DA Martin Beeson to run for Congress

RIFLE, Colo. ” Ninth Judicial District Attorney Martin Beeson announced his candidacy for the 3rd Congressional District late Sunday.

“Americans need to rescue our country from a corrupt, incompetent and out-of-control Congress, and you and I can begin right here at home, in the 3rd Congressional District,” Beeson said in a press release.

The 3rd congressional seat is currently held by third-term representative John Salazar, D-Manassa, who said Monday that he will run for re-election in 2010.

“I am running again, and I will be here as long as the voters will have me,” Salazar said. “And I am very excited to have a pretty good war chest already built up.”

Salazar, first elected in 2004, was re-elected in November with 61 percent of the vote over Republican opponent Wayne Wolf, a Delta County commissioner.

The sprawling 3rd Congressional District is one of the largest in the nation and includes 29 counties covering most of the Western Slope and southern Colorado.

Beeson, a Republican, was first elected district attorney for the 9th Judicial District in a 2005 recall election against Colleen Truden. The 9th Judicial District covers Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties.

Beeson referred to himself as “just a small-town prosecutor” and said he can offer a positive vision for America, which he has already applied as district attorney.

“I’ve proven that confidence can be renewed through trustworthy public service,” he said.

Beeson questioned Salazar’s ability to represent the people of the 3rd District, saying Salazar was elected as a farmer and a service veteran, but added that Salazar recently resigned from both the Agricultural and Veterans Affairs committees for what Beeson called a “fat-cat seat” on the House Appropriations Committee.

Beeson criticized Salazar’s actions on the appropriations committee, saying he voted for trillions of dollars of new debt and taxes in his first 60 days without even reading the legislation.

“If a bill is not worth reading, then it’s not worth voting for,” Beeson said. “Blindly following your committee chairman, your party leaders, Big Brother, or the president is never an acceptable substitute for doing your job as a member of Congress.”

Salazar had no response regarding specific Beeson comments Monday, saying he is concentrating on doing his legislative work.

“If he ends up being my opponent, I look forward to a spirited campaign,” Salazar said. “It’s a long way off, and I don’t know if he’ll win the Republican primary or not.”

According to the press release, Beeson opposes the federal death tax and capital gains taxes, saying that Congress is taxing families into bankruptcy.

He supports domestic energy development of oil, gas and coal, and other technologies like wind and solar power. He also stated America has the ability to build nuclear power plants that can be run safely and efficiently.

Legal immigration was another point Beeson strongly supports, but he firmly backs developing a more efficient legal immigration process. At the same time, Beeson supports stricter penalties for illegal immigrants who commit crimes and also supports more efficient methods of protecting the nation’s boarders.

In 2004, Salazar was the first Democrat elected to the seat in 12 years when he defeated Republican nominee Greg Walcher. In 2006, Salazar defeated Republican nominee Scott Tipton.

jgardner@postindependent.com