RBC | Republican Colorado House District 57, which includes Rio Blanco, Garfield and Moffat counties, met in Meeker on Saturday for its district assembly.
The assembly was seated with 10 of the 12 Rio Blanco delegates. The primary purpose of the assembly was to determine a Republican nominee for the Colorado House of Representatives. The seat is currently filled by Bob Rankin, who was the only nominee at the assembly.
Rankin was nominated by Congressman Scott Tipton from Cortez. Tipton said Rankin is known as someone who doesn’t give up and will push back against the federal government. He highlighted Rankin’s 2015 Land Coordination Bill and said, “Bob is a man whose political reputation is spotless.”
Rankin’s nomination received a second from his wife Joyce, who currently serves on the State Board of Education, as well as from Meeker local Dave Smith. Smith called Rankin, “approachable” and said, “we can’t afford to lose him on the joint budget committee.”
Rankin accepted the nomination, telling the delegates that he has unfinished business in the House and plans to pursue a push on public lands, education reform, cost of health insurance and severance tax disparities between eastern and western Colorado. He urged the delegates to work on voter turn-out saying, “It’s going to be a real tight situation this year.”
Rankin will be challenged by Democrat Colin Wilhelm of Glenwood Springs in the November election.
