Colorado's CD2 PDA House Candidate Forum is SRO
By Kenneth Nova, PDA CO CD 2 Point Person
October 23, 2007, Boulder, CO
October 15--Despite the Colorado Rockies playing another winning playoff game on the same night, the CO CD2 Candidates Forum at the Boulder Democratic Headquarters was a huge success. Over 120 people turned out for the event featuring Democratic Congressional Candidates Joan Fitz-Gerald, Will Shafroth, and Jared Polis.
With one eye on the open House seat in the 2008 election, and the other on PDA chapter organizing in CD2, PDA's Colorado CD2 Chapter was originated in the summer of 2007. Because CD2 is a nearly safe Democratic district--there are still no declared Republican candidates--members believed that they could very likely help frame the campaigns and then be a “listened-to” voice by the new representative. Progressive activists decided to take advantage of this opportunity to establish a relationship with each Democratic candidate, and eventually the primary winner by launching a PDA chapter.
On September 8, 2007, an estimated 65 people attended the launch meeting. During the meeting, participants split up into groups based on PDA's five main issues. Each group generated questions to ask candidates at an upcoming forum for the three candidates. After securing the candidates' agreement to participate in the forum, the questions were submitted to the candidates.
It was arranged to have the forum professionally videotaped, so that a record of the event would be available on the internet to share with those who couldn't attend the forum and for those who live in the more remote, mountainous areas of the CD.
Kevin Keilbach and Wendy Rochman facilitated the forum to a standing-room-only crowd. After a brief presentation about PDA delivered by Kenneth Nova, each candidate spoke for ten minutes about their overall beliefs. Five chapter members questioned the candidates on the five PDA issues using the questions developed at the September 8 Launch meeting: Joe Richey--fair & transparent elections, Steve Wangh--health care, Dave Anderson--economic justice, Françoise Poinsatte--global warming, and Jim Scarritt--Iraq occupation and redirecting funds.
The forum was not meant to be a debate, but a sharing of ideas. The candidates' answers were kept to one minute each in order to cover the issues and keep things moving. At the end, audience members were invited to submit additional written questions, which the chapter is sending to the candidates.
The event received front-page coverage in the Longmont Times-Call and coverage in the Boulder Daily Camera on page 3. The PDA CO CD2 chapter is exploring the possibility of holding another forum in coalition with other progressive groups in the area. It is hoped it will be even more successful than the first one. In addition, the chapter plans to conduct an internet-based straw poll of CD2 PDA members, leading to a possible endorsement.
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