This spring, Republican Greg Lopez faced a tough choice: continue running in the crowded Republican primary with hopes of representing the Fourth District in Congress for a full term, or run as the sole Republican in a special election to fill the remainder of former Congressman Ken Buck鈥檚 legislative term, who resigned in March.
The former Parker mayor chose to run in the special election and committed to staying out of the general election. He was named the winner by a significant margin last week, and although he will have less than six months in Washington, D.C., Lopez said he wants to do more than just hold the seat until next year.
鈥淚 recognize that it's a huge responsibility, and I'm not going there to be a placeholder,鈥� Lopez told KUNC. 鈥淚'm going there to do some good work and make sure that the voice of the people in CD-4 is acknowledged.鈥�
KUNC asked Lopez about his plans to address issues like the environment, reproductive healthcare, immigration and the economy鈥�top concerns for Coloradans this election year according to survey responses from more than 5,000 Colorado voters reviewed by KUNC.
Water management is central to Lopez鈥� environmental priorities. His concerns are largely focused around agricultural water uses and ensuring Colorado farmers and ranchers have enough water to support them into the future. For him, poor management of Colorado鈥檚 population growth and inadequate land and forest management from the federal government have adversely impacted water storage and water quality.
鈥淭here's only three uses of water,鈥� Lopez said. 鈥淚t's either municipal, industrial or agricultural. And if we're going to feed each other, if we're going to feed our families, ag and ranching needs to make sure that they get their water.鈥�
The state of Colorado actually lists : municipal, industrial, agricultural and recreational. Lopez stopped short of listing specific water policies, but said its important to make sure Colorado's water needs are met while also balancing obligations to send water to other states like Kansas and Nebraska.
"Here in Colorado, no water flows in. All water flows out," Lopez said. "Water has to be something that we protect."
Air pollution is another environmental challenge in Colorado. The northern Front Range, including large portions of Lopez鈥� new district, received failing air-quality grades this spring and continues to face scrutiny over air pollution. Lopez said he wants to take a deliberate approach to environmental issues and consider all the information available, rather than pursue what he sees as drastic and rash climate policies. He said he plans to balance claims that human-caused climate change is real with others that reject the concept.
鈥淲here do you find the balance to make good, informed decisions as we move forward, because nobody wants to encourage pollution,鈥� Lopez said. 鈥淚 want to be that person that says, hey, let's just slow it down.鈥�
On reproductive rights, Lopez said he does not support abortion at any point in a pregnancy and said he would support a complete, national ban on abortion.
Lopez presented more concrete policy proposals around immigration and the economy, and plans to introduce two specific pieces of legislation on those issues.
One bill he wants to run would create a temporary work authorization program for non-citizens, dubbed the 鈥渞ed card鈥� program. Such a program has been introduced in Congress before, but never passed. Lopez said he plans to introduce the legislation in his first week on the job. The other bill would require that the last three years of the national debt are printed on ballots for Congressional races across the country.
鈥淭hat's it, no explanation, no discussion about it,鈥� Lopez said. 鈥淚t's important for Congressmen and Congresswomen to always think about what kind of legislation may improve the economy or improve the quality of life with people, but also, how do you educate the general public in a very small, non intrusive way as to what is going on with our debt.鈥�
It will undoubtedly be a challenge to get any legislation over the finish line with only a few months in office in in US history, but even with such a brief term ahead of him, Lopez vowed to put people over politics.
鈥淚'm always going to make decisions that are in the best interest of the people, not the political win, because I think that's what people deserve and that's what people expect,鈥� he said.
Lopez will not be officially sworn in as a member of Congress until after the Colorado Secretary of State certifies the results of the special election on July 22. The House of Representatives will only be in session for about 50 days over the time Lopez will be in office.
鈥淚'm stepping in to hold the line. I'm stepping in to make the decisions that are in the best interest of CD-4 while the candidates were going through their exercise to get the support,鈥� Lopez told KUNC. 鈥淚 feel very comfortable in whoever gets elected that they will do a good job in representing us.鈥�
Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Democratic challenger Trisha Calvarese are competing in the general election to take over the seat in January after winning their parties nominations in the primary election. Lopez wholeheartedly supports Boebert, who is likely to win in November because the district leans heavily Republican.
Lopez will also have the rare experience of serving alongside his successor if Boebert does indeed win the general election. She remains the representative for Colorado鈥檚 Third Congressional District until the end of the current legislative term while she campaigns to take over the Fourth District next year.
Lopez served as the mayor of Parker in the early 1990s when he was a member of the Democratic Party. Since then, he unsuccessfully ran for state Senate, US Senate, and twice for governor. Under the Obama administration, he served as the Colorado Director of the Small Business Administration.