Aurora – With little more than a week left to gain voters’ favor, the Democratic contender in the 7th Congressional District race got a boost from a party sweetheart and national leader.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi brought political star power to the postal workers’ union headquarters in Aurora on Saturday in the first major get-out-the-vote push in advance of the Nov. 7 election.
Flanked by Ed Perlmutter, who is competing against Republican Rick O’Donnell for the seat, and U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, Pelosi told a lively audience at the union’s Local 229 that it’s crucial that Democrats win 15 open seats in Congress.
With the words, “10 days, 15 seats,” Pelosi told about 135 union members that Perlmutter’s “election to the Congress of the United States is important … because we need the quality of his leadership there.”
Democratic victories in those 15 seats would not only give Democrats control of the House, but be “a great victory for America’s working families,” said Pelosi, who is poised to become the first female speaker of the House should the Democrats prevail.
The GOP, she said, has promoted wealth for 1 percent of the population while squeezing out the middle class.
“They say wealth should be rewarded,” and she agrees, Pelosi said. “But we also believe work should be rewarded too,” she said to loud applause and cheers.
Pelosi’s appearance in Colorado was part of the Democrats’ national push to match the GOP’s ability to boost voter turnout in key races. Colorado’s 7th Congressional District race is considered critical for both parties.
Perlmutter, who’s been walking neighborhoods with union members for months, said he wants to “change the focus from the wealthy 1 percent to the hardworking people in the middle.”
Pelosi told the group, which included construction, electrical, postal, communication and health workers, that Democrats would raise minimum wage, take care of veterans, fight for stem-cell research and make college tuition more accessible.
The O’Donnell campaign, which had help from Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard in getting out the vote Saturday, said Pelosi’s appearance shows that Perlmutter supports a liberal agenda.
Pelosi “is the most liberal Democrat in the country,” said Jonathan Tee, communications director for O’Donnell.
“He has brought her into his district because he wants to make her House speaker,” Tee said.
Staff writer Karen Rouse can be reached at 303-820-1684 or krouse@denverpost.com.
