When he removed his cowboy hat and sat down in the barber’s chair in a shop in Denver, Eastern Colorado rancher Richard Holtorf could not have known he was about to have a meaningful discussion on the present state of Colorado.
The House District 63 representative had visited the barber shop before – preferring it as a traditional barber shop, replete with a barber pole – but this time was different.
“The barber, she asked me where I was from, originally,” Holtorf recalls. “I told her Akron, on the Eastern Plains.”
He works a 4,000-head family cattle ranch there, residing in a house overlooking his mother’s home on the property.
Holtorf was likely poised for a quiz on how he got from Akron to Denver, and just what he was doing in that moment sitting in a Denver barber shop. Instead, Holtorf says what followed told him more about present-day Denver and the changing makeup of the state.
“She seemed surprised,” Holtorf said. “She told me she grew up in Denver, and no one ever sits in her barber’s chair originally from Colorado.”
He continued the conversation, asking for further detail on the number of customers who sit in her chair on a daily basis and in general validating his concern for Colorado.
“As Republicans, we say that we want to make Colorado the Colorado we once knew again,” Holotorf said. “Can we? Can we still do that?”
In addition to serving residents of Northeastern Colorado in the state legislature, Holtorf is campaigning as one of 10 Republicans to replace U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Windsor, in Congress. He has called for unity in the party to unite Republicans.
“When Colorado Republicans are at odds, the average citizen is not going to look favorably upon Republicans,” Holtorf said. “So, about half of Colorado is unaffiliated with either party. Neither party is energizing anyone to join.”
He serves as the minority whip in the Colorado House of Representatives, a leadership position within the ranks of Republicans elected to serve in the body and ‘whip’ party support for or opposition against legislation.
“I’ve seen the internal dog fight for years, and it is concerning,” Holtorf said Sunday from his Akron ranch, preparing to leave later in the day for Denver in anticipation of Monday’s legislative agenda.
Would his barber be willing to align with the Republicans? Possibly, but it could be a tough sell, he says.
“We have the ‘Establishment Republican’ versus the ‘MAGA Republican’,” Holtorf said. “We have the purity-tested Republican versus the far-right Republican. We have a RINO Watch attacking Republicans as often as possible – attacking Republicans they deem to be RINOs. If we don’t come together, we’ll never be victorious.”
The state party is fractured and dysfunctional, he adds.
“How about if we just roll up our sleeves and get to work together?,” Holtorf asked.
He sees plenty of reason to do so, starting with his experiences in state legislation. A ballot question goes to voters, he says, and their will is undone by Democrats in the Colorado House and Senate.
“Why are the Democrats undermining the will of the voters?” Holtorf asked. “I’d offer Proposition 112 and Proposition HH as examples.”
Voters opposed both measures and the state legislature responded with measures in opposition to their will, he says.
“That is not the kind of representation Colorado deserves,” Holtorf said.
It should be an opportunity for Republicans, Holtorf added. Maybe, it is time for another haircut.