By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
Ryan Armagost has a background of serving as a U.S. Marine, deputy sheriff and firefighter, making him no stranger to challenging situations.
Yet, none of those roles, he says, compare to being a state legislator. Armagost is a Republican serving in Colorado House District 64, which lies in Larimer and Weld counties.
“This is definitely the most challenging job I’ve had,” Armagost said. “The constant level of negotiation, bargaining and compromising — and everything that we have to do is equivalent to a bad marriage.”
‘Whip’ing the GOP members
With the departure of Rep. Richard Holtorf from the Golden Dome, Armagost became the minority party’s whip in the 75th Colorado Legislature.
He had previously been the unofficial “Whip in Training,” or “The Wit,” Holtorf has said.
As minority whip, Armagost is responsible for ensuring House Republicans are informed and prepared for legislative battles.
“We do have so many personalities and so many strong minds and opinions. Not a single one is alike,” Armagost said. “I want to compare [the caucus] to snowflakes — but that’s not our language — we’re more like diamonds. None are the same. Everyone has a different makeup and reason for being here.”
His leadership approach focuses on keeping conservatives unified against Progressive policies that increase government overreach.
“We’re here to do this together. We have an opponent on the other side of the aisle and that’s where our fight should be,” he said.
Armagost believes in building strong relationships within leadership.
“Between the caucus chair, the minority leader, assistant minority leader and me — we are best friends,” Armagost said.
Beyond building unity, his role as minority whip is about ensuring that every Republican legislator is fully informed before they vote.
“[That’s] making sure that whoever knows the most about the bill is ready to speak, so we all have the same line of understanding,” he said. “But with the understanding, that’s not necessarily voting all the same. Everyone has to vote for their district.”
For him, caucus leadership is about balancing individualism with teamwork, ensuring that while each lawmaker represents their district’s values.
“Everyone is their own person. We all just need to be our own person in a unified way to move forward,” he said.
Leading the fight for 2nd Amendment rights
Armagost has taken a leading role in opposing gun control legislation, co-chairing the new 2nd Amendment Caucus alongside El Paso County Republican Rep. Scott Bottoms.
He calls Senate Bill 3 one of the most harmful firearm bills in recent years. The bill would ban the sale and transfer of alleged “assault weapons,” impose new age limits on buying ammunition and tighten regulations on semiauto gun ownership. The bill has cleared the Colorado Senate, but not without opposition.
Armagost points out that the consequences go beyond gun owners — small businesses could be hit hard, with some even relocating to escape the heavy regulations.
“Senate Bill 3 is definitely the most egregious. It’s the most devastating to Colorado, not just gun owners, but especially firearm businesses,” Armagost said. “My best friend in Berthoud is getting his business devastated. He’s tired of fighting the fight every year, not knowing if he’s going to be in business the next year. He’s moving to Wyoming as we speak.”
That’s not a one-off decision, Armagost recently told those gathered at a Caucus meeting. Despite the uphill battle, he remains committed to pushing back against infringements to the 2nd Amendment.
Armagost offers support to Coloradans testifying against these measures.
“I’ve offered my office as a ‘sanctuary’ for law-abiding gun owners. People come in here to recharge and be back in there to listen to the arguments,” he said.
Public safety and crime: Holding criminals accountable
With a background in law enforcement, Armagost sees Colorado’s soft-on-crime policies as a major public safety risk. He believes there’s too much regulation of law-abiding citizens.
“The hard part is we’re in a building where the majority here legislate for more laws,” he said. “We’re becoming a nanny crime state. The things that people don’t need to be restricted on, we have been. We’ve become the sixth-most regulated state in the country.”
That’s a point that Republicans make repeatedly in floor debates in both chambers.
Armagost has pushed for stronger penalties for criminals, particularly for firearm theft and attacks on law enforcement, arguing that enforcement — not new laws — should be the priority.
“Stop making laws for people to violate and start holding people accountable for the laws that already exist,” he said.
To support law enforcement, Armagost sponsored House Bill 1087, which protects confidentiality for peer support teams. He said those programs are critical for officers coping with stress and trauma.
“I was very involved with peer support when I was in law enforcement,” Armagost said. “For peer support team members, it’s basically a 40-hour post course that you go through to get certified. And then you can be somebody that your peers can talk to at work — whether it’s after an incident, if you’re going through a tough divorce or the loss of a family member.”
He warned that without legal protections, officers might not speak freely, worried their words could be used against them.
“Right now, they don’t have the same confidentiality that a mental health provider has,” Armagost said.
“House Bill 1087 will give peer support members the same confidentiality under statute as mental health providers,” he adds. “I think that’ll be a good one to help maintain or rebuild the morale and mental health of our law enforcement and first responders.”
He also co-sponsored House Bill 1116, requiring the Department of Corrections to conduct warrant checks before releasing inmates to prevent recidivism.
“Right now, inmates can be released only to find out they have an outstanding warrant. That burden falls on local law enforcement, and it’s unacceptable.”
‘One election away from a Blue county’
Looking at the bigger political picture, Armagost warns conservative counties against complacency, pointing to Larimer County as an example of how quickly a Red stronghold can turn blue.
The county is home to former Sen. Kevin Lundberg, widely considered one of the strongest conservatives to have served in the Colorado Senate in recent memory.
“Larimer County used to be a staunch conservative county, and it turned Blue,” Armagost said. “I tell people in Weld [County], ‘You have to stay involved because you’re one election away from being a blue county. Once you’re there, it’s hard to really get that back.’”
He has urged all Coloradans to actively engage in state politics.
“The biggest thing is getting involved — whether virtually or in person. Meet your legislators, meet the people fighting the fight. Learn how you can too. Get in the fight and do what you need to get involved in the people’s house,” he said.
An example may be the Senate’s hearing on SB 3. There were 176 who testified — not all opposed — and there are 4.05 million active registered voters in Colorado.
Though the legislative odds are stacked against conservatives, he remains committed to the battle ahead.
“We have to fight with everything that we have,” he said.