I am going to go into a little depth for the ballot initiatives but I’m not going to elaborate on most of the races. Why? Because this is the year to simply vote Republican. Democrats have decided to follow the lead of California on energy policy, taxing and spending (while using different words to screw us on TABOR), and homelessness and I don’t want to live in California. Before you vote for a Democrat I need you answer these questions:
- Is Colorado a better place since Democrats took over completely?
- Is your quality of life better or worse in the last five years?
- Do you feel safe in your hometown now?
- Are the current policies making homelessness better or worse?
- Are you better off because gas prices are higher?
- Are you worried about the economy now and in the future?
Answer those questions and I hope you’ll see why I’m asking you to vote Republican. I’ve not vetted every GOP candidate in the state, and I’m sure there are some I agree with more than others, but for the love of all that is holy, they can’t possibly be worse than the policies that are driving Colorado into a ditch of our own making.
US SENATE: JOE O’DEA
I did not vote for Joe O’Dea in the primary. Since he won the nomination, I’ve had the chance to get to know him and his spectacular wife a tiny bit and I am enthusiastically voting for him in this race. Michael Bennet manages to brown nose Biden by voting for his policies 98% of the time, but can’t get Space Force HQ moved back here from a REPUBLICAN state? Useless. Vote for a guy who built a major construction company from nothing over the diplomat’s son who bought a one-day fishing license to show you how “outdoorsy” he is.
US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
We have eight districts in our state, but only four of these races feel somewhat competitive (some more than others to be sure) so though I’d love you vote Republican in all the races, here are the tight ones.
3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: LAUREN BOEBERT
I am surprised this is as competitive as it is, as I though Boebert had more of a lock on her district.The polling showed the race tightening, but that was before the story of blackmail emerged about her opponent Adam Frisch, as a local businessman says he used video that seemed to prove Frisch was having an affair to blackmail him into changing a vote on the Aspen City Council.Aspen is ignoring the story, but they won’t vote for Lauren anyway. I wish Lauren spent more time talking about policy, which she is VERY informed on, rather than name calling and nonsense, but she’s the best choice regardless.
6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: STEVEN MONAHAN
I’m not sure how much this district is in play as Jason Crow seems to be popular and the district skews Democratic, but I like Steve and would love to see him do well.
7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: ERIK AADLAND
Erik is a very level-headed guy who is just as worried about inflation and big government spending as you are. His opponent Brittany Petterson is a progressive dream, who has never met a progressive, big government program she didn’t want to fully embrace as a member of the Colorado Legislature.
8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: BARBARA KIRKMEYER
Barb Kirkmeyer is an impressive woman with great political credentials as a Weld County Commissioner and a State Senator. She’s smart and practical. Her opponent is the most progressive, bordering on socialistic candidate in a major race this year. I could see her immediately joining the Squad if elected.
COLORADO GOVERNOR: HEIDI GANAHL
There should be no surprise I’m all for Heidi, I’ve been talking about her for a year and a half now. I want to tell you why. Jared Polis shut down our state, our schools, and then dropped out of sight after he empowered counties to set their own rules. He says he’s a libertarian but our vaccine mandate for health care workers STILL stands and many people lost their jobs because of a vaccine that does NOT stop transmission. He says he’s a libertarian but allows counties to pass MORE restrictive gun laws, but not less. Heidi is a true dynamo who has spent the last two years traveling this state and talking to real Coloradans about their lives, what their issues are and she has LISTENED.She has come up with some innovative ideas, but what has struck me is her willingness to listen to all players to try to come up with something that everyone can buy into.
ATTORNEY GENERAL: JOHN KELLNER
Vote for the current District Attorney of the 18th Judicial District John Kellner to get some sanity and conviction and convictions back in the office. I’m sure Phil Weiser is a nice man but his soft on crime policies are a disaster.
TREASURER: LANG SIAS
Lang Sias is a Navy pilot and pilot for Fed Ex; but also happens to be a super smart guy who served in the State House, has a law degree and studied economics at the London School of Economics. He also comes highly recommended as a swell person by Ross Kaminsky. We need more swell people in government.
SECRETARY OF STATE: PAM ANDERSON
Jena Griswold is an incompetent partisan who doesn’t deserve to hold this office. Luckily Pam Anderson is the most qualified Secretary of State candidate I’ve ever voted for in my entire life, so the choice is the easiest of any race.
*****LATE ADDITION: STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: I can't believe that I forgot these races! The Board of Education as it currently stands is anti-charter because Democrats will not vote to certify a charter because they are listening to the teachers unions instead of parents. These candidates are also trying to keep the curriculum free of racist Critical Race Theory influences, and the only way to fix this it to flip the State Board of Education. Here are the candidates I strongly recommend.
DISTRICT 5: STEVE DURHAM. He's currently on the Board and has tried to bring sanity to the current board but he's outnumbered.
DISTRICT 6: MOLLY LAMAR Molly is a GREAT candidate, and a mom who is sick of the nonsense in our schools.
DISTRICT 8: PEGGY PROBST Peggy has already been a Board member once, but left back in 2010. She sees what's happening and wants to fix it. Also a longtime teachers and County Commissioner
AT LARGE SEAT: DAN MALOIT Dan is a dad with three kids in school who wants to make sure his kids and yours always have access to great schools.
STATE HOUSE AND SENATE: ANY REPUBLICAN WITH A PULSE WHO IS RUNNING
The Democrats have not made our state a better place to be. Go read the six questions for more.
BALLOT INITIATIVES
AMENDMENT D: NEW 23RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGES YES
This creates the staffing procedure of the new 23rd Judicial district and sets the parameter that they must live in the district where they preside. The district has already been created by statute, this is just housekeeping.
AMENDMENT E: EXTEND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO GOLD STAR SPOUSES YES
This allows the property tax homestead exemption currently offered to senior citizens and disable veterans to be extended the surviving spouse of a service member killed in the line of duty or who died from injuries or illness from those duties. It costs to little and goes to families who have given so much.
AMENDMENT F: CHARITABLE GAMING YES
This shortens the time a charity has to be in existence before they can get a bingo-raffle license for fundraising, and also allows them to pay someone to run the games. Charities still have to around for at least three years, but this would be a godsend for charities without huge volunteer bases who need to be able to staff fundraisers.
AMENDMENT FF: HEALTH SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL NO
This is one of those things they name a certain way because WHO DOESN’T WANT healthy meals at schools??? But the devil is in the details, and this is just a way to reintroduce a tiered income tax. They will not be able to collect enough taxes from “the rich” and will end up having to use General Funds for this. Also, we should NOT be subsidizing lunch for middle and upper income kids who don’t need it when there are a jillion other things in schools that need money.
PROPOSITION GG: ADD TAX INFORMATION TABLE TO PETITIONS AND BALLOTS NO
It wants us to include a table showing who would pay what under any tax income changes and those who pay the highest amount, “The Rich”, will get the most benefit. The sole and only purpose of this is to try and make income tax decreases harder to pass in the future by creating jealousy among voters.True story.
PROPOSITION 121: STATE INCOME TAX RATE REDUCTION YES
This proposal would cut our income tax from 4.55% to 4.40%. This would lower the income tax burden for everyone who pays income tax.
PROPOSITION 122: ACCESS TO NATURAL PSYCHEDELICS NO
My 25 year old libertarian self is screaming at me right now, because this is a NO for me for the following reasons. I should begin by saying I am not against adults using psychedelics. Don’t interrupt my right to life, liberty and happiness and do what you want. But I would be foolish to not look at the failures of Amendment 64 when it comes to keeping kids off pot and the destruction of the black market before I supported any sort of decriminalization which I fully believe will lead to full recreational legalization at some point. I don’t want Colorado to have this honor. Being the first for pot did not make our state better, even though I thought it would.
PROPOSITION 123: DEDICATE REVENUE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS NO
This looks way too much like a massive slush fund for my taste, and this bill segregates this money from the rest of the General Fund forever, which is a bad, bad idea. It is also a blatant grab for our TABOR Funds, and it specifically says this money will NOT be subject to TABOR limits, so it’s a tax increase by default. This thing is shady as hell.
THE BOOZE PROPOSITIONS: YES ON ALL THREE The first two have to do with opening up competition in the booze category and it will certainly make it harder on some specialty liquor stores to compete, but business environments change constantly and I am always against something that decreases competition, as it usually doesn’t help the consumer. The last one is third party booze delivery, and that should already be a thing, as we already have booze delivery now.
PROPOSITION 124: INCREASE ALLOWABLE LIQUOR STORE LOCATIONS
This allows liquor store chains to have more than the three licenses allowed
PROPOSITION 125: ALLOW GROCERY AND CONVENIENCE STORES TO SELL WINE
This would allow grocers and convenience stores to sell wine.
PROPOSITION 126: THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY OF ALCOHOL
This would allow third party delivery services to deliver alcohol instead of merely liquor store delivery drivers. It’s time on this one.
HERE’S YOUR CRIB SHEET:
US SENATE: JOE O’DEA
3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: LAUREN BOEBERT
6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: STEVEN MONAHAN
7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: ERIK AADLAND
8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: BARBARA KIRKMEYER
COLORADO GOVERNOR: HEIDI GANAHL
ATTORNEY GENERAL: JOHN KELLNER
TREASURER: LANG SIAS
SECRETARY OF STATE: PAM ANDERSON
STATE HOUSE AND SENATE: ANY REPUBLICAN WITH A PULSE WHO IS RUNNING
AMENDMENT D: NEW 23RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT JUDGES YES
AMENDMENT E: EXTEND HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO GOLD STAR SPOUSES YES
AMENDMENT F: CHARITABLE GAMING YES
AMENDMENT FF:HEALTH SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL NO
PROPOSITION GG; ADD TAX INFORMATION TABLE TO PETITIONS AND BALLOTS NO
PROPOSITION 121:STATE INCOME TAX RATE REDUCTION YES
PROPOSITION 122:ACCESS TO NATURAL PSYCHEDELICS NO
PROPOSITION 123: DEDICATE REVENUE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS NO
PROPOSITION 124: INCREASE ALLOWABLE LIQUOR STORE LOCATIONS YES
PROPOSITION 125: ALLOW GROCERY AND CONVENIENCE STORES TO SELL WINE YES
PROPOSITION 126: THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY OF ALCHOHOL YES
If you want lengthy, in depth discussions of each of these issues, just listen to the show, or read Ross Kaminsky's super wonky guide here. In my experience, you guys are looking for the cheat sheet because you normally agree with what I've already said, but now you have options!