’t show up, and this campaign sets up permanent infrastructure in Western & Southern Colorado.”
“Lauren Boebert’s attacks on our public schools have to end. Her suggestion of eliminating the Department of Education would decimate Colorado schools that are already strapped for cash and hurt our kids’ ability to get a great education,” said State Representative Barbara McLachlan. “The 546 Project will make sure that every Democrat who might have sat out 2022 is inspired to vote in 2023 and 2024.”
““Every member of Colorado’s Congressional delegation should be focused on advocating for Colorado’s water, in a nonpartisan way. Water is the lifeblood of our rural communities and the crisis on the Colorado River deserves a unified focus on results, not political posturing or useless tweets,” said State Senator, Dylan Roberts. “Communities in my district are tired of political posturing: they’re looking for someone to get things done for Colorado’s water future.”
"From her first day in office, Lauren Boebert has been more concerned with being the star of her own Fox News show, rather than working for our families here in the Home of Heroes," said Bri Buentello, former state representative and chairwoman of the Pueblo Democratic Party. “The 546 Project will organize voters in Pueblo earlier than ever and we’re ready to hit the ground running.”
"I was thrilled to hear about CDP's The 546 Project. Losing to Boebert by 546 votes in 2022, kept many of us up at night, especially when 19,000 Democrats in CD3 didn't even vote. We can't let that happen in 2024” said Kevin Kuns, Chair, Montrose County Dems. “Additionally, The 546 Project has the potential to bring new voters out to win critical municipal elections in November, for Democrats.”
"I love the idea of reaching out to left-leaning folks who don't always vote, and finding out why they don't vote consistently,” said Debbie Bruell, Chair, Garfield County Dems. “There's so much we can learn by listening. If we want to be responsive to our communities, we need to better understand their perspectives."
Mary Dodd, Chair, Montezuma County Dems said “I wholeheartedly support The 546 Project because it unites county party leaders in CD3 around the following common goals: to share expertise and apply lessons learned from the 2022 field game to win CD 3 in 2024; to develop deeper relationships with our base voters thus strengthening our local county parties; and to show rural Coloradans that Dems Deliver for rural Colorado. Achieving these goals will have positive effects far beyond 2024. Additionally, I’m most excited to continue to work with other CD3 leaders, who inspire me every day with the work they do on behalf of our district, state, and nation. “
“We are so close to winning this seat! We can see and feel and almost taste victory and we know we can do it, ” said Anne Markward. Chair, La Plata County Dems. “And we’ll all be better off for that win.”
"I am excited about the Colorado Democratic Party's work in CD3 because I am ready for real leadership in Congress,” said Pam Espinoza, Vice Chair, Colorado Democratic Party Congressional District 3 .”I am tired of "angertainment" and a representative who ignores the people of CD3. Last year proved what is possible when we focus on shared values. Now it's time to finish the work."
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The measures include strengthening the state's red flag law and reducing some legal protections for the firearm industry. The enhanced red flag law permits doctors, mental health professionals, and teachers to request a judge to temporarily remove someone's firearm, a power previously mainly limited to law enforcement and family members. The objective is to intervene proactively before suicide attempts or violent acts occur.