Dean Ormiston, Ty Winter look to court rural voters in Colorado House District 47 race

Democrat Edwin "Dean" Ormiston and Republican Ty Winter have at least two things in common — both have ties to the cattle industry and are candidates in this year's Colorado House District 47.

After 2020 redistricting, several neighborhoods in Pueblo County were shifted out of House District 47 and into House District 46. However, eastern Pueblo West, north Avondale and Boone still occupy the largely rural HD47. Other notable communities in the district include the cities of Walsenburg, Trinidad, La Junta, Las Animas and Lamar.

Stephanie Luck, a Republican from Penrose, was elected to HD47 in November 2020, defeating two-year incumbent Pueblo Democrat Bri Buentello. Following redistricting, the composition of registered voters in HD47 is 37.4% unaffiliated, 35.4% Republican and 25.5% Democratic, according to a 2021 report from the Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission.

Ormiston, a self-identified "conservative Democrat" from Baca County, received just 27% of the vote when he was defeated by Republican Richard Holtorf in the 2020 Colorado House District 64 race. However, the Kirkwell Cattle Co. co-owner, former educator and former Baca County commissioner finds himself in a new district with a higher percentage of voters that share his party affiliation.

As a former industrial arts and physical education teacher in Lamar and Fort Garland, Ormiston also is a proponent of better pay for teachers, more funding for school districts and an education system that effectively prepares students for the workforce, he said.

"I would also like to revisit (the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights)," Ormiston said. "TABOR was written a long time ago and the cost of living, the taxes and everything has changed from the time TABOR was written and we could use some of that tax money that we have to give back to the people for things that, really, we need."

Winter is a fourth-generation cattle rancher and third-generation small business owner from Las Animas County. He has served as the Las Animas County Republican Party Chairman from 2019 to 2022 and as the House District 64 Chairman from 2021 to 2022. If elected, he looks to be a representative for southeastern Colorado's farmers, ranchers, oil and gas workers, coal miners and small businesses, he said.

"I have the fire in my belly, energy, and work ethic that it is going to take to properly represent the constituents of SE Colorado," Winter said in an email. "I have served on numerous boards and committees at both the local and state levels and have my finger on the pulse of many of the issues that we face within the district which will allow me to hit the ground running once elected in November."

More on the 2022 election in Pueblo:Jonathan Ambler, Tisha Mauro look to succeed Rep. Esgar in Colorado House District 46 race

Abortion, elections and crime among issues discussed by candidates at Sept. 6 debate

Ormiston and Winter, along with other Colorado House of Representatives candidates representing communities in Pueblo County, had the opportunity to share their views on various topics during a Sept. 6 debate hosted by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce.

During the debate, Ormiston said he was "pro-life" and opposed abortion as a "means of contraception." However, he did say there were valid reasons for the practice, including situations where a mother's life is in danger. Winter also expressed opposition to abortion, but did not reference any acceptable exceptions during the debates.

"Freedom starts with the freedom to live," Winter said. "Actually, I have a friend in this audience who wouldn't be here tonight if her mom didn't take that choice ... she was adopted, so there's a way around this. We have to protect the unborn. And we have to realize that there are other options than just killing innocent babies."

Winter was later asked about his opinions on the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election by moderator Steve Henson.

"It doesn't matter what I believe, Joe Biden is the sitting President of the United States of America and what we need to do is we need to start looking forward," Winter said. "We need to start looking forward to make sure that we have free, fair and open elections with transparency."

Winter said the state needs to ensure that "voter rolls were clean" and that identification should be required to vote. Ormiston said he believes Biden won the presidential election and that Colorado's election system is "as good as the people can run it."

"I have good friends that are county clerks ... they check their election machines," Ormiston said. "They have people that sit on their election committees and I think they do it as good as they can. Also, there is a law that allows recount if the election is really close."

Ormiston agreed with Winter's opinions on voter identification, but also expressed support for mail-in ballots, saying they allow more Coloradans to vote.

"In my district and down where I live, it's 50 miles to the nearest poll," he said. "Some people when they are old and they can't get out, they still have an opinion, they still have a mind and they know they care about our country. I think to protect their rights, we should have mail-in ballots, but they should have the postmark and if the person can sign their name, it ought to be witnessed."

On gun control, Ormiston said gun violence was getting "out of control" and that he is in favor of "responsible gun legislation" and more funding for mental health.

"If you don't allow a kid under 18 or 21 to own a handgun, there's nothing wrong with that," Ormiston said. "He can go out with an adult and shoot it, but that gun is put up. It's not his. He doesn't have free access to it. He can't just take it because of the reasons I contribute to mental health."

In contrast, Winter opposed restrictions on 18-to-21-year-olds to own guns.

More on Pueblo politics:State senate candidate Stephen Varela accused of violating campaign finance law

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com