I am running for governor for three important reasons: my kids Craig, Coco and Olivia, and all of Colorado’s kids. I want all of our children to grow up in a state with abundant economic opportunities. Looking ahead, I am deeply concerned about the kind of state we are leaving for the next generation.

Together, I know we can build the future our children deserve.

We face serious challenges in our state. Our infrastructure is falling apart, leaving all of us stuck in traffic. Soaring housing and health care costs are eating into the financial gains that Coloradans have made.

This is not sustainable for the long term future of Colorado. We need strong, proactive leadership to create a future where all Coloradans can get high-paying jobs and live healthy, productive lives.

As governor, I will focus on reducing costs and improving the quality of health care, fixing our roads and bridges, getting more dollars into the classroom for our kids, and solving our attainable housing issues for the long term. We can fix health care in Colorado by working with a variety of groups and individuals to drive innovation, increase transparency, and improve the delivery of care to make health care more accessible and affordable.

To solve our transportation issue, we need a long-term solution that will fix our state’s transportation problems. We can no longer kick the can down the road. I will demand transparency and accountability from the Department of Transportation, find a long-term revenue stream to fund our transportation needs, and prioritize building roads and bridges, something we have neglected for far too long.

Any infrastructure plan under my administration will make investments across our great state, not just along the I-25 and I-70 corridors. Bridging the urban-rural divide is critical to the future of our state. We must ensure that every community has access to high-speed broadband, fund and implement the Colorado Water Plan, and encourage more companies to relocate to rural areas of our state.

Serving the residents of Colorado as state treasurer over the past 7 years, I have learned what it takes for conservative ideas to become real policy. I have been effective in this office because my decision-making is rooted in pragmatic, private sector experience.

Before serving as treasurer, I was the CEO of a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ. As a businessman, I know what it takes to make payroll, create jobs and grow a business in competitive global markets. As governor, I will use this experience to create real policies that will enhance the lives of Coloradans.

Our state simply cannot afford the policies that my opponent is putting forth in this election. Congressman Jared Polis wants to impose a massive government-run, single-payer health care system on Coloradans, which will only lead to higher taxes and fewer choices. He has a radical energy plan that will cost the state $45 billion, and he has even put forth measures that would destroy our energy industry and lead to massive job losses. These are billions of dollars of new initiatives that Polis would prioritize over the government’s core obligations of fixing our roads and properly funding our children’s education.

This November, voters have a stark choice about the future we want to create for our children. I need your help to create a more responsible and vibrant Colorado, where students have access to world-class schools and where entrepreneurs can take the necessary risks to build new businesses without onerous government regulation.

Colorado can do better, and with your help, we will.

I hope you will join me.

Walker Stapleton

Colorado governor Republican candidate