Montezuma County Republicans gathered Tuesday in Cortez for an election night watch party hosted by J. Fargo’s Family Dining & Micro Brewery.
Manager Tiffany Ghere offered $2 beer specials for the event and said everyone was welcome to watch the results come in.
“No matter your views or who you support, a election watch party is an American tradition. We don’t discriminate and invite anyone in the community to come join us,” she said.
Ghere is one of the organizers of the weekly Montezuma County Patriots’ rallies on Main Street that advocate patriotism and support of law enforcement.
Allen Maez, president of the Montezuma Republicans, attended the party and visited with patrons watching Election Day coverage on the television.
There has been strong local support for Republican candidates, he said, including Joel Stevenson, who ran for the Montezuma County Commission District 3, representing Mancos.
“Joel is a quiet man with integrity who knows this community well, and understands our agricultural roots,” Maez said. “I believe in him. The citizens will benefit from his strong work ethic.”
Stevenson faces a challenge from Unaffiliated candidate Rebecca Samulski.
The final election results are still pending. Stevenson said no matter how it turns out he’s grateful for the support he received.
“If elected, I would like the community to know I am looking forward to serving them. Our citizens will always have a voice through me.”
Discussion at the restaurant turned to other Republican candidates who ran to represent the Western Slope, including Marc Catlin for Colorado House District 58, and Lauren Boebert, who ran for the 3rd U.S. Congressional District.
Catlin’s career experience with water management and agriculture benefits Western Colorado, Maez said.
“He knows how to fight to keep water on the Western Slope and that our survival depends on stopping any more of it from going to the Front Range,” he said. “Marc is an effective and knowledgeable about policy and new legislation that could impact our water rights.”
Many at the watch party hoped for a Red Wave of conservatives to be elected, with Trump at the helm. Of the 18,374 active registered voters in the county, 7,762 are Republicans, 6,610 are Unaffiliated, and 3,617 are Democrats.
“Trump has been good to the country, the economy has been strong. I would be very concerned if he lost, because I believe the Democrats have gone too radically left,” said John Anselmo, of Cortez.
“Trump won’t defund the police, he will control our borders and protect our right to own guns,” added Marilyn Miller.
Ed Bracklow, of Cortez, said Republican leadership is needed now to prevent the country from moving toward socialism or communism.
“I’ve seen the effects of that in East Germany behind the Berlin Wall while serving in the military, it is a loss of freedom for the people,” he said.
Shannon and Wendell Englehart said under a Trump presidency the country will not “completely shut down” because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He understands you can’t sacrifice the economy because of this. He will give us the opportunity to make our own choices, and not give in to the fear factor of submission,” Wendell Englehart said.
Ernie Guillimas, of Pleasant View, appreciates Trump’s border wall, and is concerned that Joe Biden would dismantle if elected.
“We can’t bring in the whole world, strict immigration policy is needed. Trump is the first to recognize that by added more border agents,” he said.
