GOP, Leaving Their Wounded on the Field

Endangered incumbent
Mike Coffman

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super-PAC serving the needs of the Republican leadership in the US House, has decided to cut off support for incumbent Rep. Mike Coffman in Colorado's 6th Congressional District. The super-PAC has decided to pull back $1 million in TV advertising it was planning to spend to help Coffman keep his seat.

That's got to sting.

Coffman is a five-term loyal Republican soldier, but the guys with the money have lost confidence that he can win this year, and there are so many other Republican incumbents who have a better shot. (However, the National Republican Congressional Committee -- NRCC -- isn't giving up, says it's adding $600,000 to its TV budget in Coffman's district.)

Can't help wondering if some of Coffman's slump is due to his initial refusal to endorse Donald Trump in 2016. He supported Marco Rubio in the primaries. And then he actually called on Trump to drop out after the pussy-grabbing tape. (In 2012, Coffman backed Rick Perry for president in the primaries. The man can pick 'em, can't he?)

So who's the Democrat giving Coffman such a run?

Jason Crow was an active duty Army officer on 9/11, with the 82nd Airborne Division, and he subsequently led a division of paratroopers in the invasion of Iraq. "Shortly after returning from Iraq he joined the U.S. Army’s elite 75th Ranger Regiment, serving two additional tours – this time in Afghanistan, as part of the Joint Special Operations Task Force, where Jason served along the Pakistan border and achieved the rank of Captain." After his service, Crow was very active as a veterans advocate, and he is now a practicing attorney.

He's got the guts and the impeccable credentials to speak out on gun violence in a very pro-gun state: