Andy Colwell, Special to The Denver Post

With a tear in her eye, Guadalupe Azua of Westwood voices her concerns about U.S. Senator Cory Gardner's stance on health care during an "in absentia" town hall meeting held at Byers Middle School and directed at Gardner, who was not in attendance. Organizers said the meeting was held as a response to Gardner's refusal to meet face-to-face with constituents in a similar meeting format. Gardner was invited to attend, organizers said, but did not respond to the invitation, and so a cardboard cutout of Gardner was set up in his place.