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A Congressman Slighted Immigrants, Then Embraced Them. Now He Runs From Trump. A Congressman Slighted Immigrants, Then Embraced Them. Now He Runs From Trump.
(about 4 hours later)
DENVER — Representative Mike Coffman watches telenovelas. He admits this with a laugh that doubles him over, his hand clamping on a nearby shoulder for support, but the Colorado Republican has serious reasons for his immersion in Spanish-language soap operas.DENVER — Representative Mike Coffman watches telenovelas. He admits this with a laugh that doubles him over, his hand clamping on a nearby shoulder for support, but the Colorado Republican has serious reasons for his immersion in Spanish-language soap operas.
He started learning Spanish in 2013, he said, shortly after being re-elected to a redistricted House seat whose constituents bore little resemblance to the far more conservative ones who sent him to Congress in 2008. Mr. Coffman, a retired Marine who co-sponsored a bill to make English the nation’s official language and suggested that Hispanic voters who could not understand their ballots should “pull out a dictionary,” suddenly represented the most diverse district in Colorado.He started learning Spanish in 2013, he said, shortly after being re-elected to a redistricted House seat whose constituents bore little resemblance to the far more conservative ones who sent him to Congress in 2008. Mr. Coffman, a retired Marine who co-sponsored a bill to make English the nation’s official language and suggested that Hispanic voters who could not understand their ballots should “pull out a dictionary,” suddenly represented the most diverse district in Colorado.
And now he has to contend with Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee who kicked off his campaign by suggesting that many Mexican immigrants were drug dealers and rapists.And now he has to contend with Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee who kicked off his campaign by suggesting that many Mexican immigrants were drug dealers and rapists.
“This is a unique case where a Republican is really going full-force to change with the times,” said David Wasserman, an editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report who focuses on House races.“This is a unique case where a Republican is really going full-force to change with the times,” said David Wasserman, an editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report who focuses on House races.
In an especially troublesome year to run as a Republican in a district where one in five residents is Latino, the race for Mr. Coffman’s seat has become one of the most competitive, with Democrats hungrily eyeing it in their Quixotic quest to recapture the House. The fight for Colorado’s Sixth District is one of 16 House races currently up for grabs, according to Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball political newsletter.In an especially troublesome year to run as a Republican in a district where one in five residents is Latino, the race for Mr. Coffman’s seat has become one of the most competitive, with Democrats hungrily eyeing it in their Quixotic quest to recapture the House. The fight for Colorado’s Sixth District is one of 16 House races currently up for grabs, according to Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball political newsletter.
The House — a mélange of gerrymandered districts that largely insulate members from political forces like a controversial presidential nominee— is unlikely to turn blue this year. The Democrats would have to pick up at least 30 seats, a long-shot for a party whose leaders did not anticipate Mr. Trump’s rise early enough to recruit stronger candidates, Mr. Wasserman said. Republicans are more likely to see their 247-to-188 majority reduced by about 10 to 15 seats, political forecasters like Mr. Wasserman said.The House — a mélange of gerrymandered districts that largely insulate members from political forces like a controversial presidential nominee— is unlikely to turn blue this year. The Democrats would have to pick up at least 30 seats, a long-shot for a party whose leaders did not anticipate Mr. Trump’s rise early enough to recruit stronger candidates, Mr. Wasserman said. Republicans are more likely to see their 247-to-188 majority reduced by about 10 to 15 seats, political forecasters like Mr. Wasserman said.
But Republicans in the hot seats are fleeing Mr. Trump’s undertow. Early this month, Mr. Coffman became the first House Republican to air an ad explicitly distancing himself from his party’s presidential candidate.But Republicans in the hot seats are fleeing Mr. Trump’s undertow. Early this month, Mr. Coffman became the first House Republican to air an ad explicitly distancing himself from his party’s presidential candidate.
“Honestly, I don’t care for him much,” Mr. Coffman said in the spot, which is running in English and Spanish.“Honestly, I don’t care for him much,” Mr. Coffman said in the spot, which is running in English and Spanish.
In Colorado, Mr. Trump is 14 percentage points behind Hillary Clinton, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released Friday.In Colorado, Mr. Trump is 14 percentage points behind Hillary Clinton, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released Friday.
In keeping with Colorado’s independent streak, about 21 percent said they were not planning to vote for either candidate or were undecided — a group to which Mr. Coffman appealed when he also refused to support Mrs. Clinton.In keeping with Colorado’s independent streak, about 21 percent said they were not planning to vote for either candidate or were undecided — a group to which Mr. Coffman appealed when he also refused to support Mrs. Clinton.
Mr. Coffman will have to do more than just retain the favor he has gained in his increasingly Democratic district, Mr. Wasserman said, because more Democrats turn out to vote in presidential election years.Mr. Coffman will have to do more than just retain the favor he has gained in his increasingly Democratic district, Mr. Wasserman said, because more Democrats turn out to vote in presidential election years.
And this year he is grappling with another factor: “a very credible and talented opponent,” Mr. Wasserman said.And this year he is grappling with another factor: “a very credible and talented opponent,” Mr. Wasserman said.
That opponent, Morgan Carroll, a Democrat who served as president of the State Senate, listened intently on Aug. 6 as a couple of dozen Latino activists and voters enumerated their concerns at her campaign office as they munched on pan dulce, a Latin American pastry, and doughnuts. Grievances included a fractured education system, a flawed criminal justice system and a broken immigration system. She jotted down notes with a purple gel pen, letting her guests steer the conversation but slipping in to offer her position or a brief interpretation of the congressional landscape.That opponent, Morgan Carroll, a Democrat who served as president of the State Senate, listened intently on Aug. 6 as a couple of dozen Latino activists and voters enumerated their concerns at her campaign office as they munched on pan dulce, a Latin American pastry, and doughnuts. Grievances included a fractured education system, a flawed criminal justice system and a broken immigration system. She jotted down notes with a purple gel pen, letting her guests steer the conversation but slipping in to offer her position or a brief interpretation of the congressional landscape.
Ms. Carroll, who grew up in Colorado and has represented parts of the district in the state legislature since 2009, is a self-described policy nerd, dropping to a whisper as she confesses that. Ms. Carroll has read every bill she has ever voted on, she said, and a few she has not, such as the entire Affordable Care Act, she said — twice. Ms. Carroll, who grew up in Colorado and has represented parts of the district in the state legislature since 2005, is a self-described policy nerd, dropping to a whisper as she confesses that. Ms. Carroll has read every bill she has ever voted on, she said, and a few she has not, such as the entire Affordable Care Act, she said — twice.
In the legislature, Ms. Carroll sponsored legislation requiring universal background checks for firearms sales after the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora that left 12 dead and scores injured. Her bill became law in 2013.In the legislature, Ms. Carroll sponsored legislation requiring universal background checks for firearms sales after the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora that left 12 dead and scores injured. Her bill became law in 2013.
Mr. Coffman, she said, helped foster the environment that led to Mr. Trump’s nomination.Mr. Coffman, she said, helped foster the environment that led to Mr. Trump’s nomination.
“He may realize that Trump is politically unpopular,” Ms. Carroll said, “and he may see that he not only needs to distance himself from Donald Trump, but, here’s the kicker: Mike Coffman has to distance himself from Mike Coffman.”“He may realize that Trump is politically unpopular,” Ms. Carroll said, “and he may see that he not only needs to distance himself from Donald Trump, but, here’s the kicker: Mike Coffman has to distance himself from Mike Coffman.”
Mr. Coffman’s detractors see him as another pandering politician, willing to do anything to get re-elected. Another of Mr. Coffman’s ads — in which a handful of people of different ages and ethnicities say he is “not like other Republicans” but “one of us” — draws bitter laughter at Ms. Carroll’s campaign office.Mr. Coffman’s detractors see him as another pandering politician, willing to do anything to get re-elected. Another of Mr. Coffman’s ads — in which a handful of people of different ages and ethnicities say he is “not like other Republicans” but “one of us” — draws bitter laughter at Ms. Carroll’s campaign office.
“He didn’t find religion until he got redistricted,” said Tim Sandos, a former Denver city councilman who is now the chief executive of the National Hispanic Voter Educational Foundation. “And now all of a sudden he’s ‘one of us.’”“He didn’t find religion until he got redistricted,” said Tim Sandos, a former Denver city councilman who is now the chief executive of the National Hispanic Voter Educational Foundation. “And now all of a sudden he’s ‘one of us.’”
Democrats have tried to tie Mr. Coffman to his party’s often bombastic standard-bearer, with the national campaign committee sinking $10,000 into television ads that ran last week and the progressive advocacy group Americans United for Change targeting Mr. Coffman among other vulnerable Republicans.Democrats have tried to tie Mr. Coffman to his party’s often bombastic standard-bearer, with the national campaign committee sinking $10,000 into television ads that ran last week and the progressive advocacy group Americans United for Change targeting Mr. Coffman among other vulnerable Republicans.
But Mr. Coffman is striving to rise above the national political environment. At Denver’s annual Taste of Ethiopia festival this month, he dug into a spread of injera and beef tibs, eating the traditional way — with his hands — while squeezed between Nick Metz, the Aurora police chief, and Geta Asfaw, a prominent Ethiopian immigrant and a businessman who owns a number of McDonald’s franchises.But Mr. Coffman is striving to rise above the national political environment. At Denver’s annual Taste of Ethiopia festival this month, he dug into a spread of injera and beef tibs, eating the traditional way — with his hands — while squeezed between Nick Metz, the Aurora police chief, and Geta Asfaw, a prominent Ethiopian immigrant and a businessman who owns a number of McDonald’s franchises.
After making his way through the platter and the crowd, Mr. Coffman accepted flowers and a traditional Ethiopian shirt from the festival’s organizer before an appreciative audience. Mr. Coffman had warmed up the crowd with a few halting words in Amharic and remarks about the importance of one of the largest immigrant communities in the state.After making his way through the platter and the crowd, Mr. Coffman accepted flowers and a traditional Ethiopian shirt from the festival’s organizer before an appreciative audience. Mr. Coffman had warmed up the crowd with a few halting words in Amharic and remarks about the importance of one of the largest immigrant communities in the state.
Immediately after the appreciation ceremony for Mr. Coffman, the organizer introduced Ms. Carroll for her own brief remarks — making no mention of the fact that she was running to unseat the apparent guest of honor.Immediately after the appreciation ceremony for Mr. Coffman, the organizer introduced Ms. Carroll for her own brief remarks — making no mention of the fact that she was running to unseat the apparent guest of honor.
Mr. Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has troubled Ethiopians, Mr. Asfaw said. (“When you’re negative about one immigrant, you affect the whole immigrant community,” he said.) But many Ethiopian immigrants remember that Mr. Coffman went to their churches to grieve with them when the Islamic State beheaded a number of Ethiopians in Libya last year.Mr. Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has troubled Ethiopians, Mr. Asfaw said. (“When you’re negative about one immigrant, you affect the whole immigrant community,” he said.) But many Ethiopian immigrants remember that Mr. Coffman went to their churches to grieve with them when the Islamic State beheaded a number of Ethiopians in Libya last year.
“If more and more Republicans were like him, it would be a better world,” Mr. Asfaw said.“If more and more Republicans were like him, it would be a better world,” Mr. Asfaw said.
Mr. Coffman rejects the characterization of himself as an opportunist. He did not have these immigrant communities among his constituents before, he said; now that he has learned about their struggles — like the plight of a young, undocumented immigrant who wants to go to a military academy and is held back only by her immigration status — he has changed his mind about some issues. He was one of a handful of Republicans to vote against a House bill that would have blocked President Obama’s executive order to shield as many as five million illegal immigrants from deportation.Mr. Coffman rejects the characterization of himself as an opportunist. He did not have these immigrant communities among his constituents before, he said; now that he has learned about their struggles — like the plight of a young, undocumented immigrant who wants to go to a military academy and is held back only by her immigration status — he has changed his mind about some issues. He was one of a handful of Republicans to vote against a House bill that would have blocked President Obama’s executive order to shield as many as five million illegal immigrants from deportation.
“When you’re with people and you hear stories like that, it changes your view,” Mr. Coffman said.“When you’re with people and you hear stories like that, it changes your view,” Mr. Coffman said.
But Mr. Coffman has not reached Maria Gonzalez. After she listened to the conversation in Ms. Carroll’s campaign office for more than an hour, her story came spilling out: how her parents brought her into the country illegally; how immigration complications tore her family apart; how she became a citizen and successful businesswoman.But Mr. Coffman has not reached Maria Gonzalez. After she listened to the conversation in Ms. Carroll’s campaign office for more than an hour, her story came spilling out: how her parents brought her into the country illegally; how immigration complications tore her family apart; how she became a citizen and successful businesswoman.
“The doors have been closed on me. You have no idea,” Ms. Gonzalez said, her voice raising and breaking as she began to cry. “And so when I hear people like Donald Trump and Mike Coffman — are you serious? You don’t know that I represent so many immigrants of this country.”“The doors have been closed on me. You have no idea,” Ms. Gonzalez said, her voice raising and breaking as she began to cry. “And so when I hear people like Donald Trump and Mike Coffman — are you serious? You don’t know that I represent so many immigrants of this country.”