La Plata County Republicans are feeling hopeful.
As the race to the midterm elections kicks off, the Colorado Republican Party is attempting to counter the state’s Democratic advantage by fielding strong candidates for governor and U.S. Senate – seats that have been held by Democrats in recent years.
On Friday night, the Southwest Republican Women hosted a candidate forum, with moderators from conservative media outlet, Rocky Mountain Voice, featuring a slate of Republican candidates running for governor, attorney general, U.S. Senate and Colorado secretary of state, among other offices, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars office in Durango.
“We’re really encouraged,” said Deborah Shisler in response to hearing the candidates speak.
Colorado has not had a Republican governor since 2007, and the state Legislature has been controlled by the Democratic Party since 2018.
An unspoken theme ran through the event: Flipping the state in 2026 will be an uphill climb.
“How does a Republican win in this state? We try to tell ourselves, it’s still purple, but this is a blue state right now, and until we prove otherwise, it will continue to be that way,” said Kevin Grantham, candidate for Colorado treasurer.
While reaching across the aisle did not appear to have much audience or candidate appeal, many attendees acknowledged that unaffiliated voters – and even some Democrats – share similar goals and concerns for the state.
“They (democrats) generally agree with folks like us, but for some reason, when it comes time to vote, they just go astray,” said Col. George Markert, a candidate for U.S. Senate. “And I don’t know how to really understand that I think they’ve got some decent ideas and they want good things, but I think they’re coerced, and they just can’t seem to get it together on election day.”
There was also acknowledgment that the Republican Party needs to heal its internal divisions and chart a unified path to succeed in upcoming elections. Which the forum stuck to, as candidates did not present major differences on any single issue and appeared largely aligned on key priorities.
Still, slight distinctions emerged. Gubernatorial candidate Maria Orms, for example, appeared to steer away from more emotionally charged topics such as immigration enforcement and abortion, instead focusing on individual homeownership and the need for stronger protections of citizens’ data.
Others, like Janak Joshi, who took a hard stance on abortion, naming himself a pro-life candidate, approached divisive topics head on.
Outside the overarching question of how to win elections, the main issues raised by candidates were border security, affordability and election integrity, along with a shared opposition to federal overreach and support for conservative policy priorities.
Several speakers called for the release of Tina Peters, the former Colorado election official convicted in connection with a security breach of Mesa County voting systems in 2024, and candidates voiced support for moving away from voting machines and returning to hand-counted ballots.
Even more attention was directed toward the state budget, which several candidates said has grown beyond reasonable limits in recent years.
“I looked into the Colorado budget, and frankly, it shouldn’t be $40 billion, it should be like $12 billion,” said Scott Bottoms, a gubernatorial candidate. “So I think that we have to do a better job of being a good steward with your money and put more money back in your pocket.”
It was a point that resonated with most of the audience. Tim Scott, said one of the issues he would be placing highest consideration on when going to the polls was “fair taxation.”
La Plata County Republicans said the event was a step in the right direction ahead of the midterms.
“I think tonight went really well,” said Vanessa Ruggles, chairwoman of the La Plata County Republican Party. “We’re positive going in (to election season).”
The presence of young members from the Fort Lewis College Turning Point USA chapter was encouraging to Ruggles, who said they could help increase youth turnout and support for conservative candidates.
Others said they were pleased to see so many candidates appear in a region far from the state capital, and feel included in the state conversation.
Republican candidates who appeared included: U.S. Senate hopefuls Sean Pond, Mark Baisley, Markert, Dathan Jones and Joshi; gubernatorial candidates Orms, Jason Mike, Joe Oltman and Bottom; attorney general candidate Michael Allen; treasurer candidate Grantham; and secretary of state candidates JJ McKinsey and James Wiley.
A full recording of the candidate forum can be found online at the RMV’s YouTube page.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
