First problem was that the recall elections were a waste of money for the state. The Senate President John Morse was termed out after next year and the other Democratic State Senator was up for re-election next year.
In addition, the two successful recalls did not change the balance of power between the parties in the State Senate nor between the pros and cons of gun control, and it was known before the election that it would not.
Another immense problem present was that, thanks to Citizens United, the NRA was able to spend $360,000 dollars on these two races. During regular elections that kind of money has to be spread around to about 468-9 US Congressional races, and many state legislative contests as well as initiatives, and each race must make do with a few thousand dollars of NRA favor.
Thirdly, a problem developed getting mail-in ballots out to voters in the two districts in a state that tends to favor using mail-in ballots.
The result was that only 11% of the voters in the districts voted. (If I remember Morse's words correctly).
No matter how the problem developed, it obviously wasn't a fair contest.
Still Morse only lost by about 1% and his co-defendant by less than 10%
Also, one out-of-district Republican publicly voted in the district based on a weekly rental he'd recently picked up though his children were still living and going to school in another district. This one man was publicized, and no-one knows how many copy-cat voters he inspired or were already convinced to go vote illegally by the NRA and did so. Actually mail in ballots can be checked later, but poll cast ballots are separated from the voters' credentials, making the lack of mail-in ballots creepier still.
But. of course, there's nothing to see here Hans, just Democracy as usual. No nothing is burning. Certainly not a Reichstag in Colorado.
All hail the NRA!
Remember when you go to pay your state tax bill next, Rocky Mountain Folk, that the NRA forced the state to spend millions on an election that changed nothing except to teach state legislators to bend to their will. The NRA can use this to get more Big Money from right wing sources, but you have to pay for
their special election.
Cheers!
http://bit.ly/15VOCeX
