By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Leadership isn’t just about making deals and passing laws for state Rep. Ty Winter. As assistant minority leader, he helps shape the Republican Caucus, while ensuring the people of his Southeast Colorado District 47 have a voice in the Colorado House.
“We grew up in a house where we had to get up and take care of something every day, and I think that’s important,” the rancher, businessman and third-generation funeral director said. “When you have another living being depending on you to make sure you water, feed and give it shelter – that teaches work ethic and values.”
At the funeral home, Winter is “my mother’s first associate, and my wife and I work alongside her,” he said. “I help on the ranch when needed, but at this time, the cow herd is down a little bit. My brother spends the majority of his time out there, while I spend most of my time at the funeral home.”
In 2015, he decided to get involved in local politics. Winter started as a precinct co-chair in Las Animas County, later becoming county party chair. From there, he served as House district chair for state Rep. Richard Holtorf (HD63), before running for office.
“I’d like to say I’m like a solid vice president,” Winter said, of serving as assistant minority leader. “I go around and do what House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese tells me to do first and foremost. I’m the guy that’s in the dirt, in the mud and in the building process with our fellow legislators.”
He adds, “[Our] greatest achievement is bringing more unity in the State House than there’s been in a long time,” Winter said. “Even members who have worked at the Capitol for decades say, ‘You guys are united, and you come out fighting a lot.’”
Before earning a seat in the legislature, the Colorado GOP named him Republican of the Year in 2021, citing his work strengthening the party as Las Animas County chairman and district chair.
Winter has also witnessed a political shift in his district, where party affiliation has become less relevant than core values.
“We had a windfall. Our county coroner, who was a Democrat, switched parties and became a Republican. Then our county assessor followed suit — switched in office from Democrat to Republican. Most recently, one of our county commissioners did the same,” Winter said.
For him, the shift isn’t about party loyalty. It’s about a growing divide between rural and urban priorities.
“The Democrats in Las Animas and the rest of House District 47? They’re Kennedy Democrats. They’re all blue dogs that still love their country. They still go to church. They believe in fiscal responsibility,” Winter said. “We’ve seen a cultural shift in House District 47. It’s not Republican versus Democrat anymore. It’s rural values versus urban values that are driving the surge in our district.”
That divide plays into one of Winter’s top legislative priorities: House Bill 25-1040, a bipartisan bill that would classify nuclear energy as a clean energy source in Colorado law.
“This is one of those things I was talking about earlier — myself and Rep. Matt Valdez (HD62) have wildly different opinions on other legislation. But, on this bill, we both agree,” Winter said.
Valdez, an asthmatic, supports the bill for its clean-air benefits, while Winter sees it as an opportunity to bring high-paying jobs back to rural Colorado.
“Nuclear technology has become so great that you don’t need as much water or land, which are two huge concerns for rural Coloradans,” Winter said. “Rural Colorado will benefit because we have two major power lines being built — one coming from the Oklahoma Panhandle into Pueblo and another through the southeast corner. That means we can actually put nuclear plants there and have transmission ability right away.”
As a member of the Capital Development Committee, Winter has had a front-row seat to the difficult decisions surrounding the state’s budget and infrastructure needs. “There’s not a project on the list that isn’t worthy, and I wish the state had the revenue to help fix all of their issues,” Winter stated.
Winter points to critical issues within the Department of Corrections, particularly outdated kitchen facilities and wastewater plants, which must comply with both federal and state regulations.
Beds for a Denver-based youth corrections facility is an example Winter gives for prioritizing funding.
“To me, that’s way more important than putting a ticket booth in at the state fair or giving money to organizations for roadside markers,” he argues.
Winter says the ongoing challenge lies in ensuring that available funds are directed toward projects with the greatest impact on daily life for Coloradans: “We don’t have a revenue issue. We have a priority issue.”
One of those priorities, for Winter, is local involvement.
“It’s incredibly important. First and foremost, your local party creates the structure of what your state party is going to be,” Winter said. “We always talk about local control. But our issues are different in all 64 counties. Even in counties that are a lot alike, there are immensely different views. That’s why local involvement is key.”
The phrase ‘civic engagement’ means stepping up and speaking out to Winter and he points this out to his constituents.
“I say this at all my meetings back home: This is a 50/50 deal. I’m willing to give my 50% to fight for my constituents. But at the end of the day, they’re the cavalry,” Winter said. “I can only tell the story of rural Colorado so much — my colleagues need to hear it from my people themselves.”
Remote testimony has made it easier than ever for residents to engage with the state government. In his district some might have to drive five hours or more one way to reach the capitol.
“The only good thing that came out of COVID at the state capitol was the ability to testify remotely,” Winter said. “Any Coloradan can get on Zoom and testify on any bill, any day of the week.”
“I wish people knew exactly where the bills are and some of the negative impacts they create for Coloradans,” he said. “In this building, there are a whole lot of unintended consequences that fall on my people, and a whole lot of unfunded mandates that destroy local county budgets.”
“People need to know what legislation is being passed and who’s running it. When it’s time to vote, be educated on how that legislation is affecting you. And you might not vote for the legislator you voted for last time,” he said.
He urges Coloradans to stay engaged. “Stay up with the headlines, stay in the news, keep your kids civically involved and testify. And when election season comes around, do your part in promoting and donating to good candidates that are actually going to make your life better, not worse.”
Representing House District 47 in the State House means more to Winter than just advocating for rural values. It means ensuring the people he serves have a voice — and that they use it.