Two challengers vying for La Plata County commissioner seats in November received unanimous support at the La Plata County Republican Assembly on Monday.
Kayla Patterson and Lyle McKnight are hoping to win seats held by Julie Westendorff and Gwen Lachelt. Republican Commissioner Brad Blake is not facing re-election.
About 140 Republican delegates gathered at the La Plata County Fairgrounds to hear from candidates and select the 46 delegates who will go on to the four higher assembles, including the state assembly. The state delegates will help select the Republican presidential candidate.
Two hours into the assembly, members of the crowd asked to reprint the ballots listing the presidential candidate the state delegates preferred.
“It would be nice to know who they are going to vote for on the state level,” said Victoria Robbins, the first person to raise the issue.
However, the motion failed. Some people argued it could tie delegates to a candidate no longer in the race. That’s the reason the state Republican Party did not hold a statewide straw poll.
However, a later resolution raised the issue of replacing the caucus system with a primary election.
“I don’t need people carrying my vote to the state,” said April LaJune, the author of the resolution.
Others argued that caucuses allow regular people to introduce resolutions and send representatives from rural areas to the state.
On the local level, all candidates received a strong endorsement from the crowd and a unanimous vote.
McKnight said he has been campaigning since January.
In an interview, the former owner of the Fun Center on U.S. Highway 160 described himself a pro-business candidate against raising both property and sales tax.
He promised the crowd he would support the oil and gas sector because it is an important economic driver.
“Why are some of current county commissioners fighting so hard against it?” he asked.
He also vowed to change the planning process at the county which he called “unfriendly and inefficient.”
Patterson, who works for Vantiv, is also running a pro-business platform.
“I don’t have any biased reason for saying no to business,” she said.
Steve McCormack, who is currently serving as county surveyor, also received a nomination for a two-year term. McCormack was appointed to the position after the last surveyor died in office.
The crowd also heard from two candidates for state Senate, Darryl Glenn and Charlie Ehler, both of whom want to challenge Michael Bennet.
Both promised a strong military, tax reform and opposed the Affordable Care Act.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
