By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Libertarian Party will field candidates in seven of eight U.S. House races in the general election, Chairwoman Hannah Goodman announced here Saturday during the party’s state convention.
No candidate will be fielded in Colorado’s 1st District, where Democrat Diana DeGette took 80.3% support in the 2022 general election.
In the 2nd District, Gaylon Kent will run for the seat held by Democrat Joe Neguse, who gathered 70.0% of the vote in the 2022 election. Kent was the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014 and the nominee in the 3rd District in 2016 and 2018.
“I am against fighting any war not declared by Congress,” he said, indicating that last happened in 1942. “Every war we have fought since then has not been declared by Congress.”
In the 3rd District, James Wylie will run as a Libertarian for an open seat, as Republican Lauren Boebert has relocated to the 4th District. He took credit for forcing Boebert into that new district, and indicates he would oppose foreign wars, work toward peace and oppose TicToc.
With a crowded 4th District Republican field to be narrowed in primaries, Goodman will await the nominee in the general election. The seat became open when Republican Ken Buck resigned, and it stands as the strongest red district in the state. Ike McCorkle stands to be the Democratic nominee for the third straight time.
“I will not be using party resources for this, opposed to other parties, Dave Williams,” she said, referencing the Republican Party’s chairman in the 5th District.
Goodman plans to run in both the special election and the general election.
“My main goal is to bring the name of the Libertarian Party to the forefront,” she said. “It’s OK to vote to break up cronyism.”
In the 5th District, Goodman complained Williams had not signed the pledge he helped negotiate with Libertarians. The party will run Michael Vance for the seat opened by the announced resignation of Doug Lamborn.
“We have way too much debt. Right now, it is at $34 trillion,” Vance said. “What’s going on in our country is a travesty. The money we send overseas is unacceptable.”
In the 6th District, John Kittleson will take a run at the seat presently held by Democrat Jason Crow, who claimed victory in 2022 with 60.6% support.
“I’m a steadfast believer in individual rights and liberty,” he said. “The government is constantly gaining more and more power.”
In the 7th District, Patrick Bohan will run for the seat presently held by Democrat Brittany Pettersen. In 2022, she gathered 56.4% support.
In the new 8th District, Eric Joss will run for the seat presently held by Democrat Yadira Caraveo, who in 2022 defeated Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer by less than 2,000 votes.
“I want to be the candidate for liberty,” Joss said. “The problem is the state itself has become so powerful. Irresponsible lawmakers continue to work hard to gain power.”
The party announced it would not field a candidate for the board of education in the 4th District.
In her comments to delegates in the afternoon session, Goodman noted the absence of one elected state official who claims to be Libertarian.
“I wonder where Jared Polis is today, if he’s such a Libertarian,” she said. “He’s not a real Libertarian.”
In other business, Goodman announced James Wylie would serve in the party’s new position of executive director.
“I’m looking forward to supporting our 42 candidates,” he said.