Political candidates routinely stretch the truth. It’s the reason television stations like 9News run election-year segments called “Truth Tests” that fact-check campaign ads.
It’s rare, however, for a falsehood or exaggeration to be flagged and corrected right when it happens. That is, of course, unless it happens at a live event. Tuesday evening’s gubernatorial forum, hosted by the Douglas County Republican Women, presented just that opportunity.
Candidate Walker Stapleton was fact-checked on the spot — by not one but two of his own opponents.
The moderator’s question was simple: “How are you going to win?”
Touting his supposed popularity with the grassroots, Stapleton answered in part: “I’ve gone to every single candidate debate or forum and I’ve won every straw poll where one has been done.”
This statement is untrue.
Stapleton didn’t attend the Colorado Hispanic Republicans forum on January 17. Former lawmaker Victor Mitchell won that straw poll with former Colorado Trump Campaign official Stephen Barlock coming in second. Mitchell also won a December 17 straw poll held by the Arapahoe County GOP at its annual holiday party.
But there’s no need to take a progressive blogger’s word for it. Mitchell and Barlock were sitting right next to Stapleton when he made his false claims and they were more than happy to set him straight.
In this video clip, you can watch their reactions as he says it, followed by their direct replies to him.
To watch the entire DCRW forum, which was broadcast live on Facebook by the Barlock campaign, click here.
