State Board of Schooling member Stephen Varela on Thursday introduced he would marketing campaign for the western Colorado seat that fellow Republican Lauren Boebert is giving as much as run for a seat within the japanese half of the state. Varela, an Military veteran, argued that he is a “battle-tested conservative and former Democrat” who needs to cease “unbridled liberalism,” however he is far from an bizarre convert.
9News’ Kyle Clark writes that Varela has modified his get together affiliations 18 instances since 2011, together with twice in at some point in 2016. The candidate informed Colorado Politics’ Ernest Luning that he swapped events as wanted so he may vote within the major of his alternative, although even he was shocked by how usually he’d performed so. “Holy cow,” he informed Clark final 12 months, “So weird, proper?” He now insists, although, “I’m and can proceed to be a Republican.”
Nevertheless, the GOP’s proper flank could have extra to be offended about than his ever-changing get together affiliation. Luning notes that Varela co-founded an anti-Boebert group known as Rural Colorado United that spent cash in opposition to her in each the 2020 and 2022 basic elections.
Varela ran for the state Senate in 2022 (as a Republican, we’ve to particularly word), however misplaced the final election 51-49 to Democratic incumbent Nick Hinrichsen. Get together leaders picked him simply after that loss to fill a vacant seat on the state Board of Schooling representing the third Congressional District.
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