Many in Chaffee County are frustrated with the direction our county is headed and feel like no one in power is truly listening. Yet, instead of engaging with these concerns, the Democratic Party here seems more focused on holding onto power than addressing the issues at hand.
Look at what happened in the 2022 election. The County Commissioners tried to pass ballot measure 1B, which would have extended their term limits from two four-year terms to three. Voters saw through it and decisively rejected it. That was a clear attempt by those in office to cling to their positions. If voters didn’t want the current commissioners to have a third term, why should we now automatically embrace their hand-picked successors?
Fast forward to March 2024, and we see that the Chaffee County Democrats (CCD) donated $11,000 each to the campaigns of Dave Armstrong and Gina Lucrezi. CCD claims they’re only involved in a few mailings, but $22,000 can buy far more than just a couple of letters—it buys influence. And let’s be honest, influence is critical when there’s a $100,000-a-year job on the line.
By June 2024, the State Democratic Party stepped in with their “Colorado County Comeback” campaign, specifically targeting Chaffee County. State party chair Shad Murib publicly stated that the party is offering significant support to local Democratic candidates, from fundraising and messaging to organizing volunteers and campaign materials. This isn’t a grassroots campaign—it’s a calculated effort by the State party to elevate certain candidates. With all this help from outside the county, it raises the question: How beholden will our local Democrats be to the State party once in office?
What Chaffee County truly needs is balanced representation on the Board of Commissioners. Local government works best when there are diverse viewpoints at the table, ensuring that decisions reflect the interests of the entire community—not just one political faction. When one party dominates, the risk is that large portions of the community are left out of the conversation. Voters need to be aware of how much state-level political machinery is influencing these local races.
While I respect the integrity and independence of candidates running for office, we can’t ignore the broader political strategies at play. Voters deserve transparency and a balanced Board of Commissioners, so that all voices in our community are heard and addressed.
