DENVER – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Robert Blaha has a product guarantee.
The product is himself. The guarantee – if he doesn’t cut the federal deficit by 50 percent, reduce illegal immigration by 50 percent and bring tax reforms, including a repeal of the estate tax, then he would not run for a second term.
“The problem with politicians is all they do is talk, they’re not willing to be held accountable to anything, so if you can find a way to put some accountability into what you’re doing ... that’s how we came up with the product guarantee,” said the 61-year-old Colorado Springs businessman.
Blaha’s story is one of great business success, after growing up in Iowa and attending the University of Iowa on a football scholarship.
After holding senior management positions with four major corporations, including Ford Motor Co., Blaha moved to Colorado Springs. He was 37.
He co-founded Integrity Bank & Trust, where he serves as vice chairman of its board. In 1993, Blaha founded Human Capital Associates, a consulting firm.
His successes have allowed him to make a $1 million investment into his campaign.
“We put a major down payment into a new product, and the product was this campaign, and then we said to people, after we prove ourself ... we want everybody to pony up,” Blaha said.
But it hasn’t been all success for Blaha.
Some of his business pursuits have failed, and he ran unsuccessfully against U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn in the 5th Congressional District’s Republican primary in 2012.
“You’re going to have failures,” Blaha said. “A failure will either define who you are, or it will refine who you are – there’s not a third choice.”
Those who know him say Blaha is a man who rarely hesitates and takes decisive actions.
“This guy, when he puts his mind to something, he gets it done, he makes it happen,” said John Bolin, who has known Blaha for 20 years. “He’s the kind of guy where when he says it, he means it, and he stands by his word.”
Democrats, however, say the words Blaha uses aren’t always the best choice. He often takes a blunt approach, and has been compared to Donald Trump on numerous occasions. While Blaha first endorsed Ted Cruz for president, he has ultimately come around to backing Trump.
Those on the left fear that Blaha would support prohibiting foreign Muslims from entering the United States.
“Instead of focusing on real policy solutions, Blaha is adding to the outlandish, offensive, prejudiced rhetoric that is antithetical to our values as a nation,” said Chris Meagher, a spokesman for the Colorado Democratic Party.
Blaha acknowledges his larger-than-life personality. When he kicked off his campaign in January, Blaha sent bobbleheads of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet to newsrooms across the state, suggesting that Bennet is one of the “chief bobbleheads in the circus” that is the U.S. Senate.
Blaha is competing against four other Republicans in the June 28 primary to oust Bennet this November.
Blaha had a bit of a head start, beating other candidates to television ads, with his first ad featuring a plumber failing to fix a broken toilet and a doctor who shoves his fist up a patient’s behind.
“We’re running as an alternative to the permanent political class,” Blaha said. “I’m a Republican, I’m not a never Trump. You’re either a Republican, or not.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
