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Video: Colorado Senate Candidate Says America Must Stand Up to 'Radical Environmentalists'

Republican Cory Gardner, speaking at 2013 conservative conference, said environmentalists are killing jobs but the 'shale revolution' will ultimately be won.
Image via AP/Brennan Linsley

One of the most hotly contested races in Tuesday's midterm elections is Colorado's Senate contest between incumbent Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Cory Gardner.

In a video that emerged yesterday Gardner is seen railing against "radical environmentalists" and "social engineers," who he alleges are killing jobs in the fossil fuel sector. "We will rise up, and we will win," he says, "The shale revolution is real."

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Gardner was speaking at the Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference, which took place in August, 2013 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The institute dedicates itself to educating the public on the "founding principles of the United States." Other speakers at its 2013 conference were former Vice President Dick Cheney, his daughter Liz Cheney, and the Heritage Foundation's Peter Brookes.

Gardner's lunchtime speech was titled "America Rising."

In an October debate, Udall and Gardner were asked to respond with a simple "yes" or "no" to the question: Is climate change man made? Udall replied "yes." Gardner's response, however, led to this exchange:

Gardner: "Well I've said all along the climate is changing…"

Moderator: "This is yes or no."

Gardner: "Look, this is an important issue and I don't think you can say yes or no…"

Moderator: "But you've got 60 seconds after."

Gardner: "I believe the climate is changing, I disagree to the extent that's been in the news that man is causing it."

Moderator "Congressman, at the end of the yes/no questions, you will each be given a minute to respond to any of these questions that you would like to…"

Gardner: "Look, I think we ought to be able to provide an answer. This is a serious debate, we're both running for the United States Senate, this is a serious issue. And I don't think we should shortchange serious issues with yes or no answers without being able to talk about them now."

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Udall: "That was 60 seconds."

Moderator: "These yes or no questions are meant to be answered yes or no, because they should come from a core belief that you would hold."

Colorado's key Senate race is a battle for America's environment. Read more here.

The video was first posted on the website Hill Heat.

Here's the full transcript of the video:

"We have to stand up to the radical environmentalists, the social engineers who believe that we must stop. And in Colorado we know that threat is real. We know they're going to try to stop something that is creating jobs on the eastern plains and the western slope of this great state. We know they're going to try to say no to the Marcellus, no to the Bakken. They've already tried to say no to the Keystone pipeline. But you know what? We know we're going to win because of the power of our individual job creators. They are right, they are with us. And when the individuals realize what is at stake in this country, we will rise up, and we will win. The shale revolution is real."

VICE News roundup: What the midterms mean for the environment. Read more here.

Follow Robert S. Eshelman on Twitter: @RobertSEshelman