Rancher and Republican state Rep. Holtorf makes it official.
State Rep. Richard Holtorf of Akron has officially announced his candidacy for Colorado's 4th Congressional District, making him the first Republican officeholder to enter what is expected to be a highly competitive primary race.
The move comes after current 4th District Representative Ken Buck announced last week that he won’t seek reelection to a sixth term in Congress. Buck cited the Republican party's "lying" about the results of the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as reasons for his retirement.
Holtorf wasted no time in taking aim at his opponent, criticizing Buck for failing to push for the Trump agenda and claiming that it's time for a "Colorado Cowboy" to go to Washington and fight against "out-of-touch bureaucrats."
With a strong background as a rancher and former Army aviation officer who served multiple tours in Afghanistan, Holtorf is positioning himself as a tough and experienced candidate for the 4th District.
Rep. Richard Holtorf was first appointed to the state House of Representatives in 2019 and was later elected to a full term. He then successfully ran for a different district seat following the 2020 redistricting process.
Holtorf's primary challenge comes as no surprise, with the state representative having already denounced Buck as "the Liz Cheney of Colorado" and forming an exploratory committee for a potential run.
Holtorf will face competition in the Republican primary race from conservative radio host Deborah Flora, who previously sought the Republican nomination for the 2022 Senate race but failed to qualify for the ballot. Trent Leisy and Justin Schreiber are also vying for the nomination.
The highly anticipated race for the 4th District seat is sure to be a heated one, with Holtorf positioning himself as a true conservative ready to fight for Colorado values in Washington. Stay tuned for updates on this important race in the coming months.
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Ken Buck, who was first elected to the 4th District seat in 2014, has been a controversial figure in recent months. He publicly criticized efforts by House Republicans to pursue an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden and has spoken out against what he sees as Republican leaders lying to the American people.