BOULDER — As the Republican candidates for president arrived in the liberal bastion that is Boulder, attitudes swung widely from apathy to anguish to curiosity.
The University of Colorado campus saw a day with sporadic political events, student rallies and media cameras. Even sidewalks held scrawled messages of protest.
There was no doubt something was shaking in the heart of Boulder.
“What a bunch of clowns,” said Josh Ramadge, a 30-year-old construction laborer from Gunbarrel, at a downtown sandwich shop.
But conservative-leaning CU junior Allison Davis, 21, of Fort Collins saw an opportunity for engagement as she dined on a breakfast burrito in the University Memorial Center.
“I want to hear some specific economic policies,” she said of the CNBC debate, which focused on the economy.
“The students have a big stake in this, so I hope the candidates speak to us with specifics instead of just insulting each other. That insults people’s intelligence.”
At lunchtime in a courtyard outside the Memorial Center, “Brother” Jed Smock, from Terre Haute, Ind., waved a leather Bible and shouted fire-and-brimstone admonishments to more than 100 students. They shouted right back.
“Jesus was not a socialist,” he argued, bringing down a crescendo of shouts from students who disagreed.
In other corridors of the campus, it was just a day in the life of college students. Bicycles whizzed by, and students shuffled books and backpacks as they scurried between classes.
“Who has time for it?” asked Josh Hernandez, a freshman from Denver. “I’m trying to pass English.”
Expanding the brand
Given the town’s liberal reputation, many have questioned the Republican National Committee’s wisdom in staging a debate here. But expanding the GOP brand is exactly what the party had in mind, said Fred Brown, an RNC spokesman.
“Colorado is a key battleground state in 2016, and we are very pleased to hold a debate in Boulder,” he said. “We’re excited to expand on Republican gains we made in 2014 with Cory Gardner’s election to the U.S. Senate, a majority of statewide office holders, a majority of congressional districts and a majority of the state Senate.”
For many, that message faced steep challenges.
“I don’t think they have a message anybody’s buying around here,” said Ellen Kleghorn, 40, as she filled her tank of her Subaru at a 7-Eleven on Valmont Road around 6 a.m. “Maybe that’s why they came here — to see how it would fly in the toughest crowd they could find to audition their ideas.”
Local resident Bobby Andrews, 50, found Republicans in Boulder a joking matter as dawn broke at the Village Coffee Shop with political humor.
“This year we’re having Republican Halloween,” he said, reading a post from Facebook. “We give the first 1 percent of kids to our door all the candy and trust that they’ll give adequate shares to all the others.”
The Boulder County Republican headquarters used to be next door, said waitress Fiona Kennedy.
“They didn’t get much traffic.”
Candidates absent
Most of the GOP field was conspicuously absent around town Tuesday.
Anne Taylor, a senior from Niwot, said she attended a candidates breakfast put on for students at the University Memorial Center that morning. John Kasich sent a spokesman, but there were no candidates.
Lindsey Graham poured drinks at the Walnut Brewery for CNN’s “Politics on Tap” Tuesday night. Rand Paul sat at a table filled with students in CU’s Center for Community to talk taxes, his positive position on marijuana legalization, student debt and energy policy at lunchtime Wednesday.
Democratic candidate Martin O’Malley met with families of victims from the Newtown, Columbine and Aurora mass shootings to talk about gun violence at the university.
He also spoke on a panel and fielded questions at a campus event put on by Student Voices Count.
Students watch debate
Senior Misha Zimmerman stood in the free speech zone outside of the Coors Events Center, waving a poster denouncing the Republican National Committee.
“Students want to participate in the political process,” Zimmerman said. “The RNC has shut us out.”
Like other students, she expressed frustration at the dearth of tickets available to students.
“We want everyone to know the people clapping in there are not real people,” she said. “It’s bought and paid for.”
At the university’s campus center, students packed a ballroom to watch the debate on three sprawling screens. They laughed and clapped as the candidates spoke, respectfully watching the action.
“I’m just interested in hearing all different sides,” said Tori Soper, a freshman, as she watched the debate with friends. “This is the first year I’ll be able to vote in a presidential election.”
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174, jbunch@denverpost.com or @joeybunch
