Colorado’s Democratic chariman is only second gay man to hold state party title

After four years in Washington, Rick Palacio was elected chairman of the Colorado Democratic Party March 5. Only one other out-gay man has ever achieved that office in U.S. history. In this interview he talks Mexican food, the Tea Party and LGBT rights.

What’s for lunch?

Have you ever eaten at Tacos de Mexico? Living in D.C. for four years, and not having Mexican food, I’ve been eating at Tacos de Mexico four days a week. I try something different each day.

Why did you want to be the Democratic chairman?

The last four years I’ve been in D.C. working for John Salazar and the Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer. Salazar asked me to go, when I decided to do it, I said, ‘I’m going to give myself two years and then I’ll come home.’ Four years later … For me, there has been this incredible gravitational pull of home pulling me this direction. You know as a Puebloan, you’re not allowed to go too far for very long.

For people who don’t know, what does the Whip’s office do?

The Whip’s primary responsibility is to ensure that Democratic members of the U.S. House are voting with the leadership. It’s not a heavy handed sort of thing. It’s helping people get to that point. My job, specifically, was helping newly elected Democrats to get re-elected. The quick way to describe it: if members had a favor to ask of Steny Hoyer, it was my telephone that rang.

What was the weirdest favor you were asked?

I’ve had some strange favors. We won’t talk about them.

Were you involved in politics in high school?

No. But I will say this. I think I got involved because I have the unfortunate birthday of Nov. 3. You can’t have a birthday that often falls on or around election day without being cognizant.

Your main job is to re-elect President Obama.

My main job is to get Democrats elected through the state of Colorado.

What is the re-election campaign going to look like, especially here in Colorado?

Colorado is going to be one of the key states in 2012. We’re going to see a lot of attention from all over the country. I think a lot of resources are going to be spent and elected from both sides in Colorado. Coloradans are going to see some interesting faces visiting our state.

What role do you see the Tea Party playing in 2012 and what’s your counter attack?

I think the beautiful thing about the Tea Party, they’re doing their own job of creating buyers remorse in people’s minds. As soon as we’ve given them the gavel, the work of governing seems allusive to them.

In 2008, it was “change we can believe in.” Do you think Obama’s delivered on that?

I think working with the Democratic Congress, he delivered. We’ve reformed the health care system, had financial regulatory reform and credit card reform. We’ve had the greatest increase of Pell Grants for college students in history without raising the deficit. We’ve essentially repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. People forget about those things.

A lot of people believe Don’t Ask Don’t Tell never would have been passed if Obama didn’t make a deal on tax cuts.

I don’t believe that’s true. I was right in the middle of the repeal. I was one of the handful of Congressional staffers that wrote the language and helped it pass in the House and the Senate. It was a priority from the day he came into office. In the House we voted on it in early 2010 before the Tea Party movement, it passed. The interesting thing is the margin of victory was actually stronger — was wider — in December 2010. We had stronger bipartisan support the second time we passed it.

It didn’t seem Obama was very hands on with the repeal.

His administration was very involved. There was no doubt that repeal was a priority for him. It doesn’t require the President making public statements of support. That doesn’t equate support. Just because he wasn’t loudly public.

Will a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act ever pass?

I think a fully inclusive ENDA, just like Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, just like Hate Crimes, there is a path to those moving. Unfortunately, rights tend to be incremental. Are they moving fast enough? Perhaps not. But look at the progress we’ve made.

There’s a lot of talk since the GOP killed civil unions about flipping the state House back into control of Democrats in 2012. What’s the strategy?

Our strategy is the same as it’s always been. We win the majority race by race. We do it as a combination of the three M’s. Money, Mobilization and Messaging. From our perspective, regardless of civil unions, because they’re not Democrats, Republicans have targets on their back. I think it’s sad those Republicans chose to vote the way they did, mostly because of political pressures. The Tea Party Republicans imposed their will. And their will is limited government and to them means limiting people’s rights.