Colorado voters can be proud they overwhelmingly rejected Donald Trump’s anti-science agenda for president. If only their Democratic governor could say the same.
Gov. Jared Polis’ excitement for Trump’s potential Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appointee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has shocked many. Some call it crazy. Others call it bad politics.
I call it a pattern.
As governor, Polis has talked the talk for all things nerd. But for those paying close attention, he hasn’t always walked the walk. For years the state’s top Democrat has shown increasing signs of hostility toward scientists. During the pandemic, he publicly criticized scientists as having “blood on their hands” and falsely claimed some senior federal scientists were forced to resign in disgrace. He’s vetoed science-based policies and fudged facts. He’s claimed scientists live in ivory towers and are out of touch. All with little if any challenge from Colorado’s Democratic Party.
Asked for comment on if the Colorado Democratic Party supports Polis’ excitement for RFK Jr., chair Shad Murib didn’t reply.
While many Colorado Democrats have remained silent on Polis’ controversial takes, some are speaking out. Among them, scientist and Nederland trustee Dr. Kris Larsen expressed his discontent with Polis’ approval of RFK Jr., suggesting Polis is not only out of step with facts, but also with the Democratic Party.
“It’s unfortunate Governor Polis is choosing to ignore over a century of scientific research,” Larsen wrote to me in response to a question. “His dismissal of facts, to say nothing of the health and concerns of his constituency, is disappointing in any leader, let alone one who purports to be a Democrat.”
Other Colorado Democrats joined in with concerns on RFK Jr. while avoiding Polis’ support for him.
“I am deeply concerned about many of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health policy views, particularly regarding vaccines and the promotion of unproven treatments,” read a news release from U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette. “The public servants that he is threatening to fire are the same public servants who led Operation Warp Speed and helped us crush the pandemic. Vaccines have saved millions of lives around the world, and we need to base our health care policy decisions on science rather than fringe conspiracy theories.”
“The appointment of RFK Jr to HHS is profoundly disturbing, and frightening to public health and the overall well-being of all Americans,” read a social media post by Sen. Rhonda Fields.
Immunize Colorado, a statewide nonprofit focused on protecting children and families from vaccine-preventable diseases, sent out an email stating public health is in danger.
“The decision by President-Elect Donald Trump to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is elevating disinformation and diminishing what we know to be true: vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective,” the email from the nonprofit read. “This erosion of public trust will have dire consequences for the health of our nation and the health of the Coloradans Immunize Colorado strives every day to protect. Of particular concern are our state’s children — Colorado ranks 45th in the nation for kindergarten MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccination. This puts our state in a dangerous position, especially as WHO and CDC warn of worldwide increases in measles as a result of falling vaccination rates. It is only a matter of time before a measles outbreak comes to our state.”
Local scientists in biotech also expressed grave concerns about the impacts of the governor’s support for a potential appointee that has espoused disinformation for years. Kevin Hennegan, a Colorado-based scientific expert in clinical and regulatory affairs, offered sharp criticism of Polis’ decision from his personal experience.
“By endorsing Kennedy, Polis has betrayed his responsibility to act in the best interests of Coloradoans,” Hennegan wrote in an email. “When it comes to vaccines, Kennedy is not just an advocate for ‘personal choice’; he is an outright denier, subscribing to conspiracy theories that have been disproven over and over again. Placing him in charge of our country’s critical scientific agencies, including FDA, NIH, and the Centers for Disease Control, will harm Americans’ health.
“It is understandably popular to attack “Big Pharma,” but the kind of disruption Kennedy promises is far more likely to harm consumers and the start-up biotech companies that thrive in Colorado than it is to rein in drug prices or cut into the profits of multinational corporations,” Hennegan elaborated. “Approvals for promising new drugs could be delayed for years. Even with no actual changes, Kennedy’s bully pulpit is almost certain to decrease vaccination rates, threatening our children with a resurgence of COVID, measles, and other diseases that haven’t been significant health risks in decades. Polis’ comments on Kennedy’s pending appointment should be condemned at every level.”
Several other scientists working in Colorado biotech also condemned Polis’ decision, but feared retaliation from a pending Trump administration if they spoke out publicly.
The governor’s decision to support an anti-science conspiracy theorist to oversee federal scientific agencies comes at a particularly interesting time as the Governor’s Awards for High Impact Research — an annual event celebrating Colorado scientists that dates back to Gov. Bill Ritter — is set to take place this week. Notably, Polis has never attended the event in person as governor, and as of writing this, Polis has not committed to attending this week’s event, either. I know because I’m a multi-year volunteer award judge and event attendee.
How Polis and the Colorado Democratic Party proceed from here could greatly impact relations with the local scientific community, especially as we enter an even deeper post-fact era under the incoming Trump administration. Given Colorado ranks among the top for recipients of federal research dollars, not to mention its growing biotech sector, it’s an economy and constituency that should not be taken for granted.
All of this raises the question as to how Polis has been allowed to get away with such anti-science comments and positions in his party to date. Has the Colorado Democratic Party felt intimidated to confront its multimillion-dollar figurehead? If so, why? Coloradans routinely reject Trumpism, even as the nation embraces it, and with increasing amounts of disinformation entering American discourse, it’s critical now more than ever to hold those promoting such stances accountable.
With RFK Jr. set to be Secretary of DHHS, and Polis’ support for him, lives literally depend on it.
Trish Zornio is a scientist, lecturer and writer who has worked at some of the nation’s top universities and hospitals. She’s an avid rock climber and was a 2020 candidate for the U.S. Senate in Colorado. Trish can be found on Twitter @trish_zornio
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