GRANBY — The Grand County Republicans held their County Assembly on Sunday, March 23, where both Sheriff Rod Johnson and Detective Brett Schroetlin garnered enough delegate votes to be listed on the primary ballot for the office of Grand County Sheriff for the upcoming June 24 election.

Delegate votes pushed Kristen Manguso’s candidacy for District 3 Grand County Commissioner to the June 24 primary election ballot, while George Davis did not gain the 23 votes required to be listed on the ballot.

Davis can petition to be placed on the ballot by garnering signatures from enough registered Grand County Republicans by March 31, to equal 20 percent of the votes cast during the 2010 primary election. Any signatures Davis obtains must come from Republicans who were registered at least 29 days before the petition is approved by the Grand County Clerk and Recorder Sara Rosene.

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County Commissioner District 3

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A total of 76 delegates represented the 12 Grand County GOP precincts at the assembly, a good turnout for the Grand County GOP, according to Glenn Snieder, chair of the Grand County Republican Party.

The local candidates offered their speeches to the delegates, laying out their running platforms.

Davis explained his running platform as including growth and support for small businesses in the county, protecting the natural resources of the county, supporting the tourism industry, and improving the credibility of local government.

“The recent financial troubles reported about the building department has damaged the reputation of our entire local government,” Davis said. “My question as a business owner and a citizen is why did it take so long to figure out there was a problem and how far does this problem go.

“If elected as the county commissioner, I will work hard to redeem and gain the trust back from county citizens,” Davis said.

Manguso also discussed her platform for running and discussed the need to address the accountability of local government while supporting small business.

“My vision is a positive, proactive approach to fix what we need to fix, but we do need to still build upon the good things we have in the county,” she said. “If I am elected, I will be fair. I will be honest. I will treat everyone with respect. I will weigh every decision against the principles of limited government, individual freedom, and protection of private property rights,” Manguso said.

County Sheriff

The race for Grand County Sheriff is likely to be a battle going into the summer election as both Grand County Sheriff Rod Johnson and Brett Schroetlin, a detective with the Fraser-Winter Park Police, garnered enough votes to be placed on the ballot.

Schroetlin gained a few more votes from the GOP delegates than 20-year sheriff Johnson, according to Snieder.

“I think it is always good to have a little bit of competition there,” Snieder said. “I’m looking forward to a good campaign.”

Sheriff Johnson cited his 20 years of experience as a strong background for his candidacy, while Schroetlin discussed his experience and willingness to bring new management to the department.

“These many years of service have given me a lot of know-how to carry out the duties of the sheriff in the manner which is set forth in the constitution and the statutes,” Johnson said.

Schroetlin’s nomination came from former Grand County Undersheriff Jim Campbell.

“Brett has demonstrated a commitment to the citizens of Grand County,” Campbell said.

“Twenty years ago you gave Mr. Johnson the opportunity to follow his dream at about the same age as me,” Schoetlin said. “I have the same dream and ask for that same opportunity.”

State & federal

Before speeches were heard from the candidates for local positions, Randy Baumgardner, who is currently serving as a Colorado Senator for District 8 and is challenging Mark Udall to represent the 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. Senate.

Baumgardner resides in the Hot Sulphur Springs area. “It’s always good to see a local guy running,” Snieder said.

During Baumgardner’s speech, he portrayed his willingness to represent rural Colorado at the national level.

“The reason I am running is the same reason I got into politics to begin with, because I felt we had no representation at the state level,” Baumgardner said. “That is why I’m running now, because you have no representation at the national level in the senate.”

Baumgardner went on to cover his running platform, which included protecting Constitutional rights, limited government, reigning in the federal budget, and supporting the growth of the U.S. Military.

“I am never going to vote for or support anything that is going to take away your 2nd Amendment rights or your Constitutional rights,” Baumgardner said.

“When it comes down to it, you better stand up for what you believe in,” he said. “And I see in Washington right now there are people that are wavering in what they should be doing for the state of Colorado.”

A gubernatorial candidate who is challenging Gov. John Hickenlooper in November, Greg Brophy, also spoke at the assembly, highlighting his campaign platform to support 2nd Amendment rights and limited government, as well as his willingness to support capital punishment in the case of the Aurora movie theater shooter James Holmes, who killed 12 people and injured 70 others in a July 2012 rampage.

Brophy, a fourth generation Coloradan who was raised on the eastern plains of the state, is currently a Colorado senator representing District 1.

“It’s good to see Greg running,” Snieder said. “I think he has that rural tie because he is put on the eastern plains, and I think he feels a connection to Grand County in that respect.”

The candidates who will represent the Republican Party during this summer’s primary election will be decided at the state GOP assembly on April 13 and 14, in Denver.

Reid Tulley can be reached at 970-887-3334