Heidi Ganahl Rallies Conservatives at Northeastern Colorado Women’s Event

By Drake Hunter | RMV NE CO Newsroom, Rocky Mountain Voice

The Greeley Republican Women (GRW) hosted a packed event at Ben’s Brick Oven Pizza in Hudson, Weld County, where former 2022 candidate for Colorado governor and Rocky Mountain Voice founder Heidi Ganahl delivered the keynote address. Stacey Casteel of GRW led the gathering and drew notable attendees, including Weld County Commissioner Perry Buck and State Senator Scott Bright.

The venue itself, owned by Ben Skoglund and family, was highlighted by Ganahl as an example of businesses willing to stand firm in their values despite cultural and political pressures.

Ganahl opened with humor, but quickly pivoted to the challenges facing Colorado.

“Colorado’s kind of a mess right now,” she said, stressing that Weld County remains “a shining beacon on the hill” for conservatives statewide. Her message centered on hope, community, and resilience.

Ganahl spoke candidly about the attacks conservative events often face — from protests to cancellations — and praised the Skoglund family for refusing to bow to pressure.

“We have to celebrate and reward people like Ben and his family, who stay strong all day, every day,” she told the crowd.

Ganahl outlined her Road to Red initiative, modeled after grassroots organizing successes in Texas, aimed at uniting Colorado’s conservative groups, breaking down silos, and building stronger networks.

She pointed to Weld, Mesa, and Pueblo counties as examples of conservative “bright spots” and emphasized the importance of sharing success stories statewide.

Ganahl also detailed the work of Rocky Mountain Voice, describing it as both a news platform and a hub for grassroots community-building. With over 200,000 newsletter subscribers and over 50 citizen journalists, RMV is designed to bypass traditional media filters and keep conservatives connected.

Ganahl underscored three main challenges for Republicans in Colorado:

• Messaging: Competing with well-funded Democratic campaigns that dominate media narratives.
• Movement: Strengthening grassroots networks and avoiding fragmentation.
• Money: Overcoming the massive fundraising gap between Democrats and Republicans in statewide races.

She warned of shrinking margins in congressional districts and the need to defend critical local seats, while also pointing to encouraging signs — such as Gen Z voters registering Republican at higher rates than Democrats in Colorado.

Ganahl also touched on election integrity, referencing ballot security issues, challenges with voter rolls, and data-driven tools being developed to help Republicans better track turnout. She highlighted the importance of local engagement, saying county commissioner and school board races remain “gold” in shaping the state’s future.

Ganahl emphasized the steep challenges facing Colorado conservatives but pointed to unity, data, and community strength as ways forward. Many in the room left with both urgency and optimism.

“Community is what we need to help get back on track,” Ganahl said. “And that’s what Road to Red and Rocky Mountain Voice are all about — connecting the dots and rebuilding the movement.”