Republican County Assembly hears from candidates

Community members filled the Biesemeier Room at Phillips County Event Center for the Phillips County Lincoln Day Luncheon and Republican County Assembly on Sunday afternoon, March 20. They enjoyed a meal, heard from numerous candidates for office and selected nominees for local offices.

Congressman Ken Buck, Kristi Burton Brown, chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party, Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg and many others spoke at the event.

Buck said the Biden administration has declared war on domestic energy production and has caused high gas prices, high inflation and high crime rates.

“You can’t fix stupid, but you can vote it out,” Buck said. He added, “If you look at history, we’re going to win the House, and if you look at history, we have a really good chance of winning the U.S. Senate. But that can’t be where we stop. That has to be where we start.” He said Republicans have to keep going and get Colorado back, and it’s important that Republicans unite behind their candidates as soon as the primaries are over.

Burton Brown told those assembled that she has visited all 64 counties in Colorado, and Sunday was her second visit to Phillips County.

She said that growing up in rural Colorado was one of the best experiences of her life, and that many of those in power at the state level are from Denver and Boulder, which does not represent all of Colorado.

She added that this November is the perfect opportunity to turn out every possible rural vote to “drown out the socialist, liberal policies that Denver and Boulder are using to control our state, kick our industries out of Colorado and control our way of life.”

She said, “What we are asking people in rural Colorado to do is build a real rural coalition across Colorado this year,” adding that the goal is to get voter turnout to 95% or higher. She said unaffiliated voters and moderate Democrats can be persuaded by this message and help voters restore some balance in Colorado and “save the families and industries that feed us and have built our way of life.”

Burton Brown said the big three issues to use to persuade unaffiliated metro voters to vote with Republicans are to make Colorado affordable again, prioritize public safety, and expand educational options for all parents and all kids.

“This is the year to change the narrative that Denver and Boulder control the state,” she said.

Sonnenberg, who is term-limited in the State Senate, also spoke to the gathering, describing “what an honor it has been to be your mouthpiece, your representative, your senator, your spokesperson for agriculture, your defender of your way of life in rural Colorado. It truly has been the highlight of my life to be that person for you.”  

Those assembled also heard remarks from candidates for House District 63 Rep. Richard Holtorf and Jessie Vance; State Senate District 1 candidates Rep. Tonya Van Beber and Byron Pelton; gubernatorial candidates Greg Lopez and Danielle Neuschwanger; U.S. Senate candidates Greg Moore, Deborah Flora, Joe O’Dea, Gino Campana and Judy Feldhousen on behalf of Rep. Ron Hanks; and candidates for Colorado Secretary of State Mike O’Donnell and Tina Peters.

Republican candidates for local positions nominated

Also last Sunday, the assembly nominated the following people as Republican candidates for Phillips County offices: Terry Hofmeister, District 1 county commissioner; Doug Kamery, assessor; Beth Zilla, clerk and recorder; Steve Young, treasurer; and Thom Elliott, sheriff.

“I have enjoyed this position. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I put my heart and soul into it,” Hofmeister said. “I couldn’t be more proud to be a team member of this community.” He said that he really enjoys what he’s doing and is happy to be part of a team with fellow commissioners Garold Roberts and Tom Timm, and he added that the three of them work very well together.

Kamery said he appreciated the community’s support for the last 19 years and appreciates it going forward. He thanked Toby Thompson and Nick Flaa and is very proud to call them co-workers. He said he looks forward to working with the citizens of Phillips County.

Kamery also read remarks from Zilla, who was unable to attend. She wanted to thank the community for the support of 19 years and continued support moving forward. She also thanked her staff members, Val Danielson, Debbie Bennett and Mary Roberts, for all of their hard work to make the office run smoothly.

Young said he looks forward to the opportunity to serve the citizens of Phillips County. He said agriculture is the life blood of Phillips County’s economy, and he will keep that in mind when making decisions that may affect the county.

Elliott said he has been a fiscal conservative, returning to the county out of the sheriff’s budget between $40,000 and $60,000 over the past four years. He worked with the commissioners to make Phillips County a Second Amendment county to protect the right to bear arms. Elliott said Phillips County Sheriff’s Office has also reduced crime, including those involving drugs, internet crimes against children and auto theft.

The assembly also selected delegates representing Phillips County to attend:

— The State Senate District 1 Republican Assembly and House District 63 Republican Assembly in Sterling on Saturday, April 2.

— The 4th Congressional District Republican Assembly on Friday, April 8, in Colorado Springs.

— The State Republican Assembly on Saturday, April 9, in Colorado Springs.