Ryan Frazier’s “New Generation of Leadership” Merits Closer Consideration

Washington Times political reporter Jennifer Harper, writing from “Inside the Beltway”, takes notice of Colorado’s own Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ryan Frazier as “a man to watch” (something we here at home already knew):

While Republicans dither over party identity, one of their own has stepped forward and cut to the chase with a clear take on what matters and what works in a complicated political landscape.

“There is a better, more responsible way. It’s called the American way,” Ryan Frazier tells Inside the Beltway.

Frazier — who was about the only candidate approaching a clear-cut victory in the largely murky results of recent July survey of 600 Colorado online participants — also conducted an interview with Newsmax TV.

For those who have been following the campaign, it was a typically capable performance in a friendly environment. For those who are new to the campaign or want to get to know more about the candidate, this is a pretty good place to start to hear about Frazier’s “focus on solutions” and his message that he represents “a new generation of leadership” and a “new way forward” for the GOP.

At one point interviewer Kathleen Walter inferred with a question that Frazier might be limited because his only elected office has been as an Aurora city councilman. It’s a fair question. But there is more to consider, mainly this: he is an at-large council member, which means he twice has been elected by voters representing the entire city population of nearly 300,000 — considerably larger than any state legislative district, larger than all but five Colorado counties, and nearly half the size of a Congressional district.

While Walter was obliquely raising the question, it’s more concerning to see where Denver Post editorialist Vincent Carroll — a journalist I respect — appears to be coming from. I don’t think Carroll gave Frazier’s candidacy due consideration when he wrote this past weekend:

But an Aurora councilman as the nominee? With all respect to municipal politics, that’s a bridge too far.

At this point, conservatives and libertarians in Colorado cannot afford to be so dismissive of highly credible candidates based on such tenuous reasoning. I hope Carroll will give more consideration to Frazier. I also hope he’ll reconsider the unstated assertion that potential rival Bob Beauprez’s “fiscally conservative instincts and free-market philosophy” can overcome Beauprez’s direct affiliation with the reckless fiscal policies of the Republican Congress that squandered away its majority.

Here’s my serious question to consider … In the 2010 campaign environment, which do you think will be more of a liability for a Republican U.S. Senate contender here in Colorado: youth and lack of experience at the federal level OR a close connection with the previous fiscally irresponsible Republican Congress and a disastrous track record in a statewide campaign? Ryan Frazier’s “New Way Forward” makes more sense to me all the time.

As he chatted with Bob Beauprez to write Sunday’s column, I do hope that Vincent Carroll also takes time to chat with Ryan Frazier (and Ken Buck, too), and gives them both more careful consideration — if we’re at all serious about avoiding the political train-wrecks of 2004 through 2008.

Perhaps Carroll could talk to Jennifer Harper at the Washington Times.