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May 1, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 27, Issue 24 A publication of
highlandsranchherald.net
Anderson re-enters sheriff ’s race Castle Rock police commander asks voters to write him in By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@coloradocommunitymedia.com Castle Rock Police Cmdr. John Anderson isn’t going to let the outcome of the Douglas County GOP Assembly stop him. Anderson, who fell 20 votes shy of making the Republican primary ballot in what had been a three-person race for the party nomination, is officially back in the running for sheriff, and is asking voters to consider writing him in as the county’s top law officer in June when the Republican primary rolls around. Heading into the March 22 county assembly, Anderson, Coroner Lora Thomas
and Undersheriff Tony Spurlock all were seeking the Republican nod. Yet after Spurlock garnered the support of 50.4 percent of the 460 delegates who voted and neither Thomas (24.8 percent) nor Anderson (24.6 percent) got the required 30 percent to make it on to the ballot, Spurlock became the only one of three to get on. That didn’t sit well with Anderson, who is frustrated, not just with the caucus process, which he calls “corrupt,” but also with the current regime that has been in control of Douglas County since Sheriff Steve Zotos took office in 1983. Zotos was succeeded by his Capt. Mike Acree, who after his resignation as sheriff supported the county commissioners in appointing his undersheriff, current term-limited Sheriff David Weaver, to the office in 2005. Spurlock is Weaver’s undersheriff. “When you get an establishment in
there for 30-some years, it becomes a machine,” Anderson said. “And I think that this machine self-serves itself and steps away from what the public really needs, which is improved public safety.” Anderson Anderson pointed to the 2011 election in which Douglas County voters shot down ballot measure 1A by a margin of 60.4 percent to 39.6 percent. Had 1A passed, it would have allowed for the county to extend the sheriff term limits from two to three. If Spurlock is elected to the office, he said, “the status quo will continue,” adding that if Weaver also becomes the newest Douglas County commissioner “it stays the exact same, and (the regime becomes) even more powerful.” “Right now what I need to do is remind
the public that they asked for change in the sheriff’s office by voting out the possibility of a third term. “I’m running to give them that other choice.” With 101,164 registered Republican voters in Douglas County, Anderson said it’s a bit of a sham that a few hundred get to make a decision for all of them and said there’s a reason the caucus system is only practiced in 11 states anymore. “I’m putting my heart, soul and passion into this, because it’s what I believe in, what I believe to be right, to have a new administration and take new direction. I’m putting everything into this thing to try to make it right.” Anderson said he hopes that he will be able to engage Spurlock, as well as Libertarian candidate Brock McCoy, in some debates. Currently no Democrat has filed for the office, and Thomas has said she is not running as a write-in candidate.
Republican candidates for governor square off Gessler, Beauprez and Kopp take part in debate By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ABOVE: Jay and Joel Engel, Cayden Leslie, Luke Laudeman and Tevin Stauth work to dig a hole to plant a tree for Arbor Day at Kistler Park on April 23. RIGHT: Boy Scout Will Laudeman, 9, digs a shovel into the soil to pack around a newly planted tree.
TREE’S COMPANY Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 870 and Highlands Ranch Metro District forestry staff teamed up to plant three new trees at Kistler Park on April 23 in honor of Arbor Day, just before high winds and lots of rain covered the community. This year marks the 26th consecutive year Highlands Ranch, on behalf of the metro district, has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Three Republican gubernatorial hopefuls tried to stand apart from one another — while getting in plenty of shots at Gov. John Hickenlooper along the way — during an April 24 debate held two months before voters cast ballots in the GOP primary. The event yielded few surprises, with the candidates speaking in near lockstep on issues that included gun control and the Affordable Care Act — issues they believe will resonate with voters in a general election. But the candidates also addressed a confounding reality for the Republican Party — the fact that they’ve held the governor’s seat just once over the last 40 years. There was a little bit of soul-searching going on when asked whether they felt their party has branding problems. “We have not articulated our values in a practical and positive way,” said Secretary of State Scott Gessler. Three of the four GOP candidates for governor took part in the KUSA-TV debate in Denver: Gessler; former Congressman Bob Beauprez; and former state Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp. Former Congressman Tom Tancredo did not take part in the debate. To take over the governor’s mansion again, Republicans will have to win the seat from a sitting governor who currently Debate continues on Page 14
PHOTOS BY HANNAH GARCIA Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.