Appearing on a Colorado Springs radio station over the weekend, Robert Blaha, a Republican likely to run for U.S. Senate in Colorado, said he expects the "permanent political class" to fire attacks and lies at him, as it did when he ran for office previously.
Blaha (at 6 min 10 sec below): When I ran [for Congress] in 2012, Tron, it was a painful process because the lie machine gets ginned up, and then those things are exposed. And those things are cleaned up. That's really the problem with the process itself. If it was just two candidates, man-and woman, man-and-man, whoever, one-on-one, one-on-three, duking it out, talking about the issues, it would be great. But we've allowed this political process to get to the place where the permanent political class has controlled the mantra, has controlled the messaging, and they have attack machines everywhere. But, hey, I've been through it. It's not fun. But, you know, if you come out the other side kind of unscathed, it's a good thing.
Tron Simpson, a guest host on KVOR radio's Jeff Crank Show, didn't ask Blaha, who will officially announce his candidacy when Sen. Michael Bennet votes for the Iran nuclear deal, what attacks he was referring to.
But you get an idea if you look back at the primary campaign waged in 2012, when Blaha was challenging Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) in the Republican primary for his Colorado Springs congressional seat.
One ad by Lamborn attacked Blaha's bank, claiming, among other things, that it ranked "among the worst in the region." In an analysis of the ad, The Denver Post reported that it "leans deceptive."
Other attacks during the vicious primary contest were hurled by Lamborn himself. "Everything [Blaha] says has to be taken with a grain of salt. Voters are often disappointed in people who talk big and don't perform once in office," Lamborn told The Denver Post at the time.
Blaha, who's deflected his share of attacks as a conservative talk-radio host, said in response during the 2012 campaign, "Doug Lamborn will say anything to protect his government job, including slandering a local business."
Also considering a run against Bennet are failed Aurora-shooter prosecutor George Brauchler and State Sen. Tim Neville.
https://soundcloud.com/bigmedia-org/robert-blaha-expects-attacks-from-establishement