A who’s who of Democrats rallied with U.S. Sen. Mark Udall Monday morning at a coffee shop in Denver’s Five Points before walking across the street and either mailing their ballots or dropping them off in a ballot box.
“Let’s go do democracy!” Udall said.
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, current Mayor Michael Hancock and Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, were among those who urged Udall supporters to get their friends to vote.
Webb said he was glad to see the turnout, although the night before many were celebrating the who set the record for most touchdowns thrown in a career.
“We can’t have Peyton Manning break a record and then we don’t show up to vote,” Webb said. “It’s very important that we all get out and vote and tell people democracy is about participation. It’s not about sitting in the stands and watching the game.”
The Manning reference drew a laugh from those gathered at Coffee at the Point, 710 E. 26th Ave. Hancock, who grew up a few blocks away, said the coffee shop used to be a Church’s Chicken and he can remember as a kid buying a piece of chicken and a roll for a dollar.
Udall faces a tough challenge from Congressman Cory Gardner, a Republican who has . Gardner on Monday was on the Western Slope, doing meet-and-greets with voters in Montrose and Durango.
Many of those who showed up at the coffee shop carried two ballots, but cautioned one belonged to a spouse. Among those at the rally: University of Colorado Regents Michael Carrigan and Joe Neguse, who is running for secretary of state; Don Quick, running for attorney general; Denver City Council members Albus Brooks and Chris Herndon; former lawmaker Penfield Tate and state Rep. Angela Williams; and Denver school board member Rosemary Rodriquez, who is the state director Colorado’s other U.S. senator, Michael Bennet.
“Can you believe all these Democrats got here early?” Rodriguez asked, with a laugh.
Hancock said that’s because, “This is an important election, one which we can’t sleep on.” He reminded voters to “go all the way down the ballot” and vote for the down-ticket races.
Udall this week will be joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as he continues to travel Colorado .
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels
