“Racism in America is real,” Glenn said, recalling times he has been stopped by police.

“If you are a black person growing up in America, chances are pretty good that you have experienced the police pulling you over in front of your mother’s house because you ‘had a headlight out.’ … You’ve probably been pulled over because you were driving a nice car in the wrong neighborhood. You’ve probably been asked to step out of your car for a while and then released without being given a reason.”

This kind of statement is somewhat unusual coming from a Republican, as the topic of race and policing is typically dominated by Democrats. But Glenn was not the only member of the GOP making his point Friday.

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In comments that received wide attention on social media, former House speaker and potential Donald Trump running-mate Newt Gingrich told a Facebook Live audience that “it is more dangerous to be black in America.”

“[You are] substantially more likely to be in a situation where police don’t respect you and where you could easily get killed. … It took me a long time, and a number of people talking to me through the years to get a sense of this,” Gingrich said.

Glenn called police discrimination a “serious violation of trust” that deeply affects African Americans starting in childhood.

“Unless you have lived through an experience like this, you cannot understand how violating it feels, or what it does to your ability to feel safe in your city — to trust the people who are supposed to protect you,” Glenn said.

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“Think about what this does to our children: If you’re a black child watching CNN this week and you see video like the one in Minnesota, how are you not supposed to wonder if you are safe around police when you see them? This is not an attack on our police, it’s just a statement of fact: We cannot have unjust killings happening on our streets without a serious erosion in the confidence of the public. … This kind of fear only leads to more confrontation and violence.”

Glenn is a county commissioner and Air Force veteran who won his five-way Republican primary June 28 despite few campaign funds and no paid staff. In the final weeks, he gained momentum with endorsements from conservatives like Sens. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Ted Cruz (R-Tex.).

If elected, Glenn would join Tim Scott (S.C.) as the Senate’s second black Republican member.

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Scott issued a somewhat less personal statement about the shootings Friday. “It is clear — we must have tough conversations. We must put ourselves in each other’s shoes,” he said in part.

Democrats are confident that they can keep Bennet in his seat, calling Glenn — who was backed by Sarah Palin and supports Donald Trump — too conservative for Colorado. But unfolding conflicts with police across the country could see the debate take an unexpected turn.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who unseated Democrat Mark Udall in 2014, will join other prominent Colorado Republicans in campaigning with Glenn this weekend, the Denver Post reported.