From farm kid to parliamentarian: Gregory Carlson launches Fremont County commissioner bid

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice

Gregory Carlson, a Fremont County native known nationally for his work as a parliamentarian, announced his candidacy for District 2 commissioner on Aug. 26 at the Republican meeting in Florence.

“After prayerful consideration and the support of my family and friends, I am excited to announce my candidacy for County Commissioner,” Carlson shared in a media release. “Our local businesses, families and seniors are facing increasing pressure from rising costs. I am bringing my experience as a math teacher for 14 years and running my two successful businesses to unite community leaders, make life more affordable and bring prosperity to our community.”

Gregory Carlson announces his candidacy for Fremont County Commissioner District 2 during the Fremont County Republican meeting in Florence on Aug. 26, 2025. Photo credit: Caroline Grantham

Voters will choose the District 2 commissioner on Nov. 4, 2026. Debbie Bell, in office since 2011, said in July she won’t run again. Fremont County eliminated term limits for commissioners, so her decision is voluntary after 16 years in the seat. Fremont County is among 25 Colorado counties that have eliminated term limits for commissioners. 

County finances underscore the stakes. For 2025 the county projects $66.7 million in expenses against $60.1 million in income and a $6.6 million draw from reserves. Early sales tax numbers were soft, and officials urged caution.

Housing remains tight for the local workforce. Teachers, health care workers and public safety staff have all faced challenges securing affordable housing in Fremont County, even as state and regional programs work to add units and stabilize the workforce.

In 1990, Carlson’s family moved to Fremont County. “Growing up on a farm taught me the meaning of hard work,” he said.

Carlson graduated as valedictorian at Cañon City High School in 2007. Carlson then earned three bachelor’s degrees in mathematics, economics and political science at CU-Boulder. Through Teach For America he taught high school math while finishing a master’s at the University of New Mexico. He later joined the faculty at Pueblo Community College.

In addition to teaching, Carlson has built two businesses and stepped into leadership roles within the Republican Party. He chaired the Fremont County Republicans and later served as president of the Colorado Association of Parliamentarians. In 2020 he was a delegate for President Donald Trump and served on the RNC Rules Committee.

While his campaign announcement focused on affordability, rural life and his work in education and business, Carlson has also built a national reputation as a parliamentarian — a role that has taken him from local meetings to national conventions.

As RMV previously reported, Carlson is one of roughly 360 people nationwide certified at the highest level by the National Association of Parliamentarians. He has advised national conferences, professional associations and nonprofits.

He describes a parliamentarian as someone who guards process, not outcomes. “Meetings are messy. That’s why rules exist—to keep decisions stable after the dust settles,” he told RMV in May.

Beyond finances and housing, other county challenges remain close at hand. Wildfire planning is a standing concern, with most residents living in the wildland-urban interface and two-thirds of the county rated at moderate-to-high risk. 

Infrastructure projects are also underway, including a 45-mile buried fiber build along U.S. 50 west of Cañon City to expand broadband access and a set of safety improvements along Highway 115 between Cañon City and Florence. 

Public health agencies are responding to a high overdose burden with opioid-settlement prevention funding and a crisis co-response unit that pairs clinicians with law enforcement.

Carlson said Fremont County’s history and values remain central to his bid for commissioner. “Our founding fathers envisioned communities just like ours. If we stand united around the principles of the Constitution, we will continue to have a place that everyone is proud to call home.”

Off the clock, he spends time hiking and rafting and is quick to hunt for a good meal with a view.

Carlson’s candidacy now enters an open-seat race that will shape the direction of District 2 for the first time in more than a decade. Voters will decide in 2026 whether his mix of farm roots, years in education and business, and national parliamentarian credentials resonate at the county level.