Dear Senator Chuck Schumer,
I am writing to encourage you to take a stand for real change for our country. I am Lorena Garcia, and I am challenging Cory Gardner for the U.S. Senate seat he holds in Colorado. As the first candidate to announce a bid for this seat, I want to take a moment to thank you for your efforts and remind you about the importance of having more diverse, young voices in the Senate.
And to be clear, John Hickenlooper does not represent real change.
After the victories we achieved in 2018, especially here in Colorado, let’s not assume that there’s any single formula for winning an election. Rank-and-file candidates are not our only chance for winning. The most powerful energy today is geared towards electing new people to face the problems of today and the future. While I respect John Hickenlooper, I don’t believe he can equitably represent the people of Colorado the way that I would.
We need not only new people but also an injection of fresh perspective into the political sphere. Mr. Hickenlooper has not been a brewer or geologist for a very long time. He is a politician. And he’s been a politician for a very long time. That’s not the change Colorado needs.
As it says in the Constitution, our purpose is to create a more perfect union. We need to combine the lessons of the past with the solutions of today. We need and want the experience of those who have served, but we must have the energy and innovation of new voices and new perspectives to move this country forward.
Currently, the Senate is entirely comprised of people over 40 years old. Over the last ten years, it has been Millennials and Generation Z to challenge the system that they feel is broken and working against them. By 2020, these two generations will comprise 37% of the electorate, which is why we need to tap into their energy and give them representation in the U.S. Senate. We are, after all, the ones who will bear the consequences in the long run of our choices today.
When you look at Colorado, it is an excellent example of what is possible for the rest of the country. And one reason the Front Range of the state is booming and growing is because it is a destination for young Americans, Shouldn’t it be represented by a young American that shares their values?
I want you to know that I respect your leadership in the Senate and your history of campaign success. I admire your commitment to your community and the fact that you visit every county in New York every year. I respect that you have been a lead consensus-builder on some of the toughest issues we currently face: health care, immigration, financial regulation. And you need people like me who will stand with you in the face of opposition to build strong coalitions to further these important policies.
I appreciate the work you are doing to flip the Senate in 2020. You are looking for someone you think can win the U.S. Senate seat here in Colorado and other vulnerable seats across the country. I get it. Like you, I want to put the brakes on a country hurtling towards self-destruction. I want to not only turn it around but help lead it back to a country we can be proud of. We have a real opportunity to make profound and lasting changes to build a better future for us all.
Sen. Schumer, I am going to bring that energy, drive, and perspective to the Senate in January 2021. That’s what it’s going to take for real change. That’s not John Hickenlooper. And I look forward to seeing you then.
If you want to learn more about me, visit .
Put People First- election 2020,
Lorena Garcia