DENVER – The 3rd Congressional District race between Republican Scott Tipton and Democratic challenger Abel Tapia isn’t the sexiest Colorado political race this election season.
But the race serves as an opportunity for Democrats to continue to paint contrasts between themselves and Republicans during a heated election season in which statewide incumbent Democrats are desperately trying to hold onto their seats.
In House District 3, it is a Republican who is playing defense. But Tipton doesn’t have too much to worry about. Even Tapia acknowledges he has a tough climb in the slightly Republican-leaning district against a well-funded incumbent.
Adding to Tapia’s struggle is that he announced his candidacy late, back in March.
“It’s an uphill battle, but we feel very confident,” said Tapia, a civil engineer, former state lawmaker from Pueblo and former director of the Colorado Lottery.
Tipton, a businessman, former state legislator and Fort Lewis College graduate, has served since 2010 when he defeated three-term Democrat John Salazar of Manassa.
“I take every race seriously,” Tipton said. “We have two different approaches, and so we’re continuing to work hard and get out and visit with our folks. I take nothing for granted.”
The differences between Tapia and Tipton are clear. Tapia believes immigration serves as the best example.
Tapia supports a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, which was rejected by the Republican-controlled House.
“I have the passion, I can bring some common sense to the table. I really do want to get this done,” he said. “But in the mix that we have in Washington, D.C., with the same people there, it’s not ever going to happen.”
Tipton said the Senate version of the immigration-reform bill, a compromise that included border security and a path to citizenship, was deeply flawed, which is why the House picked it apart.
“It’s obviously broken, and we need to correct this,” Tipton said. “We do need to have border security. While it deals with immigration, it’s actually a matter of national security now.”
On the issue of climate change, the two candidates also come at it from different angles. Tapia suggested that it is impossible to continue denying that humans cause climate change.
“Things are changing like we’ve never seen them before, and the science backs up the fact that there is climate change,” Tapia said.
Tipton said that while he acknowledges there is climate change, he believes the issue is more complex, suggesting an all-of-the-above approach to energy.
“It’s unfortunate that people try to politicize something that at its base core should not be an argument,” Tipton said. “We should not have to be debating whether or not we should be using the best technologies.”
Along those lines, Tipton has been opposed to federal environmental standards for carbon emissions and a proposal to expand regulatory authority over waters.
“We all know we need rules and regulations, but we are seeing a regulatory body that is unconstrained,” Tipton said.
Tapia said proposed mandates through the Environmental Protection Agency are often necessary to begin a dialogue on the subject.
“Now they’re throwing their hands up in the air and saying the federal government is telling us what to do. I would go back to them today and say, ‘What are your ideas? How can we do it better?’” Tapia said.
On the economy, Tapia said his priority would be fixing crumbling infrastructure.
“Our infrastructure is deteriorating, and if we don’t address it in the next 10 years, we’re going to have some catastrophic events,” Tapia said.
Tipton said the best way to improve the economy is to review rules and regulations and eliminate the unnecessary ones. He has sponsored a piece of legislation that would make it easier for Congress to eliminate rules.
“There is an opportunity for Congress to step in,” Tipton said. “The challenge we currently face to be able to remove a rule that has gone final, it takes a bill through the House, a bill through the Senate and a presidential signature to remove something that no member of Congress voted on.”
Democrats have pounded Republicans for allowing a government shutdown last year. But Tipton said he never supported it.
“I don’t think that the shutdown was called for, or necessary,” he said.
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
Abel Tapia
Political affiliation: Democrat
Key issues: Jobs and the economy; protecting seniors who receive Social Security; education reform
Occupation: Civil engineer, former state lawmaker, former director of Colorado Lottery
Family: Wife, Connie, three grown children
Residence: Pueblo
Favorite U.S. president: John F. Kennedy
Scott Tipton
Political affiliation: Republican
Key issues: The economy; reining in government bureaucracy; passing bipartisan legislation
Occupation: Entrepreneur, U.S. congressman
Family: Wife, Jean, two grown daughters
Residence: Cortez
Favorite U.S. president: Ronald Reagan
