Colorado is sending by far the nation's biggest delegation of Dennis Kucinich supporters to next month's Democratic National Convention. Of the state's 63 delegates, 14 are backing the Ohio congressman, 39 are backing Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, and the rest are unpledged. Neither the delegates nor Kucinich expect he'll snag the party's nomination in Boston. But, with Colorado's help, they aim to move Democrats to the left.
"Since Colorado represents our largest bloc of delegates, it's going to be influential in helping us push the platform on the issues of peace, civil liberties and health care," said Kucinich, who is the only Democratic candidate still challenging Kerry.
Kucinich's Colorado campaign began in April 2003 among five friends gathered at Left Hand Books in Boulder. They liked his call to yank U.S. troops out of Iraq, as well as his plans for a Cabinet-level Department of Peace, universal health care and full education funding from preschool through college. The campaign gave liberals who long felt disenfranchised by the Democrats a way to get involved in party politics.
"Finally, we had someone to inspire us," said Patrick West, a software engineer from Broomfield who coordinates the campaign in Colorado.
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