Colorado GOP attacks transgender Democratic challenger in email

DENVER — The Colorado Republican Party sent a transphobic email on Thursday addressing the race between Republican incumbent state Sen. Cleave Simpson and Democratic opponent Vivian Smotherman, a transgender farmer and Navy veteran from Durango.

Simpson expressed his frustration with the email because he did not ask the GOP for help, and said the message did not align with his values.

"I'll be honest with you, it wasn't unexpected," said Smotherman. "Okay, so my first reaction was just to laugh because you could see, I know Cleave well enough that it wasn't coming from him, so we know who it was coming from, but it’s just it's not where politics should be."

This email said, "Smotherman brings nothing to the table other than more anti-conservative anger and an incessant need to post videos about being transsexual." And also used male pronouns to refer to Smotherman.

"It takes a little while to process and think about that. I'm like, all right, so how do I deal with this?" Simpson asked. "Maybe years of experience and dealing with people and managing hundreds of folks, it didn't take long to kind of process and go, all right, I think a call to Vivian is appropriate again to express, this wasn't originated from me, and doesn’t align with my values set."

While the conversation was described briefly, Smotherman described the meaning behind this action. She said, "I already had a good deal of respect for him, and it just reinforced that."

Simpson is frustrated not only with the email but also with his party's leadership. In June, multiple Republicans called for the removal of Dave Williams as the Colorado GOP Chair.

Colorado GOP attacks transgender Democratic challenger in email

"Actually, I'm one of the committee members that signed a petition asking leadership to step down for, what I felt was, a lack of real demonstrated leadership for the party and thought we were headed the wrong direction," Simpson said.

Both candidates shared their focus on their campaign and bringing light to the issues that impact people in their community. Smotherman explained that her campaign focuses on rural housing, rural health care, and education. Simpson specifically addressed making Colorado more affordable and the opportunity to improve the cost of living.

"Trying to represent all the constituents and Senate District 6 and the things that impact them will be first and foremost," said Simpson. "But then secondly is again ... how to build a stronger Republican Party because I think it helps the state."

Following the email, Smotherman expressed her hope that the campaign will focus on what matters to the people of southwest Colorado and that this hatred will not continue.

"So this kind of hate, this kind of abuse, it has no place in politics," said Smotherman. "But I would always rather have that fall on my shoulders than the younger generation that is still struggling with the things that I overcame so many years ago."

Our Denver news partners reached out to Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams and are awaiting a response.

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