Colorado House GOP Vote Unanimously for Rose Pugliese

In an unexpected turn of events that surprised exactly no one paying attention, the Colorado House Republicans have, for a change, seemed to align their votes with their supposed principles, or so it appears. In a significant vote, all GOP Colorado House Representatives cast their votes for the Republican nominee, Rose Pugliese, for Colorado House Chair. Unfortunately, despite their united front, Democrat Julie McCluskie won. This action might seem trivial to the uninformed observer, but let me remind you that just two years ago, we had many of these same so-called Republican conservatives voting for a Democrat chairperson. The excuses were as pathetic as they were unbelievable, ranging from "I didn’t realize how I was voting" to "It's tradition to vote for the party in power." Quite insulting, really, to anyone with a functioning brain. So, a half-hearted bravo for finally learning the basic duties of your office. On the bright side for me, I don’t need to ride Douglas County’s Anthony Hartsook anymore for his vote for a Democrat Colorado House Chair two years ago.

On the downside, only a handful of these elected officials showed real backbone when it came to voter integrity. Representatives Ken DeGraaf, Scott Bottoms, Brandi Bradley, Stephanie Luck, Ron Weinberg, and the fresh face Larry Don Suckla of Cortez stood their ground against certifying the election during the 2025 General Assembly's inaugural meet. Why? Because Secretary of State Jena Griswold thought it wise to release passwords to the voting machines, an act with questionable implications. Meanwhile, the rest of the Republican sheep thought this was just dandy. This should give you a clear picture of who actually stands for principles and who's just there to play footsie with the opposition.

And just when you think it couldn't get more ludicrous, enter HB25-1027, a gem of a bill set to tinker with school immunization rules, courtesy of our Democratic friends. The real kicker? This committee includes newly elected Republican Colorado State Senator Lisa Frizell from Douglas County, who, along with Anthony Hartsook, pocketed a neat $750 each from Pfizer (per Tracer). One might wonder whether their votes will sway in favor of parental rights or the depths of their donors and lobbyists.

While some of the Colorado House Republicans may have momentarily found their spines, don't bet your house on this newfound courage. It’s politics as usual in Colorado, grandstanding when convenient, folding when it counts. Stay tuned, though, because it’s always entertaining to watch which way the wind, and the money, blows in our beloved Colorado State Legislature.