Speaking to a group of fellow election conspiracists last week, Colorado state legislator Ron Hanks (R-Canon City) implied that party officials won’t conduct a fair straw poll following this evening’s U.S. Senate primary debate. Hanks mocked his state party’s decision to hold a straw poll following its Jan. 25, 2022, debate but not announce the results until the following morning. His implication to a group of fellow election conspiracists was that the party would prevent him from winning even if he receives the most votes.
“They announced they’re going to have a straw poll at the end of it, but they’re not going to count the votes after the debate,” said Hanks. “They’re going to take them back to the office and declare the count the day after. Have we not learned anything from the last year and a half of what’s happened, so I put out a protest. It’s a bad idea, it’s ridiculous, it’s insensitive and it opens them up to absolute ridicule. I’m pretty sure I’m not the establishment’s choice here. I’ve won a straw poll here already. I think if they get to put the ballots in their trunk the decision or the results are going to be a little different.”
Hanks was speaking to a virtual group of far-right activists convened by Sherronna Bishop, Lauren Boebert’s former campaign manager, who believe numerous conspiracies, including that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Trump.
