Face the State

Face The State Staff Report

The results are in. Ryan Frazier is the Republican pick for U.S. Senate, at least according to a straw poll taken during Saturday's Douglas County Lincoln Day dinner where 60 percent of the GOP faithful in attendance said they’d support Frazier's candidacy over that of former Congressman Bob Beauprez and radio personality Dan Caplis.

FrazierFTS File Photo

Frazier, Beauprez, and Caplis, along with Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck and businessman Cleve Tidewell, have all expressed interest in challenging Colorado’s junior Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat, in 2010. Trailing Frazier's 60 percent in the informal poll, Caplis came in second with 20 percent, with Beauprez at 13 percent, Buck at 5 percent, and Tidwell at 2 percent.

Frazier, who spoke at the dinner, has been hailed as a key GOP up-and-comer to watch, increasingly known for a preacher-like cadence during his passionate first-hand testimonial calls for personal responsibility and freedom. At the Douglas County Central Committee meeting this year,women stood on their chairs shouting “amen!” as he spoke.

John Ransom, chairman of the Douglas County GOP, says people have gotten to know Frazier because he’s been actively attending their events whereas other potential candidates haven’t been as visible. At just 31 years old and black, Frazier represents a different face than the Colorado GOP is used to, especially for a high-profile statewide race.

“Normally, the GOP is a pretty hierarchical party, but this year, everyone is looking for a fresh face,” said Ransom. “People want someone who can be the future of the party. That’s why guys like Ryan Frazier and [Senate Minority Leader] Josh Penry look so appealing.”

But there are those who believe Frazier, an Aurora city councilman, will see his youth work against him. Beauprez casually explained Frazier’s appeal, “He’s a fresh face, it’s fairly obvious,” he said, adding there is a lot more to governing than that. Political insiders also question whether Frazier could easily jump from municipal leadership to the U.S. Senate in one fell swoop.

In 2008, Frazier was a lead spokesman for the Amendment 47 campaign, which sought to ban mandatory union membership as a condition of employment in Colorado workplaces. While the initiative failed, Frazier saw his name identification grow. After a liberal critic called him a "house negro," Frazier was featured on the front page of The Denver Post and in an extensive Westword feature.

Frazier remains undeterred by critics both within his party and outside of it, crediting a grassroots and on-line movement that is increasingly supportive of his potential candidacy. “It’s not about me, as much as, it is about addressing what people care about,” he said.

Michael Sandoval, a Denver Republican, says Frazier represents growth and new leadership within the GOP. “Ryan appeals on multiple levels,” said Sandoval. “He is friendly and puts people at ease.”

In addition to traditional GOP gatherings, Frazier is also a regular at events drawing younger Republicans, including Liberty on the Rocks, a weekly bar gathering of young Republicans and libertarians. “He’s not the establishment candidate,” Sandoval added.

Much like President Barack Obama, Frazier is able to intertwine his own personal story while inspiring people to act. “My mother was my hero,” he said March 1 at a rally on the state Capitol steps. “She worked two jobs to provide for three boys. We didn’t have much, but we had each other. She instilled in me and my brothers a sense of ‘do your part,’ do what’s right, make a life for yourselves. I’ve carried that with me throughout my life.”