Rocky Mountain Voice

Rocky Mountain Voice

A shepherd in the trenches: Rep. Scott Bottoms answers the call to fight for Colorado
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A shepherd in the trenches: Rep. Scott Bottoms answers the call to fight for Colorado

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice El Paso County Republican Rep. Scott Bottoms walked the quiet State Capitol halls with his wife, prayers filling the empty space. They spent hours there—no fanfare, just a pastor seeking God’s will on a new path after years of preaching in Colorado Springs.  Several lawmakers asked him to run for office. “I’m a pastor,” he told them. One replied, “Pray about it.” That stuck. “I almost said no,” Bottoms said. “I was scared God might say yes.”  “I didn’t choose this,” Bottoms said. “I felt God say, ‘This is your battlefield.’” He said what no one else would Bottoms caught the attention of millions across the country with a speech that went viral on X last fall. “Our state is running rampant with pedophilia,”...
Bobstock Music Festival brings Coloradans together—one song at a time
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Bobstock Music Festival brings Coloradans together—one song at a time

RMV Staff | RMV NE CO Newsroom Get your lawn chairs and dancing shoes ready, Colorado! The lineup for the annual Bobstock Music Festival, which will be held July 11 and 12th, 2025 (Second full weekend in July), at Glenn Miller Park and downtown Fort Morgan, Colorado, has officially been revealed.  And it's set to celebrate Colorado's rich tradition of unity, community, and live entertainment! In a thrilling announcement by Media Logic Radio last week at McDonald’s Toyota showroom in Fort Morgan, music enthusiasts from across the state gathered to uncover the headliners for this year's performances, setting the stage for another unforgettable experience.  Leading the lineup, Uncle Kracker will fill the summer air with feel-good tunes that are sure to bring everyone tog...
Hunter: Suit Up! The Helmet of Salvation — Sanctification: No Pain, No Gain – Spiritual Workout
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Hunter: Suit Up! The Helmet of Salvation — Sanctification: No Pain, No Gain – Spiritual Workout

By Drake Hunter | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Every meaningful relationship requires effort, whether in marriage, parenting, or professional life. A thriving life doesn’t just happen; it takes work. The same principle applies to our relationship with God. Many recognize that salvation is a gift—freely given, not earned. And that’s true! Through Christ, we receive Justification, Adoption, and Regeneration—the objective and subjective aspects of salvation and all are freely granted, forming the footprint or foundation of our salvation. But here’s where it gets real: there’s an ongoing aspect of salvation called sanctification—and that, my friends, is where the spiritual sweat kicks in. Sanctification is the divine workout regimen for every believer, requiring daily effort, enduran...
Bannon lights fire under Colorado GOP at Centennial Gala: “The elites failed this state”
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Bannon lights fire under Colorado GOP at Centennial Gala: “The elites failed this state”

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Despite credible bomb threats and a last-minute venue change, the Colorado GOP gathered under tight security to kick off what Steve Bannon called “a journey to take this state back.” But the fight, he warned, isn’t just against Democrats—it’s against weak Republicans and elites “who don’t want you in their party.” The Centennial Dinner, held March 28 at Phil Long Music Hall in Colorado Springs, featured a live call-in from former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters from the Larimer County jail, and a headlining speech from Bannon that ignited the room with calls for courage, action and confrontation.  Outside, protesters shouted and blocked the entrance. Inside, hundreds of attendees stood their ground. A call t...
From the ashes of division: Horn, Phelan and Andrews chart a new course for Colorado GOP
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From the ashes of division: Horn, Phelan and Andrews chart a new course for Colorado GOP

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice "We’re like a great football team," Russ Andrews told delegates at the Colorado Republican Party reorganization meeting on March 29. "But when we take the field, we block and tackle each other. That has to end." It was a sentiment echoed by the party's newly elected leaders Brita Horn (Chair), D. Lee Phelan Sr. (Vice Chair), and Andrews himself, who was elected Secretary. The three swept their respective races after a day of pointed speeches, surprise withdrawals and shifting alliances that ended with a new leadership slate promising to put unity and effectiveness over factional infighting. Contests, concessions and realignment Lori Saine, who came in second to Horn in the chair race, struck a note of resilience. She t...
Ganahl: Our loyalty is to the truth, not political convenience
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Ganahl: Our loyalty is to the truth, not political convenience

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.  Especially from your own party if you’re a republican in Colorado. Yesterday, March 27, the Rocky Mountain Voice team received a tip that there were over $100,000 in campaign finance violations in two committees run by Darcy Schoening, a candidate for Chair of the GOP, and that another news organization was about to break the story.  With the lack of balance in our Colorado media, we were concerned this would be a one sided “hit piece” so we decided to write our own piece to approach it in a fair way.  I had endorsed my friend Brita Horn for GOP Chair early in the race (personally, not as the President of RMV) before Darcy had jumped in as a candidate.  W...
Ballooning Medicaid costs, TABOR limits expose flaws in Colorado’s big government spending spree
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Ballooning Medicaid costs, TABOR limits expose flaws in Colorado’s big government spending spree

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board After years of overreach and unchecked government growth, Colorado lawmakers are now scrambling to plug a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget — a crisis largely of their own making.  Colorado budget writers voted Wednesday night to finalize a 2025–26 budget plan that slashes transportation funding, eliminates programs, and kicks key decisions down the road — all while Medicaid spending surges out of control. Despite the so-called “cuts,” the budget still grows to over $16 billion. But massive increases in Medicaid — particularly long-term care for seniors and the disabled — are eating up the budget at an unsustainable pace. Democrat lawmakers admit the problem is only getting worse. “Next year, I see our fiscal challenges compounding,...
Cole: Colorado lawmakers scrolled while your safety was debated
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Cole: Colorado lawmakers scrolled while your safety was debated

By Shaina Cole | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice In a state where crime surges and citizens rely on their Second Amendment rights for protection, you’d hope lawmakers would take their duties seriously. Yet, during debates on Senate Bill 25-003—a measure slashing Coloradans’ ability to defend themselves—several representatives checked out.  Rep. Meghan Lukens (D) played Tetris, Rep. Sheila Stewart (D) and Rep. Javier Mauro (D) scrolled TikTok, Rep. Tisha Mauro (D) browsed Instagram, and Rep. Matthew Clifford (D) surfed Facebook—all while colleagues argued over a bill that could leave Coloradans defenseless.  Their minds seemed made up, uninterested in the arguments put forth by their colleagues.  And on March 24, 2025, with Lukens casting the deciding vote,...
RMV Contributor: When public office becomes a family business on the taxpayer’s dime
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RMV Contributor: When public office becomes a family business on the taxpayer’s dime

By RMV Contributor | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Elon Musk has exposed the grift of the politically-connected who abuse their access and offices to convert public dollars to private gain using tax-funded, non-governmental organizations (NGOs, typically non-profits). We have uncovered a local politician here in Colorado who appears to be doing this – and both she and several family members are benefitting financially. The politician in question is Lorena Garcia, the state house lawmaker for District 35, representing parts of Adams and Jefferson Counties.  Garcia was appointed to the Colorado legislature in early January 2023 after Adrienne Benavidez resigned for unspecified reasons (the mess created by questionable resignations and vacancy appointments in Colorado i...
Holistic health practitioners fight back against HB25-1220’s threat to medical freedom
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Holistic health practitioners fight back against HB25-1220’s threat to medical freedom

By Tori Ganahl, Rocky Mountain Voice A new bill moving through the Colorado General Assembly, HB25-1220, is drawing sharp criticism from holistic health practitioners and nutritionists, who argue it amounts to government overreach that could criminalize alternative health practices and limit consumer choice. Proponents say the bill is necessary to protect public health by ensuring only qualified professionals provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT). The legislation would create the State Board of Dietetics and Nutrition, with the authority to license, regulate, and discipline professionals practicing medical nutrition therapy. Under the bill, individuals offering nutrition services must obtain a state license by September 1, 2026, or face penalties, including a class two misdemean...