U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner told Republican supporters last week that the “media does not want us to win” and “is going to do everything they can to suppress our vote by deflating our hopes.”
Gardner made the comments during a virtual meeting with GOP activists after last week’s primary election.
“We need to make sure we get this turnout to happen,” said Gardner at the gathering after the primary, called the Stars and Stripes Virtual Happy Hour, July 1. “We can’t let people get depressed by the media. I know I’m going to shock people. I know you have not heard this before. The media does not want us to win. And they are going to do everything they can to suppress our vote by deflating our hopes. And so, we can’t let them do that.”
Gardner’s office didn’t return a call seeking to know what type of reporting is unfairly “deflating” Republicans and which media outlets are doing it. Is it being done through polling? Unfair questioning? Too much attention on Hickenlooper? Improper emphasis (e.g., too many queries on Trump, pandemic, economy, racism).
Also left unanswered is the question of how he knows the media doesn’t want Republicans to win.
Gardner appeared to be trying to buck up members of his Republican base, who may think, like many political experts, that Gardner is unlikely to retain his seat in November’s election.
Gardner has ratcheted up his attacks on the media recently, saying last week that he needs to skirt the media’s “pre-approved filter” to win re-election. This comes on the heels of accusing 9News of bias.
Gardner faces former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who scored an overwhelming victory over his primary opponent last week.
