Kevin Priola is 100% right (as are you Tim). The only place for a responsible Republican to be right now is in the Democratic party. 147 Republicans voted to decertify the election. Whether they say that the election was rigged or not, every single Republican (who hasn't already proved they will stand up to Trump like Kemp did) is potentially a Democracy killer. The one's who have remained are either crazy, or too weak-willed to say what they believe. And as he says, the Democrats are still a big-tent party.
What really stood out to me was that Priola is doing the flip side of what the delusional "good Republicans" way they're doing by sticking with the GOP - there is stuff I don't like, but I agree with them on some fundamental things (election integrity / representative democracy and climate change) and I want a seat at the table so I can influence what they're doing.
I stopped hoping for a Republican party that sought bipartisan solutions to solve the nation's challenges when Tricky Dick won in 68. It's been a downhill run ever since. . . at least Tricky Dick had sufficient respect for the chair and the body politic to resign. This crew seems hellbent on chaos.
“it seemed like the Democratic party was trying to solve problems and trying to fix things and they were trying to temper the far left”
Thanks for this statement. I’m working on a letter to the editor and can use this idea. My rep is Elise Stefanik who’s running against former CIA officer, Matt Castelli. She’s someone who’s actually in a position of being able to try to contain craziness and throws gasoline on it.
My mom ran the local office for a Republican congressman in Dayton from 1967-1979, Chuck Whalen. The OH03 was a mostly democratic district but Chuck did well because he put his constituents over his party and once won with 70% of the vote. I ran for the same seat (redistricted into the OH10) in '18 and was told by many older African Americans who remembered Chuck "he was the last Republican that was good for West Dayton."
It's heartwarming to see public servants with that mindset still exist - we need more of them. Ironically, Chuck decided not to run in 1978 because politics was becoming too toxic and the local Rs were planning to primary him. He retired and immediately became a Democrat.
Here's to Republicans losing more races and waking up to reality instead of fabricating an alternate one. But mostly, here's to New Democrats like Sen Priola - welcome to the party. I got here in 2008 and the numbers are growing.
Absolute loved reading this! Thank you for the nice Friday surprise, I hope Priola finds something productive and good to do with his time after his Senate term ends. He sounded like he was done at the end of his term.
Awesome interview Tim! Oriole nails it. Republicans have to lose elections to change and anyone like him who stays and helps them win is just getting more and more of the stink on them and at some point it won’t come off anymore and the America they say they love will be changed into something completely different.
Another centrist Colorado Democrat here, in my case from the new 8th CD. Thanks to Tim for this conversation with Sen Priola. Sort of sad that he’s acknowledging that these are his last 2 years in our State Senate; would like to see this kind of leadership continue. I’m in a part of CO that has been, in the 35 years I’ve lived here, part of the 2nd (bright blue), 4th (bright red), and now 8th (true purple) districts. In this brand new District, there was only 1 Dem candidate in the primary, who is now being slammed in NGOP ads for being too far to the left (the N is for “not” 😉). There wasn’t even a choice presented to Dems to choose a more centrist candidate. Political malpractice, in my opinion. I grew up in the Bay Area, in a district represented at the time by “liberal Republicans” - such as Pete McCloskey - with socially tolerant and environmentally conservationist, but fiscally conservative views. Dems now need to embrace more policies in that sweet spot.
I’m asking again that all former Republicans actually join their state Democratic Party. I’m a moderate Democrat and we need you. Show up. Get involved. It’s our future. Don’t worry if you disagree about left wing economics and extreme social positions. So do most Democratic voters. We vote for democracy, decency, the environment, privacy rights and SS and Medicare. The disagreements are minor by comparison.
I've lived in Colorado's 3 congressional district for almost 60 years. Since 1960, we've had a republican representative for 32 years and a dem for 30 years, but we last had a democrat with John Salazar from 2004-2010. All those historic representatives were pretty moderate until the voter pool started polarizing. For better or worse, Western Colorado has become a magnet for wealthy, coastal elites and retirees, most of them liberal democrats, which has created quite a lot of conflict with the old-line ranchers, farmers, drillers, miners and so forth, many of whom could identify with a John Salazar. many of those dems and moderate republicans reacted understandably but irrationally to the sudden changes, becoming more resentful and more republican, pushing that cohort of the electorate so far right so fast, that we wound up with Lauren Boebert.
Unfortunately, we democrats have, starting in 2016, insisted on nominating ski resort intellectuals from places like Chicago for the 3rd. this year, we have Adam Frisch, who, I think, more business and ag friendly than recent dem nominees, is an Aspen City Councilor. He won't win. So, yes, I think the 3rd district Dems think and present as a little too far left for the 3rd. We need a San Louis Valley Farmer or a Grand Valley Orchardist or an Uncompahgre Valley Rancher to beat Boebert. Where is that person?
I really appreciate people like Tim Miller and Kevin Priola. They remind me of me, only much younger and less cynical. You have to walk in the shadow before you can see any light. I was a bit younger than them when I saw the light, but I had crooks like Nixon and grinning idiots like Reagan to show me how sorry the country would be if lead any further by Republicans.
More importantly: Porter Jr. is back. Jamal Murray is back. The Joker is unstoppable and immovable. Bones is ready when needed. Barring further, major injury to those guys, the Nuggets Win It All.
Kevin Priola is 100% right (as are you Tim). The only place for a responsible Republican to be right now is in the Democratic party. 147 Republicans voted to decertify the election. Whether they say that the election was rigged or not, every single Republican (who hasn't already proved they will stand up to Trump like Kemp did) is potentially a Democracy killer. The one's who have remained are either crazy, or too weak-willed to say what they believe. And as he says, the Democrats are still a big-tent party.
Agree that our country needs two competent political parties to maintain a working democracy. It is sad that the Republican Party has lost it’s way.
Kevin Priola is a man of integrity. Thank you, Tim, for a great interview.
Really interesting interview with Kevin Priola.
What really stood out to me was that Priola is doing the flip side of what the delusional "good Republicans" way they're doing by sticking with the GOP - there is stuff I don't like, but I agree with them on some fundamental things (election integrity / representative democracy and climate change) and I want a seat at the table so I can influence what they're doing.
I stopped hoping for a Republican party that sought bipartisan solutions to solve the nation's challenges when Tricky Dick won in 68. It's been a downhill run ever since. . . at least Tricky Dick had sufficient respect for the chair and the body politic to resign. This crew seems hellbent on chaos.
A truly excellent and engaging interview, Tim. Many thanks for writing it out.
SallyJones
The last sane Republican? Sadly, most probably the case.
“it seemed like the Democratic party was trying to solve problems and trying to fix things and they were trying to temper the far left”
Thanks for this statement. I’m working on a letter to the editor and can use this idea. My rep is Elise Stefanik who’s running against former CIA officer, Matt Castelli. She’s someone who’s actually in a position of being able to try to contain craziness and throws gasoline on it.
My mom ran the local office for a Republican congressman in Dayton from 1967-1979, Chuck Whalen. The OH03 was a mostly democratic district but Chuck did well because he put his constituents over his party and once won with 70% of the vote. I ran for the same seat (redistricted into the OH10) in '18 and was told by many older African Americans who remembered Chuck "he was the last Republican that was good for West Dayton."
It's heartwarming to see public servants with that mindset still exist - we need more of them. Ironically, Chuck decided not to run in 1978 because politics was becoming too toxic and the local Rs were planning to primary him. He retired and immediately became a Democrat.
Here's to Republicans losing more races and waking up to reality instead of fabricating an alternate one. But mostly, here's to New Democrats like Sen Priola - welcome to the party. I got here in 2008 and the numbers are growing.
Absolute loved reading this! Thank you for the nice Friday surprise, I hope Priola finds something productive and good to do with his time after his Senate term ends. He sounded like he was done at the end of his term.
Awesome interview Tim! Oriole nails it. Republicans have to lose elections to change and anyone like him who stays and helps them win is just getting more and more of the stink on them and at some point it won’t come off anymore and the America they say they love will be changed into something completely different.
Another centrist Colorado Democrat here, in my case from the new 8th CD. Thanks to Tim for this conversation with Sen Priola. Sort of sad that he’s acknowledging that these are his last 2 years in our State Senate; would like to see this kind of leadership continue. I’m in a part of CO that has been, in the 35 years I’ve lived here, part of the 2nd (bright blue), 4th (bright red), and now 8th (true purple) districts. In this brand new District, there was only 1 Dem candidate in the primary, who is now being slammed in NGOP ads for being too far to the left (the N is for “not” 😉). There wasn’t even a choice presented to Dems to choose a more centrist candidate. Political malpractice, in my opinion. I grew up in the Bay Area, in a district represented at the time by “liberal Republicans” - such as Pete McCloskey - with socially tolerant and environmentally conservationist, but fiscally conservative views. Dems now need to embrace more policies in that sweet spot.
I’m asking again that all former Republicans actually join their state Democratic Party. I’m a moderate Democrat and we need you. Show up. Get involved. It’s our future. Don’t worry if you disagree about left wing economics and extreme social positions. So do most Democratic voters. We vote for democracy, decency, the environment, privacy rights and SS and Medicare. The disagreements are minor by comparison.
Tim, your style is so joyous, despite talking about the most awful and scary things! Love listening to you and reading what you post.
I've lived in Colorado's 3 congressional district for almost 60 years. Since 1960, we've had a republican representative for 32 years and a dem for 30 years, but we last had a democrat with John Salazar from 2004-2010. All those historic representatives were pretty moderate until the voter pool started polarizing. For better or worse, Western Colorado has become a magnet for wealthy, coastal elites and retirees, most of them liberal democrats, which has created quite a lot of conflict with the old-line ranchers, farmers, drillers, miners and so forth, many of whom could identify with a John Salazar. many of those dems and moderate republicans reacted understandably but irrationally to the sudden changes, becoming more resentful and more republican, pushing that cohort of the electorate so far right so fast, that we wound up with Lauren Boebert.
Unfortunately, we democrats have, starting in 2016, insisted on nominating ski resort intellectuals from places like Chicago for the 3rd. this year, we have Adam Frisch, who, I think, more business and ag friendly than recent dem nominees, is an Aspen City Councilor. He won't win. So, yes, I think the 3rd district Dems think and present as a little too far left for the 3rd. We need a San Louis Valley Farmer or a Grand Valley Orchardist or an Uncompahgre Valley Rancher to beat Boebert. Where is that person?
I really appreciate people like Tim Miller and Kevin Priola. They remind me of me, only much younger and less cynical. You have to walk in the shadow before you can see any light. I was a bit younger than them when I saw the light, but I had crooks like Nixon and grinning idiots like Reagan to show me how sorry the country would be if lead any further by Republicans.
More importantly: Porter Jr. is back. Jamal Murray is back. The Joker is unstoppable and immovable. Bones is ready when needed. Barring further, major injury to those guys, the Nuggets Win It All.