Jen Schumann - Rocky Mountain Voice

A shepherd in the trenches: Rep. Scott Bottoms answers the call to fight for Colorado

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories / March 31, 2025 / 2026 Elections, 75th Colorado Legislature, Child protection, christianity, Democrat Lawmakers, Gubernatorial races

El Paso County Republican Rep. Scott Bottoms walked the quiet State Capitol halls with his wife, prayers filling the empty space. They spent hours there—no fanfare, just a pastor seeking God’s will on a new path after years of preaching in Colorado Springs.

Several lawmakers asked him to run for office. “I’m a pastor,” he told them. One replied, “Pray about it.” That stuck. “I almost said no,” Bottoms said. “I was scared God might say yes.”

“I didn’t choose this,” Bottoms said. “I felt God say ‘This is your battlefield.’”

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Bannon lights fire under Colorado GOP at Centennial Gala: “The elites failed this state”

Despite credible bomb threats and a last-minute venue change, the Colorado GOP gathered under tight security to kick off what Steve Bannon called “a journey to take this state back.” But the fight, he warned, isn’t just against Democrats—it’s against weak Republicans and elites “who don’t want you in their party.”

The Centennial Dinner, held March 28 at Phil Long Music Hall in Colorado Springs, featured a live call-in from former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from the Larimer County jail, and a headlining speech from Bannon that ignited the room with calls for courage, action and confrontation.

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From the ashes of division: Horn, Phelan and Andrews chart a new course for Colorado GOP

“We’re like a great football team,” Russ Andrews told delegates at the Colorado Republican Party reorganization meeting on March 29. “But when we take the field, we block and tackle each other. That has to end.”

It was a sentiment echoed by the party’s newly elected leaders Brita Horn (Chair), D. Lee Phelan Sr. (Vice Chair), and Andrews himself, who was elected Secretary. The three swept their respective races after a day of pointed speeches, surprise withdrawals and shifting alliances that ended with a new leadership slate promising to put unity and effectiveness over factional infighting.

From the ashes of division: Horn, Phelan and Andrews chart a new course for Colorado GOP Read More »

Did Grand Junction’s City Council enable a pay-to-play deal?

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, Top Stories / March 25, 2025 / Fiscal Responsibility, Grand Junction City Council, Health & Fitness, RFP, Taxpayers

When the City of Grand Junction accepted a $3 million donation from Intermountain Health (St. Mary’s Hospital) in exchange for naming rights to its new Community Recreation Center (CRC), the deal looked like a win for the community. But behind that vote lies a contract process that critics say gave some bidders an unfair advantage — a deal many providers never had a fair shot at.

Did Grand Junction’s City Council enable a pay-to-play deal? Read More »

Profit or patients? The 340B fight that could close Colorado hospitals

If Senate Bill 25-071 fails, Julie Lonborg says her neighbor could end up driving from Lone Tree to Thornton just to pick up a single prescription. That’s not some theoretical what-if. It’s a glimpse into what hospital leaders say is already unfolding in Colorado, especially for patients in rural communities who depend on access to affordable medication through the federal 340B drug discount program.

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SB25-003, the $27 million paywall on the Second Amendment

It started at 8:00 a.m. By the time the clock neared 10:00 p.m., Colorado House Democrats had passed a bill critics say is the most economically discriminatory gun control law in state history. SB25-003 cleared second reading on March 21, advancing despite fierce Republican resistance.

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More than a hat: How Bernie Lake’s fight for health became a political battleground

After fighting a cancer battle, Bernie Lake reclaimed her life while sporting her Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) hat. After breast cancer surgery, she returned to the Durango Community Recreation Center for her first post-treatment workout, determined to rebuild her strength.

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Hate or free speech? CMU students react to local Turning Point USA polls

Few things stir debate on college campuses like politics—and at CMU, a student group’s whiteboard polls have done just that. Turning Point USA’s Colorado Mesa University chapter (TPUSA CMU) has sparked discussion after posting a series of provocative whiteboard poll questions in the university’s cafeteria. Some students view the questions as open discussion starters, while others see them as hate speech meant to provoke.

Hate or free speech? CMU students react to local Turning Point USA polls Read More »

Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline

Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters’ time in Larimer County Jail is taking a toll, according to her legal team and supporters. They say she’s experiencing memory loss, declining health and mistreatment—claims that have only fueled concerns about her condition. With growing pressure on Governor Jared Polis to grant a pardon, Peters’ case is becoming a test of justice, fairness and political influence in Colorado.

Is Tina Peters’ life at risk in jail? Attorneys sound the alarm on her health decline Read More »

HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation?

Framed as a water conservation bill, HB25-1211 passed the Colorado House on March 17, with unanimous Republican opposition and four Democrats voting against it. Despite its stated goal of ensuring fairness in water tap fees, critics argue the bill primarily benefits developers over homeowners, forcing local water districts to subsidize high-density developments while shifting costs to existing ratepayers.

HB25-1211: A developer giveaway disguised as water conservation? Read More »

Author name: Jen Schumann