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Grand County “feels the Bern”

Hank Shell
hshell@skyhidailynews.com
Grand Lake Caucus/Precincts 1 and 10 on March 1.
Cindy Kleh / Special to the Sky-Hi News |

Democrats across Colorado were “feeling the Bern” on Tuesday night, and Grand County was no different.

Bernie Sanders was the clear favorite in the county’s Democratic caucus, garnering support from 191 voters, or 62.6 percent of those who attended the caucus, according to a straw poll conducted at the caucus.

Only 100 voters, or 32.8 percent of those who attended the caucus, supported Hillary Clinton.



A total of 305 people attended the Democratic caucus, while 301 people attended the Republican caucus.

The result means 20 delegates intend to support Sanders at the Democratic county assembly, while 9 delegates intend to support Clinton, said Grand County Democratic Party Chair Sandy Doudna.



Fourteen voters were uncommitted, and only one uncommitted delegate will attend the county assembly.

Delegates are not held to their candidate affiliation from the precinct caucus and may vote for other candidates.

Statewide, Sanders took 59 percent of the vote in a preference poll.

The Colorado Republican Party chose to do away with its straw poll this year. All 87 of its delegates will attend the county assembly as uncommitted delegates.

In the lunchroom at Fraser Valley Elementary, Democratic caucus goers from five precincts crowded lunch tables – some even sat on the floor – as attendees took turns speaking about their chosen candidates.

Of the six people who held the mic, five were Sanders supporters.

Irene Cooke told attendees that, while she wanted to see a woman in the White House, she couldn’t support Clinton.

“We must elect a president that will represent the 99 percent, not the 1 percent, a president who is not beholden to corporations and wealthy donors but to the common people, the working people – all of us here tonight,” Cooke said. “And that candidate is Bernie Sanders.”

Fraser Trustee Eileen Waldow took aim at critics who call the Vermont senator unelectable.

“People say he’ll never make it,” Waldow said. “The word socialism is just going to shoot him out of the water. The thing is, young people are not afraid of the word socialism.”

Delegates from the Democratic caucus will attend their county assembly on March 15 at Middle Park High School in Granby.

The Republican county assembly will be held at Fraser Valley Elementary School in Fraser on March 20.

Hank Shell can be reached at 970-557-6010.


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