HAYDEN – A couple dozen Republicans turned out at Dry Creek Park to enjoy lemonade, ice cream, chips, and dip with candidates for the Colorado House and Routt County Commission.
Among them was Nathan Butler, a 32-year-old father of two, member of the Craig City Council, and candidate for House District 26 (HD 26)– a seat currently held by Democratic House Representative Meghan Lukens, elected in 2022.
Butler created and parlayed a social media page called Real Craig Community Chat, into a way to broaden name recognition in Craig and aid his election to the Craig City Council. After the COVID years, and during more public discussions about closing local mines and power plants, Butler became convinced that local, state, and national politicians were not fighting hard enough for constituents in Craig and other communities facing coal and coal power closures. He said he considered running for Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) seat, but decided that running for HD 26 was a more realistic goal.
He attended last week’s Northwest Colorado Economic Development Council in Craig. Butler was asked what he thought of the presentation by Chris Nichols, the mayor of Craig. “I think he’s doing the best he can with a bad hand,” said Butler, who is firmly of the opinion that no mine or coal-burning power plant should be closed, until there’s another job ready for each employee of the mines and power plants. That’s never happened in Colorado, other states, or other countries.
What does happen is job training for compatible jobs for coal and power plant workers, and efforts to attract new businesses with grants, loans, and shovel-ready business parks. All of which is part of Craig’s development efforts, which currently forecast 539 new jobs. “That’s a drop in the bucket,” said Butler, who is more focused on the prospective loss of 2,800 jobs and a 44% loss in tax revenue. He noted that the Craig business park doesn’t have a new business signed up. “We need more than a hope and a prayer,” he added.
Butler said the welfare of Craig and coal workers is his primary focus, but he does have other concerns. He understands that the Democratic Party has a huge advantage in the Legislature. Nevertheless, he’d like to see some changes, such as:
Not calling legislation bipartisan unless 50% of the opposing party votes for it. One or two votes does not make something bipartisan, he adds.
Clarify how late in a pregnancy an abortion can occur. Butler said abortions become rarer the closer to the birth, but wants to firmly close the door on abortions happening with or after birth. In fact, abortions after birth are illegal.
Does not favor mandated gun storage in a safe, because it would deprive a gun owner of quick access to a gun in case of a home invasion. Similarly, Butler does not favor red flag laws, because a gun owner can be temporarily deprived of self-defense based on lies or exaggerations by a spouse or neighbor. He would be more comfortable with a judicial hearing, he said. Under Colorado’s red flag law, a judge must approve a request by police to take a gun from someone deemed a threat to themselves or others.
He said Colorado’s mail balloting system is a model for the country but would like to see tighter controls on ballot harvesting and regular voter roll maintenance to ensure election integrity.
At the national level, he said he was present at the march on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, but witnessed no violence. Butler’s photographs and video, posted online and published in news outlets, show that he rallied in front of the Capitol
He said he has voted twice for Donald J. Trump and intends to do it again. As for Trump’s charge that the 2020 election was stolen, Butler said there have been irregularities in voting, but not enough to change election results.
“I am focused on results for the people of Northwest Colorado, especially regarding some of our most critical issues that are unique to the Western Slope — like affordable housing, early child care, and protecting our precious water resources,” Lukens, Butler’s Democratic opponent, told the Colorado Times Recorder in June.
Butler is an Army veteran who served as a Delta Cavalry Scout from 2009 to 2016, including one tour in Afghanistan and a year in South Korea. Scouts are the eyes and ears of combat units, sent out to find the enemy and direct fire. “We were operating on the border of Turkmenistan, which the Taliban regarded as a haven,” said Butler. “They didn’t much like us.”
Due to lower back injuries, he is 100 percent disabled, but is active in adaptive sports, such as swimming, field events, wheelchair basketball, seated volleyball, and archery.
