Campaign finance reports document donor contributions in the Routt County Commissioner and 26th House District elections

Candidates for Routt County Commissioner and 26^Th House seats filed their final campaign finance reports this week before the Nov. 5 election.

The reports, which itemize contributions and expenditures and are filed with the Colorado Secretary of State before and after Election Day, provide transparency — and also give local party leaders a chance to reflect on how their candidates receive support.

In the commissioner race to represent South Routt County in District 1, Republican Brent Romick had raised $59,656 in donations for his campaign as of Oct. 10, while Democrat Angelica Salinas had received $43,149 from her donors .

Routt County Democratic Chairwoman Catherine Carson said she believed it was the first time candidates for a county commissioner seat in Routt County had exceeded the combined contribution threshold of $100,000.

“This is significant,” Carson said.

For Carson, the insights from donations to Salinas and Romick focused on the number of individual donors supporting each campaign and where their biggest donors were located.

Compared to the 94 donors who supported Romick’s campaign, Carson said the just over 200 individual donors who gave to Salinas “show such broad, diverse support from our county and just a lot of enthusiasm for her vision and hers.” Show leadership.” and experience.”

“The interesting thing about Brent is he has a lot of money from outside the county,” she added.

Romick’s campaign has received large donations from individuals living outside Routt County, including $1,425 donated by four different people living in Brighton and Fort Lupton, Colorado, and one person living in Southlake, Texas. lives.

Salinas has also received donations from outside the county, but those who have donated the largest amounts to her campaign, including a Steamboat Springs resident who donated $2,850 to her on Oct. 7, are from within the county.

Routt County Republican Vice Chairman Lisa Rosintoski said Wednesday she had not reviewed Romick’s recent campaign spending, but expressed similar concerns about the impact of campaign donors from outside the county or the 26th^Th House District and pointed to the list that supported Rep. Meghan Lukens’ campaign.

The most recent campaign finance report filed by Lukens shows the Democrat has raised $165,236 as of Oct. 10, compared to Nathan Butler, her Republican challenger, who has raised $17,552.

Those donations, which have higher individual donation limits compared to county commissioners, include $3,100 donated by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, and $2,000 Dollars donated by the Copic Small Donor political committee in Denver in 2010 and $6,200 donated by the Realtor Small Donor Committee in Englewood.

“You always raise eyebrows when you see Denver, when you see some of the groups and when you see other House candidates donating,” Rosintoski said. “I look at this as the Routt County Republicans. One of the things we’re talking about is, my goodness, it would be nice if the funding was only in the areas that the candidate represents.”

“I look at Tracy Lawton and he hasn’t raised much at all, it’s mostly local money, that’s what I imagine in a rural setting, but maybe I’m exhausted,” she added.

Lawton, a Republican, is running against incumbent Tim Redmond, a Democrat, for the county commissioner seat in District 2. As of Oct. 10, Lawton has raised $6,325 to support his campaign, while Redmond has raised $1,000 .

Carson and Rosintoski expressed their perspective on the large gap between campaign contributions from the Lawton and Redmond campaigns compared to donations to Romick and Salinas.

Carson said she believes the higher contributions to Salinas and Romick are certainly a notable benchmark, but wasn’t sure if a single issue was driving the commitment.

“I think the community is very committed to Discovery Land Company,” Carson said, citing the luxury real estate company’s plans to develop hundreds of luxury homes, a private ski mountain and a private golf course in the Stagecoach area.

“But there are many important issues, be it housing, childcare or climate issues. We have always had an engaged and very educated electorate in Routt County,” she added.

Rosintoski said she believes the Republican side’s commitment is because those in the rural community want to make sure the politicians they represent reflect their values.

“Routt County is a county that Democrats want. The values ​​in rural Colorado are very different than those in big cities,” she said. “Rural communities, whether Democrats or Republicans, should be represented by representatives who are focused on this area, rural Colorado, when they go to the state legislature or county commissioner.”

To search for campaign contributions and expenses, visit the Colorado Secretary of State website.