Coffman’s ad is called Country First, though some wags (like me) are already calling it Coffman First as he struggles to remain in congress.
Source: Politico
The commercial, which is set to begin airing on Friday, is an unusual one: Rarely do incumbent members of Congress finance commercials in which they launch attacks on presidential nominees of their own party. But for Coffman, a fourth-term lawmaker who represents a suburban Denver district that is one of the most politically competitive in the country, the move may be one of necessity. As with many other imperiled Republicans, Democrats have been eager to tie Coffman to Trump’s candidacy.
The ad is uncommon for another reason. With an eye toward assuaging Latinos — many of whom have been alienated by Trump’s tough-on-immigration posture — Coffman will also release a version of the commercial which features him speaking Spanish. Latinos comprise around 20 percent of the district’s population.
As Republicans struggle to maneuver around Trump, Coffman’s ad could signal to other party figures in hard-fought races that they’re free to criticize Trump — and that doing so may help their election bids.
