The Boulder County Republicans have elected a new chair, the party’s central committee announced Friday.
George Tristan, a Ball aerospace engineer and Marine Corps veteran, will replace retiring Chair Theresa Watson.
Tristan moved to Colorado when he was a 19-year-old Marine stationed at the Lowry Air Force base. He and his wife have lived in Longmont for the past four years.
Tristan, a Hispanic second-generation American citizen, said he became active in local politics after the 2016 presidential election.
“I came to the conclusion that voting wasn't enough to move the needle, that I needed to get actively involved with the Republican party because it stands for the conservative and traditional values I ascribe to,” he said. “Having served our country in the U.S. Marines, I have a sense of duty to defend the principles our nation was built upon. When I began to see people kneeling during the national anthem, tearing down historic statues, and an overall loss of patriotism, I felt it was time for me to roll up my sleeves and get in the game.”
Some of the top issues that Boulder County residents face are affordability, homelessness and crime, Tristan said.
“The general assembly continues to push bills through the legislature that are having a negative impact on the quality of life for Coloradans statewide,” he said. “Climate change activism is phasing out our oil and gas industry, the number one industry in the state. When energy costs go up, so does everything else. Artificially inflated diesel prices trickle down to the consumer in increased transportation costs of everyday goods.”
Tristan believes Colorado’s decision in 2012 to legalize marijuana is one of the factors behind high rates of homelessness in Boulder County.
“Colorado became a drug tourist location and that phenomena has only begun to level off recently due to other states following suit,” he said. “The open southern border has resulted in record drug seizures and record fentanyl overdose deaths; clearly this latter problem is due to the policies of the Biden administration, which have left the states and local municipalities struggling to find a solution.”
Tristan said he believes Colorado Democrats have pushed through legislation that is soft on crime.
“Felony crimes have been reduced to misdemeanors, which allows hardened criminals the privilege to purchase firearms,” he said. “Bail reform laws return people charged with violent crimes back onto the streets and, slap on the wrists sentencing by judges in our county does little to curb or de-incentivize criminals to change their ways.”
Under Tristan’s leadership, Boulder County Republicans will continue to advocate for fiscal restraint, lower taxes and smaller government bureaucracies, he said.
Tristan also believes Boulder County schools need to be reformed.
“Parents rights are under attack as school boards are sanctioning more teaching to students of racial equity and gender-fluid ideologies, and less of traditional and standardized curriculum,” he said. “Nearly two-thirds of Colorado public school students K-12 are under-performing academically in reading, math and science.”
In his new role, Tristan said he hopes to dispel misconceptions about his party.
“Republicans are not deplorable, racist, misognyist insurrectionists who are the greatest threat to Democracy as the left would have you believe,” he said. “Republicans love our country, we believe in the constitution, our form of government, and the rule of law. My hope is that our Boulder County Republican party can intimately engage with the public by participating in community volunteer opportunities and form alliances with local civic organizations to demonstrate that we are merely every day citizens that work hard, attend church, operate small businesses, attend little league games, and treat all of our neighbors regardless of race or any other distinguishing characteristic, with love and respect.”
