2022 Colorado Primary
Democratic
STATE SENATE SD35 CANDIDATE
TRAVIS NELSON
Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL: www.TravisForColorado.com
Email Address: TravisForColorado@gmail.com
Occupation/Vocation: Farmer
Resident of District Representing: Whole Life
Experience
What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as Senator that will benefit our state?
Stepped up for our people
Vision
What is your vision for being a Colorado State Senator?
To fight against corruption that is rampant in the Division of Natural Resources and local Water Conservancy Districts.
Election Reform
Do you believe that elections in Colorado should be conducted differently? Should voters in Colorado be required to verify their identity and residential status in the respective counties in which they vote? Are you in favor of a single-day, in-person voting system consisting of all-paper ballots? Why or why not?
No opinion
Protecting the Most Vulnerable
As a Senator, how would you seek to protect the most vulnerable in our state, including the lives of the unborn, the trafficked, and the elderly?
Elderly need resources especially with aging baby boom population.
1st Amendment
What will you do as Colorado State Senator to protect our 1st Amendment rights to: the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, peaceably assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances, all of which are becoming more difficult to exercise in America (and around the world)?
As a man of faith, my religion is important to me and a prominent aspect of my life. In fact, it is because I am religious, and because I have faced discrimination because of the color of my skin, that I am against the idea of people using their religion as an excuse to be bigoted, disguising intolerance as religious freedom. I believe it is critical that we continue to fight to protect our first amendment rights, and I believe our community should be a safe, inclusive place for everyone.
2nd Amendment
Do you believe that gun ownership is a civil right, and what are your positions in regards to red flag laws, magazine capacity bans, legislation that regulates gun storage, and permitless “Constitutional carry”?
Some guns have a place in American life, for hunting, sport, and home defense. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. When rights are abused, though, that’s a problem. I believe military-style weapons have no place in civilian hands or in our communities, and keeping deadly weapons out of the hands of dangerous people should always be our top priority. This is why I’ve supported bills to close background check loopholes, and why I’ve also supported bills requiring waiting periods, because “in the heat of the moment” is not when anyone should be given a gun. I’ve also supported legislation requiring the safe storage of firearms in houses with children in them, among other sensible measures.
Government Authority
Do you believe that the government has the legal power and authority to dictate what a person does with his or her body? If so, how?
There’s always a choice to be made between what a government can do and what it should do. A government can use its inherent police powers to protect public health by requiring certain vaccinations, as laws and courts have consistently upheld, but many people believe the government shouldn’t do that. A government can find ways to restrict abortion access or gun ownership, but again, many people believe the government shouldn’t do that. Every time the government has the legal power to do something, it also has a moral responsibility to decide whether or not to do that thing. How a government should act in any situation depends on the circumstances of that situation.
Education
As a State Senator, what will you do to improve the education of our K – 12 students? What is your position on parental authority in education, including school choice?
This is not a question which can be answered in just 120 words, so let me say this: As a member of the House’s Education committee, I am very aware of the problems facing our public education system – from strained funding sources, to deteriorating buildings and vehicles, to teacher shortages, and curriculum controversies – and I have worked as a legislator to help address these problems, and I’ve run many bills myself to help solve some of them. If I am elected into the State Senate, as I hope I will be, I will continue working with teachers, students, parents, administrators, and elected officials to improve our whole education system, not just K-12 but also higher education too.
School District Taxes
Do you believe that the Colorado legislature should make any adjustment to the level of taxes paid by residents in order to fund school district budgets? If so, how?
For decades in Colorado, school districts were funded mostly by local property taxes, with some money coming from the State. But for years now, school districts have been mostly funded by the State, with some money coming from local property taxes. These funding ratios have effectively reversed, and that’s been bad for public school funding. The State simply can’t afford to be the primary payer for all public education in Colorado. We need to find ways to better balance these funding dynamics – and fixing TABOR, Gallagher, and Amendment 23 are three very obvious and effective ways to begin improving the funding situation for public education.
National Popular Vote
What is your position on Colorado joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would effectively eliminate the electoral college’s role in presidential elections in favor of a national popular vote?
No opinion
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Christian voting
Voting is a simple, yet significant way to do something about public policy in our country. As people of faith, we will be held accountable for our actions, as well as our lack of action. (Luke 12:48)
Biblical worldview
By diligently learning, applying, and trusting God’s truths in every area of our lives, we can begin to develop a deep comprehensive faith that will stand against the unrelenting tide of our culture’s non-biblical ideas.
Vote your values
The issues of the day change. Political parties and platforms change. God’s Word never changes. The vote of every Christian should be based on the principles of Scripture and not persuasive personalities.
Electing righteous leaders
Bad governance and our loss of freedom is the direct result of the church’s failure to disciple. When the citizenry do not seek to be obedient to God’s Law, they vote in wicked and corrupt candidates, who then trample underfoot the God-given liberties of the people.