This is the kind of pressure Rep. Mike Coffman is under: "Senator Ted Cruz manned up today for America's future as well as for the future of my grandchildren and endorsed Trump. I'm expecting you to do the same."
And: "This lifetime Republican will not be voting for any Republican candidate who refuses to 'get on the Trump Train.'"
And: "Sorry Mike, you haven't endorsed Trump. I will have to withhold my vote for you. I thought about this long and hard. You really need to stick with your party."
These are comments on Coffman's Facebook page after he posted a column from conservative-but-no-longer Republican columnist George Will titled, "A Republican worth voting for." Will saw plenty to admire in Coffman distancing himself from Trump and reaching out to Latino voters and immigrant communities.
Coffman cut an ad where he said, of Trump, "Honestly, I don't care for him much." But he's hemmed and hawed on who will get his vote, even as his Democratic opponent state Sen. Morgan Carroll continues to try to tie him to Trump. As the Denver Post reported, Coffman was pretty mad about a mailer from Carroll connecting him to Trump, and he's hinted he might cast his ballot for Libertarian Gary Johnson.
When asked who Coffman will vote for, his spokeswoman told the Denver Post he'll make a decision when ballots go out mid-October after watching the debates. She did not respond to a request for comment from Denverite after the first presidential debate.
Coffman faces a much more diverse district than the CD6 he inherited from immigration hardliner Tom Tancredo, but it still has plenty of loyal Republicans. Where Will sees true conservative values that contrast with Trump's bluster and, yes, racism, these constituents see someone selling out his party.
More than 60 people liked the post, but all of the comments were like this one: "Very disappointed you have not endorsed Trump.??"
