Colorado senator defends state’s delegate process from Trump attacks

Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner defended his state’s delegate selection process late Monday while criticizing GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump’s “temper tantrum” over the weekend results.

Gardner fired off a series of tweets in which he called the state party’s convention “fair and well run” before needling Trump, suggesting the businessman’s inability to navigate the delegate process in Colorado raises questions about his ability to handle issues such as the national budget and foreign affairs.

“Spoke to dozens of Trump supporters this weekend, listened to his surrogate speak twice, not 1 person complained abt process until he lost,” Gardner tweeted, adding in another message that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) attended the GOP convention while Trump sent a surrogate.

“Elections are won by those who show up,” Gardner added.

Trump has for days lashed out against the results in Colorado, ripping the GOP primary process Monday night as a “rigged, disgusting, dirty system” following Cruz’s sweep over the weekend.

Cruz won 34 delegates from the state, adding to efforts to deny Trump the necessary 1,237 delegates needed to lock up the nomination and prevent a contested convention in July.

Trump’s campaign has acknowledged that it didn’t do everything it could to win in Colorado while arguing that the state’s complicated process inherently benefitted Cruz. The Texas senator rejected that assessment, arguing Republicans in the state did get a vote, “they just voted against Trump.”

The campaigns are battling ahead of the New York primary April 19. 

I’m proud of the @cologop and Chairman Steve House for a fair and well run convention. Onward to victory. #copolitics

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

If you can’t figure out the Colorado GOP delegate process how can you figure out how to balance the national budget?

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

If you cannot navigate the @cologop convention what is your plan for Putin? #copolitics

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

How can you protect Israel at the UN when you’re completely baffled by the @cologop convention process? -CG #copolitics

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

How on earth are you going to defeat ISIS if you can’t figure out the @cologop convention? -CG #copolitics

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

Spoke to dozens of Trump supporters this weekend, listened to his surrogate speak twice, not 1 person complained abt process until he lost.

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

.@tedcruz showed up to the @cologop convention. @realDonaldTrump only sent a surrogate. Cruz swept. Elections are won by those who show up.

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

Darryl Glenn came out of nowhere to win @cologop convention for US Senate. That should be the story. Not @realDonaldTrump‘s temper tantrum.

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016

I’ve attended CO GOP conventions for years. It requires organization & attn to grassroots to win. Cruz had it. Trump didn’t. End of story.

— Cory Gardner (@CoryGardner) April 12, 2016