VP Pence Prepares For Denver Fundraiser
By Stan Bush
DENVER (CBS4) - Vice President Mike Pence will fundraise with state Republicans on Thursday, but party leaders say the money they raise won't be worth the paper it's printed on if the administration can't pass tax reform.
"We need to get this done," says Jeff Hayes, Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party. "It's going to have electoral consequences if we don't pass tax reform."
Republicans are getting increasingly anxious after repeated failures to repeal Obamacare.
Hayes worries if the Trump Administration fails again on a major campaign promise, the down-ticket effect could cost Republicans who want to retake the governor's race and maintain national and state level offices.
"The White House as a whole realizes Colorado is a critical swing state," says Hayes. "The emphasis on the governor's race and the impact the governor has on redistricting and the appointment of congressional districts, house and senate, they cascade down."
On Wednesday Pence wrote an editorial in the Denver Post calling for support of the President's tax reform that currently calls for changes to 401k savings and cuts to the corporate tax rate. President Trump has already backtracked on elements of the 401K issues and says he will not support changes to those programs.
Colorado Democrats say the plan is a repackaging of Republican dogma to give the wealthiest Americans a tax break and overburden the middle class.
"I think anybody who thought Trump was going to drain the swamp just got a huge face full of mud from this plan because it actually raises taxes on 30% of the middle class," says Eric Walker, communications director for the Colorado Democratic Party.
Republicans expect a big crowd at the dinner at the Marriot in the Denver Tech Center - that is after significantly lowering the cost of a ticket to the fundraiser.
Hayes says that was done to accommodate the number of people who wanted to attend, but could not afford the set price.
Democrats say they're planning a large protest outside the event.
Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.