Congressional candidates Ryan Frazier and Ed Perlmutter sparred Thursday over taxes in a series of back-and-forth comments that foreshadow just how contentious the 7th District race will be.
It began when Frazier, the Republican nominee and an Aurora city councilman, called on Perlmutter, a two-term incumbent from Golden, to join other other House Democrats in opposing “one of the largest tax increases in American history.”
Perlmutter’s campaign said Frazier needs to do his homework.
Frazier was referring to Bush-era tax cuts that expire at the end of the year without intervention from Congress and the White House.
“I understand that Ed votes with (Speaker) Nancy Pelosi 98 percent of the time, but he should oppose these tax hikes,” Frazier said, in a statement.
The cuts involve a variety of taxes, including personal income, estate and capital gains.
“If Frazier did his homework he would know Ed already voted to permanently extend estate tax relief, but Republicans in the Senate continue to block action,” said Leslie Oliver, Perlmutter’s campaign spokeswoman.
“For new proposals, Ed needs to see details of the proposals, but generally Ed has always supported extending tax relief for the hardworking people in the middle who earn less than $250,000. Other than Frazier’s friend Pete Coors, this encompasses the majority of the people in the 7th Congressional District — including Frazier himself.”
Coors, of the legendary brewing family, has endorsed Frazier.
“What does it say about a congressman — who claims to want to create jobs — when he attacks one of the largest employers in our district?” said Frazier’s campaign spokesman, T.Q. Houlton.
Perlmutter’s campaign also questioned water rate hikes Frazier approved as a councilman. The campaign said they were tax increases, a statement that galled Frazier’s campaign.
“It’s disingenuous for Ed to attack Ryan on a popular, and under budget, local water project that Ed supports too,” Houlton said.
He added that Frazier “is happy” that Perlmutter is speaking at the dedication of the Prairie Waters Project in Aurora on Oct. 8.
Said Oliver: “The issue is not where and when Ed speaks, it’s that Ryan Frazier voted to raise water fees/taxes.”
She said Congress is scheduled to be in session on Oct. 8 so it’s not certain if Perlmutter is speaking at the dedication.
“Again, if they did their homework … .,” she said.
The bickering between Perlmutter and Frazier’s campaign comes on the same day the National Republican Congressional Committee announced Frazier had reached the top level of its three-tier Young Guns program. To get there, candidates have to prove they can build a strong campaign organization and raise enough money to win.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee countered that the designation merely means is Frazier is “fully on board with the Washington Republican agenda to protect tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas.”
Also running in the 7th District is Libertarian Buck Bailey.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
