Sometimes democracy means spending hours sitting in metal folding chairs.
The La Plata County Republicans met Thursday night for its county assembly, which featured candidate speeches, the selection of delegates for the next round of assemblies in April and the adoption of platform resolutions.
Barbara Ann Smith, running for the State Board of Education, said she would vote to get rid of the federal Common Core standards.
“(The federal government) is trying to change history,” Smith said. “(President) Obama doesn’t want us to know the good things, he doesn’t want our kids to know about (President Ronald) Reagan, all the good things he did.”
Smith also mentioned she had just bought an assault rifle.
David Cox of Palisade is running against Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, for the U.S. House of Representatives. In his speech, Cox said he’ll fight to impeach Obama for his administration’s “crimes.”
“I’m here because I’m deeply concerned about the state of our union,” he said. “I’m running for the 3rd Congressional District because I believe that it is absolutely essential that the executive be brought to answer for his criminal acts.”
Meeting participants also selected their candidates for county positions.
Brad Blake is running for the county commissioner seat Bobby Lieb is vacating to run for treasurer, and current office holders were nominated to run again for coroner, sheriff and county clerk.
“I have no doubt I can serve you for four more years,” Sheriff Duke Schirard said.
This is Schirard’s sixth run for sheriff, and he spoke passionately about finding an answer in the Dylan Redwine case. The 13-year-old’s remains were found seven months after he went missing in 2012.
“We’re not going to quit,” he said.
County Clerk Tiffany Lee Parker said her first term was an adventure, and she wanted to continue the journey. She was elected in 2010.
“The best thing about my job is the people,” she said. “I love it. It’s awesome, and our community is so wonderful.”
Jann Smith is running for her first term as coroner after being appointed to the position in 2012.
The assembly also approved three of four resolutions on the agenda.
One urged candidates and elected officials to repeal gun-control regulations and support only candidates who back the right to bear arms.
Participants also approved having voter picture identification for elections and changing the term limits for representatives in the U.S. House to six two-year terms and U.S. senators to three four-year terms.
The resolution that failed strongly opposed constitutional conventions to make amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
The State Assembly is scheduled for April 12 in Boulder.
smueller@durangoherald.com
