Colorado Democrats see opportunity in redrawn Western Slope state House district
Democrats could flip a Western Slope seat in the state House of Representatives this November. First, though, they’ll need to choose a primary candidate to face incumbent Republican Rep. Perry Will of New Castle.
Will defeated Democratic opponent Colin Wilhelm by a more than 25-point margin in 2020. But House District 57 got a lot more competitive following redistricting. The new district now includes Garfield County, Pitkin County and part of Eagle County, while it lost Rio Blanco and Moffat counties. According to an analysis by nonpartisan legislative redistricting staff, Democrats hold a nearly 16-point advantage over Republicans in the redrawn district based on recent statewide election results — meaning Will faces a tough reelection bid. He doesn’t have a primary challenger.
The two Democrats facing off for the chance to unseat Will in the fall are Elizabeth Velasco and Colin “Cole” Buerger, both of whom live in Glenwood Springs.
Elizabeth Velasco
Velasco is a small business owner who worked to provide information to Spanish-speaking residents during the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire, according to the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent. She later worked as a public information officer during the 2021 Sylvan Fire near Eagle and major wildfires in Oregon and California, the Post-Independent reported.
Velasco plans to focus on issues including drought resilience, emergency communications, K-12 education funding and affordable day care, according to her website. She is endorsed by state Reps. Monica Duran, Adrienne Benavidez and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, along with the Colorado Working Families Party and Voces Unidas Action Fund, among others. Her campaign reported raising $60,090 as of Monday.
Cole Buerger
Buerger owns a small firm where he conducts research and advocacy on issues such as educational funding equity, women’s rights, mental health and human trafficking, according to his website. Early in his career, he worked overseas with the National Endowment for Democracy, the Post-Independent reported.
On his website, Buerger says he will work to protect public lands and water resources; “rebuild, reform and adequately fund” K-12 education and postsecondary education; and improve health care affordability and access, including by creating a state-run public option for health insurance. The candidate’s endorsements include former Lt. Gov. Mike Callihan, former state Rep. Roger Wilson, Pitkin County Commissioner Francie Jacober, Basalt Mayor Bill Kane and Glenwood Springs City Councilor Marco Dehm. His campaign had raised $37,244 as of Monday and received an additional $27,046 in loans.
Perry Will
Will, a longtime Colorado Parks and Wildlife employee, was first appointed to his House seat by a vacancy committee in 2019 after then-Rep. Bob Rankin was picked to fill a seat in the state Senate. At the Capitol this year, he helped pass bills to create a revolving loan fund for affordable housing, integrate behavioral health with primary care, and require actuarial reviews of proposed laws that could drive up the cost of health insurance. Will’s campaign has reported raising $21,358 since December 2020.