I once assumed that Sen. Cory Gardner was a traditional Republican like my father, a staunch defender of the Constitution and the rule of law, an advocate of fiscal responsibility, a person who had no tolerance for dictators and autocrats, favored strong alliances with our democratic allies, and despised dishonesty and corruption, most of all among those in positions of power.

Whether or not I’m right in assuming that Cory Gardner was once a traditional Republican, he chose to abandon these core Republican principles by going along with the corrupt and self-aggrandizing policies of President Donald J. Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and their allies.

House impeachment managers presented overwhelming evidence of Trump’s high crimes and misdemeanors, particularly of his shakedown of Ukraine’s President Zelensky by conditioning release of military aid authorized by Congress on Zelensky’s participation in Trump’s project to smear Joe Biden, Trump’s most feared political opponent.

At the outset of the Senate trial, McConnell called on Republican senators to be loyal to Trump by refusing to consider evidence on the record, refusing to subpoena witnesses and documents, and by summarily acquitting Trump without permitting an impartial trial.

Cory Gardner chose to be faithful and loyal to Trump and McConnell and their corrupt and authoritarian agenda rather than to his duty under the Constitution to protect and preserve our democratic institutions. Our choice should be to vote him out of office in November.

Edward PackardDurango