As a freshman legislator, U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton has been part of the
problem in Washington, committing himself to the Republican agenda of
limiting President Barack Obama’s effectiveness in order to deny him a
second term. This is cynical politics at its worst, and we are ready for
new representation for the 3rd Congressional District that better
aligns with the values of the Roaring Fork Valley.

Fortunately, there is a dedicated and energetic candidate in current
state House Rep. Sal Pace, a Democrat from Pueblo. Pace has a
distinguished record in the state Capitol of fighting for middle-class
Coloradans and protecting the environment — he is a champion of a bill
that requires the state to do business with Colorado companies whenever
possible, and he has sought protections for more of the Centennial
State’s wild lands. We expect him to carry these causes on to our
nation’s capital, and we are pleased to hear the support he has
expressed for legislation that would curb drilling in the Thompson
Divide area west of Carbondale.

Tipton, on the other hand, chose not to take a position on the Thompson
Divide legislation, when asked about it earlier this summer by the Aspen
Daily News. He said it would be better to wait and see the breakdown of
opinions being gathered by other legislators who are researching the
issue. Tipton also took a curious position last year, when other members
of Colorado’s congressional delegation penned a letter urging the
federal government to release funding for the Roaring Fork
Transportation Authority’s bus rapid transit project. Instead of signing
on to support an important infrastructure project that creates jobs and
sustains the economy in his district, Tipton declined to endorse the
letter, saying he had issues with a minor budget line item in the
project that would provide bus riders with wireless Internet for the
long commute. These are not examples of the leadership this community
needs to move forward.

On important federal matters, such as Medicare, Social Security and
social policy, we trust Pace far more than Tipton. Pace is on record
against the Paul Ryan budget that would convert Medicare into a voucher
program, while Tipton voted for and remains a committed proponent of the
plan. Pace will defend Social Security from the ever-present
conservative desire to turn it over to Wall Street. He also supports a
woman’s right to chose, and will never use same-sex marriage as a wedge
issue.

There also is a third-party candidate in the race — Pueblo entrepreneur
Tisha Casida. We enjoyed meeting with Casida, who brings a fresh
perspective to politics, and who is clearly passionate about making
government work better for the people. However, she also espouses some
radical libertarian proposals, such as turning over to the states
control of national forests and other resources that are held in trust
for all Americans. Her views on fiscal policy are interesting — such as
her desire to abolish the Federal Reserve and let states, and even
individual counties, coin their own currency. These views are far
outside the mainstream, and sound like a recipe for chaos. If Casida
truly believes in her convictions, we hope she can find another role in
government, and work her way up from there.

Given the sprawling and diverse nature of the 3rd Congressional
District, which encompasses most of the Western Slope, plus Pueblo, we
need federal representation that does not engage in obstructionist
politicking. We need an experienced legislator who understands that
protecting the environment and supporting middle-class families are
critical values to the district. One candidate fits the bill, while the
others fall short. We urge voters to support Sal Pace for U.S. Congress
on Nov. 6.