By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
STERLING – Two candidates are vying to become the next Colorado House District 63 representative, following Minority Whip Rep. Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, in the position.
“I’m running to protect our way of life,” said Dusty Johnson, formerly the chairwoman of the Morgan County Republican Party and an aide in the past decade to several state and federal officials.
“Colorado legislation should not be one size, fits all,” said Brian Urdiales, formerly elected as a Fort Morgan City Councilman and operator of Urdiales Group real estate.
They both addressed those attending the Logan County Republican’s Lincoln Dinner audience Saturday, Feb. 17.
There have been two representatives to hold the seat in the Colorado House since a Morgan County resident, Jon Becker, was last in the seat. Holtorf was preceded in the seat by Rod Pelton, now a member of the Colorado Senate.
In a brief speech limited to two minutes, Johnson indicated her support for farmers and ranchers of the district.
“We need an advocate for agriculture,” she said. “We need to get resources out here.”
Urdiales committed to continue efforts to push back on state-directed mandates.
“I want to continue to fight for you,” Urdiales said. “I want to work on legislation that fits our communities.”
House District 63, in the Northeast corner of the state, includes the counties of Morgan and Weld to the west, and join Logan as the populated center of the district. The district also includes more sparsely populated Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties.
Eastern Colorado has three Colorado House districts. District 56 ranges from Adams to El Paso counties to Cheyenne and Kit Carson counties along the eastern state line. House District 47 begins in Las Animas County and proceeds east to Kiowa, Prowers and Baca county in the southeast corner of the state.