2020 CANDIDATES

Jake Niece — WINNER!

DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATE FOR OURAY COUNTY COUNTY COMMISSIONER

I am a lifelong resident of Colorado, grew up in Greeley, CO, and attended the University of Colorado where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. As a student, I worked in an aerospace lab flying NASA science satellites and went on to work at a startup developing a new kind of prosthetic foot.

In 2010 I moved to the western slope and began alternating between fighting wildfire in the summer and making snow at ski areas in the winter. In typical fashion, what was meant to be a yearlong diversion turned into an eight year career arc in both wildland firefighting and snowmaking.

Eventually I moved into the field of work I am most passionate about — clean energy and sustainability — and began working for EcoAction Partners, a non-profit performing low-income energy audits, weatherization improvements, and energy efficiency consultations for businesses. I’ve also had the opportunity to participate in larger policy discussions about electricity generation, natural gas use, building codes, and more. I settled in Ridgway full time in 2018 while I finished construction on my house in town.

I am registered as a Democrat, however I do not have a strong connection to partisan labels. I prefer to focus on individual issues, where I find people on all sides are more aligned than the internet and national media would lead us to believe.

I enjoy many forms of outdoor recreation including quiet roadless multi-day backpacking trips, dual sport motorcycle riding, backcountry snowboarding, peak bagging, and elk and deer hunting.

John Hickenlooper — WINNER!

CANDIDATE FOR US SENATE FOR COLORADO

John started out as a geologist, but after being laid off, he considered a variety of career options. Ultimately, he decided to open a restaurant in Lower Downtown, a then-neglected warehouse district in Denver. The result was Colorado’s first brewpub and a big hit. He started seven more small businesses and employed hundreds of Coloradans.

When the Denver Broncos planned to let a corporation remove the words “Mile High” from the Broncos’ new taxpayer-financed stadium, John led a grassroots campaign to keep the name. When he saw that he could bring people together, he decided to run for Mayor. In his first campaign (he’d never even run for student council!), John was elected Mayor of Denver in an unexpected landslide — even though he wasn’t a part of the political establishment. As Mayor, John worked to expand mass transit, reduce crime, tackle climate change, and improve educational opportunities for Denver students.

In 2010, John ran for Governor and helped to move Colorado from ranking 40th in job creation to leading by example as the number one economy in the nation. John brought people together across the aisle and across the state to get things done, from passing pioneering anti-pollution climate change measures and landmark gun safety laws to expanding Medicaid to nearly 400,000 Coloradans.

Now, John is running for Senate to make Washington work for Coloradans. Just like he’s done throughout his career, he will use his independent perspective to bring people together to get things done — from lowering health care and prescription drug costs to keeping our families safe from gun violence, as well as protecting the state’s public lands while combating climate change.