Matt Solomon of Eagle, by unanimous acclimation at the Republican state assembly in Colorado Springs over the weekend, landed the GOP nod to take on Democrat Dylan Roberts in the state Senate District 8 race in November.
Out of 78 total state delegates in the district, which includes the majority of Eagle County, 57 (73%) initially went for Solomon, with 21 voting for Grand County Commissioner Rich Cimino of Fraser (26.9%) – just short of the necessary 30% for the ballot.
“I did not get the 30%,” Cimino wrote in an email. “I really enjoyed visiting the 10 counties of SD8 and visiting with the people. I endorsed Matt, and I wish him well.”
At that point, Cimino moved that the assembly nominate Solomon by acclimation, which it did, so Solomon technically was nominated unanimously and will face state Rep. Roberts, an Avon Democrat, in the Nov. 8 general election.
“I’m thrilled to be part of a campaign based on good ideas, and not the politics of personal destruction we see far too much of in our current climate,” Solomon said in a press release.
Roberts last week received his party’s unanimous nomination for the sprawling northwest Colorado district that, after redistricting, includes the vast majority of Eagle County (excluding the southwestern corner in the Roaring Fork Valley), most of Garfield, and all of Clear Creek, Gilpin, Summit, Grand, Jackson, Routt, Rio Blanco and Moffat counties.
“I am deeply honored by all the support I received at each caucus and assembly,” Roberts wrote in an email to supporters. “In meeting with voters and supporters across the district, I am now more inspired than ever to continue this campaign to serve SD8 in the State Senate.”
In the other state legislative race directly impacting Eagle County, the House District 26 seat currently held by Roberts will see a Republican primary on June 28.
While Democrat Meghan Lukens of Steamboat Springs is her party’s sole candidate for the seat after earning the nomination last week, Eagle resident Glenn Lowe and Oak Creek’s Savannah Wolfson both reportedly earned enough delegate votes in Colorado Springs to make the primary ballot.
Lukens, in an email to supporters, was not ready to take a victory lap in the November race for the house district that, after redistricting, including the majority of Eagle County (excluding the southwestern corner) and all of Routt, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties.
“With your assistance, I will be able to help solve the problems around affordability, climate change, and education in our mountain communities,” Lukens wrote. “We must now turn our attention to November because this race has entered a critical stage. I will need your support now more than ever.”
But at least Lukens will have the luxury of watching her opponents beat each other up in a primary battle. Solomon and Roberts can now focus on each other in the general election.
Here’s Solomon’s entire press release from the state assembly:
Matt Solomon, an Eagle County business owner and entrepreneur swept the district assembly with 100 percent of the votes cast for northwestern Colorado’s state Senate seat.
Solomon topped Rich Cimino of Fraser, currently a Grand County commissioner, retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, and graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.
“I’m thrilled to be part of a campaign based on good ideas, and not the politics of personal destruction we see far too much of in our current climate,” Solomon said.
“I’m proud to endorse Solomon for Colorado Senate District 8. Losing is never easy, but it’s easier when you know the guy who beat you is a standup guy, capable candidate, and will make an excellent legislator. I have no doubt Matt will do a great job representing northwest Colorado,” Cimino said.
Solomon will face Democrat Dylan Roberts in November’s general election. Roberts was running unopposed, but trumpeted that he took 100 percent of the votes in his state assembly.
Like most of us, Solomon has had enough of self-serving politicians who can’t think beyond their party’s daily talking points.
“I am tired of divisive politics and politicians looking out for themselves,” he said. “Our Senate District is not all Democrats or all Republicans. We need someone who can bring us all together with innovative and fiscally responsible solutions.”
Solomon’s private-sector experience and his civic experience will serve Colorado State Senate District 8 and northwest Colorado. Solomon spent 21 years in public service – as a paramedic, a deputy coroner, working with our military, and was twice elected to Eagle town council.
“Local offices are probably the world’s most visible and accountable public offices,” Solomon said. “I’ll bring that same level of access and accountability to Colorado’s State Senate.
Solomon launched numerous private-sector businesses, two internationally, and two others in Colorado. One of them, Alpine Arms, is the Eagle County’s longest operating gun shop.
Solomon’s campaign website, www.MattSolomon.com, will be regularly updated with speech transcripts, videos, a link for donations, and a spot to sign up for his campaign newsletter.
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David O. Williams is the editor and co-founder of RealVail.com and has had his awarding-winning work (see About Us) published in more than 75 newspapers and magazines around the world, including 5280 Magazine, American Way Magazine (American Airlines), the Anchorage Daily News (Alaska), the Anchorage Daily Press (Alaska), Aspen Daily News, Aspen Journalism, the Aspen Times, Beaver Creek Magazine, the Boulder Daily Camera, the Casper Star Tribune (Wyoming), the Chicago Tribune, Colorado Central Magazine, the Colorado Independent (formerly Colorado Confidential), Colorado Politics (formerly the Colorado Statesman), Colorado Public News, the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Colorado Springs Independent, the Colorado Statesman (now Colorado Politics), the Colorado Times Recorder, the Cortez Journal, the Craig Daily Press, the Curry Coastal Pilot (Oregon), the Daily Trail (Vail), the Del Norte Triplicate (California), the Denver Daily News, the Denver Gazette, the Denver Post, the Durango Herald, the Eagle Valley Enterprise, the Eastside Journal (Bellevue, Washington), ESPN.com, Explore Big Sky (Mont.), the Fort Morgan Times (Colorado), the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, the Greeley Tribune, the Huffington Post, the King County Journal (Seattle, Washington), the Kingman Daily Miner (Arizona), KUNC.org (northern Colorado), LA Weekly, the Las Vegas Sun, the Leadville Herald-Democrat, the London Daily Mirror, the Moab Times Independent (Utah), the Montgomery Journal (Maryland), the Montrose Daily Press, The New York Times, the Parent’s Handbook, Peaks Magazine (now Epic Life), People Magazine, Powder Magazine, the Pueblo Chieftain, PT Magazine, the Rio Blanco Herald Times (Colorado), Rocky Mountain Golf Magazine, the Rocky Mountain News, RouteFifty.com (formerly Government Executive State and Local), the Salt Lake Tribune, SKI Magazine, Ski Area Management, SKIING Magazine, the Sky-Hi News, the Steamboat Pilot & Today, the Sterling Journal Advocate (Colorado), the Summit Daily News, United Hemispheres (United Airlines), Vail/Beaver Creek Magazine, Vail en Español, Vail Health Magazine, Vail Valley Magazine, the Vail Daily, the Vail Trail, Westword (Denver), Writers on the Range and the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Williams is also the founder, publisher and editor of RealVail.com and RockyMountainPost.com.
