Durango – The two Durango residents battling to replace state Rep. Mark Larson vow to continue the term-limited Cortez Republican’s independent and outspoken ways.
GOP candidate Ellen Roberts says the key differences between the hopefuls for the House District 59 seat representing La Plata, Archuleta and San Juan counties and the eastern portion of Montezuma County are their styles and capabilities.
Roberts, 47, an attorney with long credentials in natural-resource law, says she has greater experience with the statehouse process and the players. In the past five years she has worked closely with the Western Slope lobbying group Club 20, the Colorado Bar Association and Larson, who endorses her, to write and pass legislation.
“People don’t usually associate Republicans with an endorsement from the Colorado Conservation Voters,” she said, smiling. “But environmental policy is my field.”
Democrat Joe Colgan, 68, a former Durango mayor, two-term city councilman and retired Fort Lewis College accounting professor, says he has greater experience with elected office and is willing to invest heavily in universal health care and education.
“Education takes money. It’s an investment. Colorado ranks 49th in the country” in per-capita spending, Colgan said “And we need universal health care. Almost one-fourth of Coloradans don’t have health insurance. That just doesn’t square with my values.”
Both advocate for health care reform, although Roberts puts the focus on improving the availability of primary and preventive health care.
Both said they are conservationists who want the state to work itself to the forefront in alternative-energy technologies, energy conservation and protection of air, forests and water quality and supply. Both said they want to hold the oil and gas industry to best environmental practices. Both oppose the proposed massive development near Archuleta County called the Village at Wolf Creek.
Both candidates think the minimum wage is too low, but neither wants fiscal policy imbedded in the state constitution through ballot amendments.
Colgan said smart budgeting is the key, and taxpayers should be told exactly what return they are getting for their dollars. Roberts said it’s been 75 years since southwestern Colorado elected a female representative.
“I’m a Republican,” she said, “because I like limited government, local control and personal responsibility.”
She has some harsh critics in the right wing of her party who consider her too liberal because she supports abortion rights and equal property rights for same-sex couples.
“It’s not my business who someone’s life partner is. I think most Republicans are not comfortable with interfering with personal choices,” Roberts said.
Colgan said that he also supports civil unions and believes that gay relationships are not a real political issue but rather “a Republican wedge issue” used to divide people. As for abortion rights, he said:
“My personal faith is pro-life, and it would be better if there were fewer abortions. But, ultimately, each woman has to make that decision for herself according to her own moral convictions.”
