{"id":42710,"date":"2022-01-13T09:57:43","date_gmt":"2022-01-13T16:57:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/a-fighting-tone-colorado-republicans-are-heading-into-the-2022-legislative-session-on-the-offensive\/"},"modified":"2022-01-13T16:57:43","modified_gmt":"2022-01-13T16:57:43","slug":"a-fighting-tone-colorado-republicans-are-heading-into-the-2022-legislative-session-on-the","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/a-fighting-tone-colorado-republicans-are-heading-into-the-2022-legislative-session-on-the\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018A fighting tone\u2019: Colorado Republicans are heading into the 2022 legislative session on the offensive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, speaks at an introduction of Republican lawmakers\u2019 2022 session plan, called their \u201cCommitment to Colorado,\" on Wednesday at the Colorado Capitol. The 44-bill plan will address affordability, education, crime and public safety among other topics. (Olivia Sun\/The Colorado Sun)
House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, speaks at an introduction of Republican lawmakers\u2019 2022 session plan, called their \u201cCommitment to Colorado,\" on Wednesday at the Colorado Capitol. The 44-bill plan will address affordability, education, crime and public safety among other topics. (Olivia Sun\/The Colorado Sun)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Republicans in the Colorado Legislature have been mostly playing defense over the past three years. But that posture is changing in 2022, an election year that will determine whether conservatives will remain relegated to the sidelines of Colorado politics.<\/p>\n

This year, Republicans are going on the offensive.<\/p>\n

Republicans see the 2022 legislative session that began Wednesday as their best chance before the November election to showcase their vision for the state\u2019s future, which they call their \u201cCommitment to Colorado.\u201d The party is pitching voters on policies aimed at reducing the cost of living, decreasing crime and improving student outcomes that would be accomplished, in large part, by rolling back policies Democrats passed in recent years.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a shift from the GOP strategy at the Capitol starting in 2019, when Democrats took control of the House, Senate and governor\u2019s office. Republicans\u2019 primary strategy was to try to slow down the Democratic machine through delay tactics, like long speeches in protest of legislation.<\/p>\n

But the potential for a shifting political landscape has emboldened conservatives to try for more in 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur optimism is renewed as we look at polling and what voters are saying, what they\u2019re thinking,\u201d said Senate Majority Leader Chris Holbert, a Douglas County Republican. The political winds in recent years, Holbert said, \u201cwere certainly not as favorable as they are right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a show of unity, the majority of the GOP House and Senate caucuses attended a news conference at the Capitol on Wednesday to roll out their agenda.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you are going to see more unity in the Republican Party going forward than you have in a long time,\u201d Colorado GOP Chairwoman Kristi Burton Brown said. \u201cWe\u2019re not just talking. We have a plan. We have solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Democrats are \u2018laser focused\u2019 on their priorities<\/div>\n

Democrats are pursuing policy goals that they hope will address the same problems Republicans are focusing on, though in different ways.<\/p>\n

They want to make major behavioral health investments to cut down on crime rates and recidivism, and boost education funding to increase teacher pay and reduce classroom sizes. And they want to offer fee relief to help Coloradans struggling with rising inflation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy No. 1 priority this session is to bring down the cost of living in Colorado,\u201d House Speaker Alec Garnett, a Denver Democrat, said in his opening day remarks.<\/p>\n

Garnett said the Democratic strategy at the Capitol this year will be to stay \u201claser focused\u201d on the party\u2019s public safety, affordability and education priorities. Garnett, however, rejected the idea of hitting the brakes on or unraveling Democrats\u2019 policy agenda, especially in the realm of crime.<\/p>\n

\"Colorado
Colorado House Speaker Alec Garnett makes a point during a news conference on the west steps of the State Capitol about legislative plans for the upcoming session Monday in Denver. Leaders are aiming to expand access to health care as well as reduce costs, make the state more affordable by reducing child care and housing costs, improving the education system and taking steps to insure safe communities. (David Zalubowski\/Associated Press)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cWe will not go back to the failed policies of the past of overpopulated prisons, wasted taxpayer dollars that have left us with high recidivism and not nearly enough rehabilitation,\u201d Garnett said. \u201cInstead, it\u2019s time to make Colorado safer and forge a more compassionate and more effective criminal justice system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senate President Leroy Garcia, a Pueblo Democrat, said in his opening day speech that every Coloradan deserves \u201ca safe, reliable place to lay your head to rest. A stable income that allows you to provide for yourself and your family. A life free from violence and discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the first bills introduced in the Senate were Democratic ones that will boost funding for police, support children\u2019s literacy and provide sales tax relief to small businesses.<\/p>\n

Democrats also plan this year to:<\/p>\n

Delay implementation of a 2 cent per gallon gasoline fee passed during the 2021 lawmaking term.Spend millions to finance the rapid development of affordable housing units.Invest more money in wildfire mitigation and resiliency programs.<\/div>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve heard the concerns that Coloradans and businesses have,\u201d said House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. \u201cWe\u2019re going to meet this moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Republicans have panned the Democratic agenda at the Capitol this year as a copycat version of the \u201cCommitment to Colorado,\u201d which the GOP unveiled over the summer. They also accuse Democrats of trying to solve problems that they themselves caused.<\/p>\n

\u201cColorado is less affordable than it was three years ago when Democrats took control of our state government,\u201d Holbert said, accusing the majority party of really being \u201claser focused on forcing people to pay more.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow suddenly, Democrats claim that they want Coloradans to keep more of their hard earned money in their pocket. Well, then we look forward to their support for this commitment to Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Senate
Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Douglas Count,y speaks at an introduction of Republican lawmakers\u2019 2022 session plan. (Olivia Sun\/The Colorado Sun)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

But Gov. Jared Polis rejected the Republican argument at a news conference this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s great opportunity for bipartisan cooperation on public safety,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the fact that both Republican and Democratic elected officials are identifying that as a priority is a simple reflection of the fact that it is a priority for the people of the state of Colorado.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also the reality is Republicans can\u2019t pass any of their bills without Democratic support. The GOP has too few votes in the Legislature to advance any measure on its own.<\/p>\n

The GOP wildcard<\/div>\n

One of the big questions for Republicans at the Capitol this year will be whether all of the party\u2019s lawmakers can stay on message. That will be answered in the House, where Minority Leader Hugh McKean, R-Loveland, has been contending with a fractured caucus.<\/p>\n

Noticeably missing from Wednesday\u2019s news conference were a handful of representatives \u2013 including Dave Williams of Colorado Springs, Ron Hanks of Fremont County and Patrick Neville of Castle Rock \u2013 who have in the past challenged McKean\u2019s leadership and direction.<\/p>\n

Williams and Hanks have been focused on baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election, redirecting the GOP conversation away from the \u201cCommitment to Colorado.\u201d And one of the first House bills introduced Wednesday was one sponsored by Neville that would appear to allow abortions only in limited circumstances in Colorado and otherwise make the procedure a felony crime.<\/p>\n

Williams said he agrees with the broad strokes of the plan that Republican leaders outlined Wednesday, but that they didn\u2019t clue him in on the details.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel as though myself or others in the caucus are on the same page as leadership, and especially as it relates to the press conference they had put together today,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n

\"Colorado
Colorado state Rep. Dave Williams, R-Colorado Springs, addresses the House during the first day of Colorado\u2019s 73rd legislative session at the Colorado Capitol in Denver on Wednesday. (Andy Colwell\/Special to The Colorado Sun)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

McKean, who said he\u2019s embracing a \u201cfighting tone\u201d at the Capitol this year, said he\u2019s not concerned about Republicans getting sidetracked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really not,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Burton Brown, who leads the Colorado GOP, said the Republican proposals represent an acknowledgement that it\u2019s not enough for her party to \u201cjust say the other guy is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not enough for people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering Colorado issues. To learn more, go to coloradosun.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The GOP\u2019s main strategy has been to slow down the Democratic machine through delay tactics<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":42711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[120,394,94,14,2336,15,233,28],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-42710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-colorado","tag-colorado-legislature","tag-colorado-state-government","tag-colorado-state-house-of-representatives","tag-colorado-state-officials","tag-colorado-state-senate","tag-coloradosun-com","tag-headlines"],"acf":[],"author_name":"Website Administrator","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42710","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42710"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42710\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42710"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42710"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42710"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=42710"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}