The Delta County Republican Assembly is over. Delta County Republicans elected our candidates for County offices, ratified our new Precinct Committee People (PCPs) and delegates to the State Assembly and other Higher Assemblies, and approved the resolutions we want the State Assembly to consider for our Party Platform. So now it’s time to get ready for the State and other Higher Assemblies. I thought I would go over the details of the different assemblies and whom the candidates are so that the delegates can get prepared for the Assemblies. Note, the Pre-Primary Neutrality Bylaw requires I don’t endorse any of the candidates until after the Primary. But I hope you use this information to check the Republican candidates out so that you can make a good decision at the Assembly.
The first Higher Assembly that involves Delta County was the Colorado Senate District 7 or SD7 Assembly. I use the past tense because this Assembly was held last Saturday, March 26, 2022 at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel in Grand Junction after the Mesa County Assembly. Four of Delta County’s precincts are located in SD7, Precincts 11-14, all in the Cedaredge area. Current House District representative Janice Rich is the sole Republican candidate for SD7. Ray Scott was the previous senator for SD7 but he was term-limited. Janice Rich was nominated last Saturday and voted to be the Republican candidate by acclimation. It was a very short and to the point assembly. Ms. Rich has appeared in Delta County several times at the DCRCC HQ for Percs & Politics. She appears to be a very qualified and suitable candidate.
The next higher assembly for Delta County will occur this upcoming weekend. The Colorado House District 54 Assembly will be held at the Delta County Center for the Performing Arts – the same venue where the Delta County Assembly was held. The address is 822 Grand Ave., Delta, CO. The assembly is scheduled for Saturday April 2, 2022. Credentialing begins at 1:00 pm with the Assembly starting at 1:30 pm. Delta resident Matt Soper is the incumbent running for the Republican nomination. Matt is running for his third term. Colorado term-limits allow Representatives to serve for 4 terms or 8 years. While Colorado senators may serve for two-4 year terms. Grand Junction resident Nina Anderson is also running for the Republican nomination. At the HD 54 Assembly a candidate must receive 30% of the credentialed delegates’ votes to get on the ballot for the June 28, 2022 Colorado Primary Election. Since HD 54 also includes all of Mesa County, except for the City Of Grand Junction (HD55), Delta County delegates should make a significant effort to attend the HD54 Assembly. Especially since it is being held here in Delta. Delegates please be sure to attend this Assembly!
The next three assemblies that concern Delta County will all be held the following weekend in Colorado Springs. The action begins on Friday April 8, 2022 with Colorado House District 58 Assembly being held at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. This hotel is located at 1775 East Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. This is just off of I-25, at exit138. This Assembly is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am in the Academy Room at the hotel. House District 58 includes the eastern third of Delta County, Precincts 15-20. HD58 is a very large House District, which also includes Gunnison, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Dolores and Hindsdale Counties and the northwest corner of Montezuma County. Marc Catlin (R) of Montrose is the current incumbent of HD 58. Marc is running for his third term. Marc is a resident of Montrose County. He told me in a phone call he is excited to begin representing the residents of Precincts 15- 20 in Delta County, if he is elected in the upcoming election. He would like to meet the Delta County delegates at the HD58 Assembly and has inquired about coming up to Delta County to meet with us. Marc is currently unopposed for the Republican nomination for HD58.
The second assembly on Friday April 8 is also at the Double Tree Hotel. This is the Congressional District 3 or CD3 Assembly scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm in the Grand Ballroom. The race for CD3 is a contested race. The candidates for the Republican nomination for CD3 are 1) Lauren Boebert, incumbent finishing her first term. She is a Restaurant owner from Rifle, CO. 2) Marina Zimmerman, crane operator and attorney, from Durango, CO. 3) Don Coram, current SD 6 Senator, Term-limited, from Montrose CO. Congresswoman Boebert has appeared numerous times in Delta County including being the featured speaker at the Delta County Lincoln Day Dinner in 2021. The other two candidates have not made campaign appearances in Delta County during this election. Don Coram may not even be on the ballot at CD3, as I believe he is petitioning to be on the June 28, 2022 Colorado Primary ballot and totally bypassing the Colorado COP State Assembly. This may be an exciting assembly.
The third assembly is the Colorado State Assembly on Saturday, April 9, 2022. This is near the Double Tree Hotel but is located at 3185 Venetuci Blvd. It too is just off I-25 at Exit 138. Check-in and credentialing begins at 7:00 am with the assembly being convened at 9:00 am. This will probably be a long day as there are many contested races and resolutions that are going to be voted on, and there will undoubtedly be various issues that come up. It is politics in action!
The contested races that will be voted on at the State Assembly are Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, State Board of Education at-Large and US Senator. I’ll go over the different candidates for each race separately.
Governor:
Twenty-six candidates are currently running for Governor in 2022 – Two Democrats, including the incumbent, Jared Polis, 15 Republicans and 8 Unaffiliated candidates and one Libertarian. Those candidates are:
1) Jared Polis (D) Incumbent
2) Dustin Rorex (D), from Pueblo West, CO.
1) Laurie Clark (R), from Monument, CO.
2) Jeffrey Fry (R, from Hayden, CO.
3) Jon Gray-Ginsberg (R), from Frisco, CO.
4) Greg Lopez (R), from Elizabeth, CO.
5) Danielle Neuschwanger (R), from Elbert, CO.
6) Christopher Allen Tackett (R), from Clifton, CO.
7) Heidi Ganahl (R), from Douglas County, CO.
8) Darryl Gibbs (R), from Aurora, CO.
9) Jack Percy Dillender, Jr. (R), from Crestone, CO.
10) Jason Lopez. (R), from Morrison, CO.
11) Nathaniel Cameron Marshall, Sr. (R), from Denver, CO.
12) Jason Wilkat (R), from Firestone, CO.
13) William Purdy (R), from Aurora, CO.
14) Zachariah Burck (R), from Arvada, CO.
15) Matthew Hart (R), from Parker, CO.
1) Ralph Tingle, Jr. (UA),from Denver CO.
2) Christopher Dean Salgado (UA), from Pueblo CO.
3) Zachary Varon (UA), from Avon, CO.
4) Jim Rundberg (Gold Party), from Antonito, CO.
5) Jarred Ahrend (UA), from Colorado Springs, CO.
6) William Redmon (US), from Buena Vista CO.
7) Chadwick Bowman (UA), from Englewood CO.
8) Michael Fowler (UA), from Denver CO.
1) Kevin Ruskusky (Libertarian) 2322 S. Salem Cir., Aurora CO 80014.
This is a nearly overwhelming number of candidates. However, I believe there are only a few who are truly serious. I am only focusing on the Republican candidates, as those are the ones our delegates are going to be voting on at the Colorado State Assembly. We have seen Greg Lopez, Danielle Neuschwanger and Heidi Ganahl here in Delta County. These seem to be the strongest Republican candidates. Check them out and get ready to vote.
Lieutenant Governor
There are currently three candidates, who have declared for Lieutenant Governor of Colorado and none are Republicans. The candidates are:
1) Diane Primavera (D), incumbent from Denver CO.
2) Larry Schneider (UA), from Greenwood Village CO.
3) Roger Evans (UA), from Pueblo, CO.
So unless there is a floor nomination for a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor, there won’t be a vote for that office at the State Assembly.
Attorney General
There are now four candidates who have declared for Attorney General of Colorado. Those candidates are:
1) Phillip Weiser (D), incumbent from Denver CO.
2) John Kellnor (R), from Arapaho County, CO.
3) Robert Barbrady (American Constitution Party).
4) William Robertson (Libertarian Party).
John Kellner is a Marine veteran and current Marine Corps Reservist. He came from a military family, received an undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and graduated from the University of Colorado Law School. He served as a District Attorney in Boulder County and was sworn in as District Attorney for the 18th Judicial District on Jan. 12, 2021. The 18th Judicial District includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. He seems to be an excellent candidate for the Republican nomination.
Secretary of State
There are currently five candidates who have declared for Secretary of State for Colorado. Those candidates are:
1) Jena Griswold (D), Incumbent from Louisville, CO.
2) David Winney (R), from Colorado Springs, CO.
3) Pam Anderson (R), from Wheat Ridge, CO.
4) Tina Peters (R), from Grand Junction, CO.
5) Francis (Mike) O’Donnell (R), from Kirk, CO..
With four Republicans running for the Republican nomination, this could be quite a contested race. I encourage our delegates to closely research these Republican candidates.
Treasurer
There are currently two candidates who have declared for Treasurer. They are:
1) David Young (D), Incumbent from Greeley, CO.
2) Lang Sias (R) from Denver, CO.
Lang Sias is former Colorado House District 27 Representative, 2015-2019. He ran for Lieutenant Governor on the Walker Stapleton ticket in the 2018 election. House District 27 is in southern Arapaho County and includes Centennial.
State Board of Education - At Large Seat
There are four open seats on the State Board of Education, but only one that Delta County can vote on – the At Large Seat that all voters in the State can vote on. The other three seats are based on the Congressional Districts, with the seats for CD 4,5 and 8 open this year. Our State Board of Education Seat for CD3 is held by Joyce Rankin (R) of Carbondale and her six-year term runs through 2027. The two candidates for the new At Large Seat in this year’s election are:
1) Dan Maloit (R), from Erie, CO.
2) Kathy Plomer (D), from Broomfield, CO.
Dan Maloit is a CU graduate and an Army veteran, works in the health care and medical device industry and a father of three. He looks like a good candidate and deserves a close look, and most likely your vote.
US Senate
Incumbent Michael Bennet is running for a second term, after being appointed to fill in for Sen. Ken Salazar in 2009. One Democrat candidate is challenging him in the primary. Seven candidates have declared for the Republican nomination to run against incumbent Michael Bennett.
1) Michael Bennet (D) Incumbent, Businessman, Attorney, Politician, Denver, CO.
2) Karen Breslin (D). Journalist/Attorney/University professor, Elizabeth, CO.
1) Peter Yu (R). Business Consultant, Windsor, CO.
2) Joe O’Dea (R). Former State Rep and Congressional Aid and teacher, Businessman, from Greenwood Village, CO.
3) Eli Bremer (R). Air Force veteran, Retired Olympian, from Colorado Springs, CO.
4) Ron Hanks (R). State Representative HD 60, from Penrose, CO.
5) Gino Campana (R). Builder/Developer, from Fort Collins, CO.
6) Deborah Flora (R). Former Miss Colorado, actress/radio host, from Parker, CO.
7) Greg Moore (R). University professor-Colorado Christian University, from Evergreen, CO.
This contested race seems to have quite a few very strong candidates. In fact I believe any one of them would be a far superior senator than the incumbent. This makes it very challenging to pick a candidate to support. To date, Eli Bremmer, Gino Campano, Peter Yu, Debra Flora and Ron Hanks have appeared at the Delta HQ for Percs & Politics or at Starvin’ Arvin’s (Ron Hanks). I believe these are the strongest candidates and I encourage all the delegates to closely check them out.
Obviously this is just a cursory assessment. I encourage delegates to check out the various candidates to be prepared to support their candidate. We will also be considering the resolutions that our county and all the other 63 Colorado counties submitted. A Resolutions Committee will be evaluating all the resolutions that were submitted and combining those that are similar. Let me know if you have any questions.
David Bradford
Delta County Republican Central Committee Chairman