Opinion: Kevin de León’s defenders emerge, but they’re still a minority
Kevin de León had a year in which he emerged as a national leader and showed the country that he was the right choice for President. But that’s almost as much of a leap as he made the leap from first alternate to presumptive Democratic nominee in the 2014 primaries.
Still, de León’s rise to national prominence and the role he continues to play in national politics is worth understanding. By offering insights that go beyond whether he made one of the most difficult decisions in the history of the United States presidential election, De León demonstrates he is capable of speaking truth to power.
Of course, those who are interested in what Kevin de León actually stands for need only read his comments, as he recently published “The End of the American Dream,” and watch his “Crosstalk” program, where he addresses those who will argue that he’s being hypocritical for supporting Bernie Sanders while he supports Hillary Clinton (or Hillary Clinton). And, De León has been a voice of dissent on a number of occasions.
The key for understanding De León’s public persona is how he has developed these relationships. When he’s given the microphone, he is almost always treated respectfully, whether or not that is the case the first time. When he’s not given the microphone, he is almost always not given the microphone.
All this speaks to the degree to which he is an exceptional politician, and it also speaks to his willingness to stand up for and with the marginalized and disenfranchised.
A brief history of the politics of Kevin de León
Kevin de León won two political races for the District of Colombia. He was the first Hispanic to represent the District of Colorado at a state level, and he was the first Hispanic candidate to run for the open Senate seat in Colorado.
In 2007, when he ran for the Colorado Senate, he won by a margin of 2,000 votes (about 9 percent of the vote). He’s been