Republicans name Gardner to "Young Guns" program
The National Republican Congressional Committee sent a potentially powerful signal in the 4th Congressional District GOP race today, naming Cory Gardner as one of the first 13 members of its “Young Guns” program.
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The selection stopped short of a formal endorsement, but provides national help for Gardner, a state representative from Yuma, as seeks to challenge Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Fort Collins, in the 2010 election.
“The NRCC is committed to working with Cory Gardner as he continues to meet the rigorous goals of the Young Guns program,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions, R-Texas. “With all that Cory Gardner has accomplished in just a few short months, I am confident that he will be successful in his effort to defeat Betsy Markey, who has acted as a mere rubber-stamp for Nancy Pelosi’s reckless anti-jobs agenda.”
To qualify for the program, candidates have to meet a series of benchmarks in fundraising and other campaign-building activity, and agree to keep meeting benchmarks set in consultation with the NRCC. Spokeswoman Joanna Burgos declined to detail the benchmarks.
Markey is in a similar program with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee called the “Frontline” program. The NRCC’s “Young Guns” program is modeled on the DCCC’s “Red to Blue” program, which funds challengers in seats held by the other party.
“We take it as a statement of the work we put in and a statement of the work we have yet to do,” Gardner spokesman Mike Ciletti said of the NRCC designation. “There’s a long road ahead of us.”
Burgos said Gardner’s selection was not an endorsement by the NRCC.
“Cory met the benchmarks to enter the first stage of the (Young Guns) program and now is faced with a new set of benchmarks if he wishes to continue to advance within that program. Any of the other candidates in the primary race can enroll to be in (Young Guns), as well,” Burgos said.
University of Colorado Regent Tom Lucero of Berthoud also has announced his candidacy for the GOP nomination. Supporters of former Fort Collins City Council member Diggs Brown have formed a draft committee to promote his potential candidacy while he serves a year of active Army duty.
Andrew Boucher, an organizer of the Draft Diggs movement, dismissed the NRCC Young Guns designation for Gardner.
“Washington insiders don’t get to anoint Colorado’s Republican nominees,”
Boucher said.
Burgos said GOP candidates initially enroll in the Young Guns program if they’re interested in participating, then qualify for the program by meeting various benchmarrks for fundraising and organization set by the committee. She declined to say if other 4th Congressional District candidates enrolled.
Lucero said he had not enrolled in the Young Guns program but his “campaign was making an internal decision whether to participate or not.”
Sessions told the Washington newspaper The Hill that he would like to avoid primaries but would “avoid the temptation of using our resources in primaries.”
Gardner has raised more than $200,000 since becoming a candidate in May. Lucero has raised about $30,000 and the Draft Diggs committee has raised $52,000.