Grassroots vs. Establishment

by Ashe in America | Jun 24, 2022 | Feature Story Bottom Left

At the time of publishing, the 2022 Colorado Primary results will be rolling in. While this is largely a nonevent for Democrats running unopposed, for Republicans it’s a critical moment of choosing.

What is “Self-Governance”?

When I started fighting for election integrity in November of 2020, my desire was to reacquaint Americans with their self-governance. From November 2020 to November 2021, I watched regular Coloradans, who were formerly apolitical or only peripherally aware of their local political landscape, become strong grassroots leaders across all Colorado counties.

Robust and thriving communities of civic-minded Americans sprung to life — during a non-election year — as the stolen 2020 election awakened them to just how far America had fallen from her founding. These unexpected leaders became the voices of sound logic and reason in their local communities, and many of us who once marched together began sharing meals, attending church, and doing life together.

Then came the November 2021 municipal elections and, literally the next day, it was an election year.

What is “Conservative”?

The thing about growing leaders is that they then desire to lead. Who knew?

When the midterm election year officially kicked off, many of the strongest grassroots leaders in Colorado became candidates. Then they qualified through the caucus and assembly process, with many of them winning the most support at the assemblies. Those who gain the most support during the assembly process win the top line spot on the ballot. Go to toplinevote.com for more information.

The Republican establishment was caught off guard by the assembly results. The following Monday, card-carrying establishment member and Republican Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown went on The George Show, hosted by failed Republican Attorney General candidate George Brauchler, to lament the changing dynamics of the party.

The two establishment representatives were joined by Vice Chairwoman Priscilla Rahn, who added little to the conversation other than calling 67% of Republican delegates “Judas” during Holy Week. The show was dedicated to mocking and belittling the party they claim to lead. It was a stark moment of contrast for right-leaning voters, many of whom are, like me, unaffiliated from any political party. Not a good look.

Still, these unlikeable and ineffective Republican leaders call themselves “conservative,” rendering the term effectively useless in describing any meaningful distinction from, “Republican.”

Engaged voters, however, see a big distinction in these two types of candidates. For example, at a recent Liberty Girls gathering in Highlands Ranch, candidates for US Senate and Congressional District 4 faced off in debate…sort of. While America First candidates Ron Hanks (Senate) and Bob Lewis (CD4) showed up in person, the two establishment candidates Joe O’Dea (Senate) and Ken Buck (CD4 incumbent) sent surrogates.

The audience favorites were indisputable, to the point of feeling a little sorry for the surrogates who fundamentally misunderstood their audience. A group of us spent nearly an hour after the debate red-pilling Ken Buck’s surrogate to the point where we speculated that he would quit the campaign. He was passionate about election integrity and completely unaware of the positions and history of the candidate — for whom he was speaking — on that important issue. He hadn’t even heard about Buck’s disastrous, late 2020 Town Hall.

What is “American”?

In Colorado, the Republican establishment truly enjoys their minority party status. They campaign and fundraise, and give strongly worded statements, but when it’s time to represent their constituents, the answer is always, “Sorry! Democrats! There’s nothing we can do.”

In other words, they provide no recognizable distinction from Democrats.

Colorado’s America First candidates are that distinction — and arguably Colorado’s last chance. These candidates are running on the traditional American values of self-governance and conserving the Constitution. These are our most powerful weapons against the long train of abuses from the triple Communist majority in Denver.

For decades, regardless of which party was elected, globalism flourished, the state expanded, and Americans largely suffered. The grassroots candidates across Colorado provide a clear alternative to the Colorado contingent of the uniparty.

As the parties drifted father and farther apart in recent years, I’ve speculated that, “the people are in the middle.” That is, the people are, at their very core, still American.

I guess we are about to find out.

Ashe Epp is a writer and election integrity activist. Read her work at asheinamerica.com and follow her on Telegram and other socials @asheinamerica.