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October 23, 2014 VOLU M E 6 | I SS UE 43 | 5 0 ¢
BrightonBanner.com A D A M S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
Campaigning for the Latino vote Both parties make case for coveted bloc By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Harvest Fest returns
The Dancers Edge performers at the Harvest Festival. Photos by Lou Ellen Bromley
Costumes, games and treats delight in Brighton By Lou Ellen Bromley
bromleycan@hotmail.com
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BRIGHTON BANNER (USPS 290)
OFFICE: 8703 Yates Dr., Ste. 210 Westminster, CO 80031
Great weather helped bring out goblins, monsters and fairy princesses to the second annual Brighton Harvest Festival Saturday in downtown Brighton. Several stores along Main Street offered treats for trick-or-treaters and good buys in the downtown stores for the adults. There were several vendors set up in the parking next to the Pink Door Boutique with items for sale. The Harvest Fest Booth passed out bingo cards to adults at the festival for a chance to win an iPad and other prizes by visiting participating stores along Main Street and having the card marked. Children were treated to a bouncy house and a pumpkin rolling contest, and everyone was entertained by the Brighten Jazz Band playing on North Main Street and the Dancer’s Edge dancers on South Main Street. The Dancer’s Edge included 25 young dancers performing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as zombies. The Artisan’s show provided guest’s at the festival with an opportunity to view and enjoy their talented creations in the merchants’ area.
Natalee Garcia in her Taco Truck costume.
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P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
Colton Traflon, 3, dressed as Woody from Toy Story.
Vendor area at the Harvest Festival.
With ballots now mailed to every registered voter in Colorado, political campaigns and advocacy groups are ramping up efforts aimed at mobilizing a coveted voting bloc — Latinos. Democratic leaders last week urged Latino voters to cast ballots in support of their party’s candidates, while blasting Republicans over policy positions that they believe Hispanics have long rejected. But Republicans say they are working harder than ever to appeal to an influential bloc of voters that has by and large rejected GOP candidates statewide and at the national level in recent years. Latino Democratic leaders held a press conference outside the Denver City and County Building, where they blasted Republican candidates for ignoring or being on the wrong side of issues of importance to the Hispanic community. “They only give us lip service,” said Denver City Councilman Paul Lopez. “They only give us promises during a campaign, but when push comes to shove, when it’s any other day of the year besides Election Day, it’s, ‘We don’t have time for you.’” Democrats are reminding Latino voters that it was their party that got through legislation at the state level this year that makes it easier for undocumented students to attend college, as well as legislation that allows undocumented citizens to obtain licenses to drive. Democrats also claim that while their party has worked toward immigration reform in Congress, Republicans have put up roadblocks. They took aim at U.S. Reps. Cory Gardner and Mike Coffman, who are locked in tight races against Democrats this election cycle. Gardner is vying to unseat Sen. Mark Udall while Coffman tries to stave off a challenge to his 6th Congressional District seat from Andrew Romanoff. Those who spoke at the press event said neither Gardner nor Coffman could be trusted on immigration issues. And they said they and their Republican colleagues in the House have failed to get any sort of immigration reform accomplished. State. Sen. Jesse Ulibarri, D-Commerce City, whose Adams County-based state Senate district is part of Coffman’s 6th District, said Coffman for years “has been running against Latino and immigrant communities.” Coffman has had to take tough votes on immigration measures, considering the complexity of the district he represents. Coffman has been critical of President Obama’s leadership on immigration, but has also bucked his own party. Over the summer, both Coffman and Gardner broke ranks and voted against a Republican-sponsored bill that sought to halt a program that shields young undocumented immigrants from deportation. But Democrats believe Coffman’s “about face” on immigration issues is born out of necessity because he represents a district that grew more diverse after it was remapped. “Hollow actions ring hollow for people in my neck of the woods and we won’t stand for it,” Ulibarri said, urging Latino voters to back Romanoff. But the Coffman campaign thinks Ulibarri is the last person who should be touting Romanoff to Latino voters. Ulibarri was once critical of Romanoff for seeing through tough immigration measures while he was state House speaker in 2006. Latino vote continues on Page 5