Good News In Colorado-- Morgan Carroll Is Running For Congress

CO-06 was redrawn some years ago as a true swing district. It snakes around the southern, western and northen suburbs of Denver and includes Aurora, Littleton and Centennial. Long a prime Democratic target, the PVI D+1 district is represented by Mike Coffman, who is far too right ideologically for the moderate district. Obama beat McCain in 2004 59-40%, and beat Romney 4 years later 52-47%. 

The DCCC selected their last candidate, Andrew Romanoff, despite a distinct lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy from the Hispanic community. Environmentalists were also wary of him because of an unwillingness to take a position on Keystone XL. He lost to Coffman 42.99% to 51.90%, despite outspending Coffman $5,145,370 to $4,708,362. Desperate, the DCCC poured $1,953,787 into the race in outside expenditures, and their House Majority PAC threw in another $1,417,124.

While Romanoff ws being handed the nomination, many Democrats were scratching their heads and wondering why the then-Senate majority Leader, Morgan Carroll, wasn't being more aggressively courted for the run. At the time "National Democrats" (which is how the lazy Beltway media refers to repulsive political bosses in DC like Steve Israel) said they were enthusiastic about the prospect of a Romanoff 2014 campaign. Democratic polling early in the 2012 cycle-- in December of 2011-- showed that Romanoff would have been the strongest possible challenger to Coffman that year, according to a source. One senior party strategist praised Romanoff as a potential warhorse nominee against a key Republican opponent.

Early in 2013 we asked Morgan why she had decided not to contest the primary. At the time she felt show could accomplish more for her constituents by leading in the state Senate. Today she is back on DWT with a very different message. She's running in 2016.

College Affordabity
by Morgan Carroll

This week, I was proud to announce my candidacy for Congress in Colorado's 6th District. This will be one of the most competitive races in America. My message of economic populism and a record of achieving real results for everyday families in the State Senate is how we will win this race.

There are many issues we will address in this election-- from jobs to Social Security to surveillance to my opponent's record of harmful votes to the people in this district or his failure to lead on long overdue reforms.

But one issue that I've worked on in Colorado and am excited to campaign on from Day One of my congressional campaign is college affordability. Specifically, I believe every student should have access to debt-free college at public colleges and universities. I believe interest rates are obscene and the lack of adequate merit- and need-based scholarships has reduced college opportunities from even a generation ago.

Right now Americans owe $1.2 trillion on their college loans. That’s more than we owe on all of our credit cards put together. Student debt is hurting our economy -- preventing young people from starting small businesses, buying their first home, and starting families. Tackling the college-debt crisis by making college debt-free is an investment in our economy's future, just as the G.I. Bill resulted in a 7-to-1 return on investment for our economy. Failure to act has meant people either cannot go to college or if they do they are facing decades of crushing student-loan debt. I know what this means firsthand, because I, too, am still paying on student loans even though I worked my way through college.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee and the think tank Demos issued a white paper showing that we can achieve debt-free education at all public universities and colleges through federal aid to states, increased aid to students, and innovation to reduce the underlying costs of college.

This is doable. It's also extremely popular. A poll by the Progressive Change Institute showed the debt-free college issue is supported by 71% of Americans while only 19% oppose it. Even Republican voters support it 56% to 33%.

On this and other populist ideas, what we need are leaders who will make this a campaign issue, win a mandate, and get the job done in Congress. That vision, and my record of passing major bills into law in the Colorado Senate and achieving real results, is what I will present to voters.

If this is the kind of campaign you support, I invite you to stay in the loop with us by signing up at www.carrollforcolorado.com.