As a Republican in House District 37, I was pleased to open a letter recently from former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong endorsing Spencer Swalm. I think it will resonate with all Republican voters.

July 11, 2006

An Open Letter to Republicans in House District 37

Dear Fellow Republican,

Our party is in trouble.

In the last election we lost control of both the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate for the first time in half a century. In Washington, our party has not only failed to curb federal spending, Republican lawmakers have created new entitlement programs that are rapidly making matters worse. And they're creating a torrent of new federal regulations that violate a lot of our campaign promises.

"Experts" are speculating on a GOP debacle in November. Pundits like George Will and leading publications like the Wall Street Journal are basically saying our party deserves to lose. And many, many voters -- including a lot of Republicans -- seem to agree.

But I'm convinced it's not too late to turn things around. We can again earn the trust and confidence of our fellow citizens, but only if we nominate candidates who are absolutely solid on core Republican beliefs -- fiscal responsibility, limited government, low taxes, free enterprise, right-to-work, family values. For the sake of our state, as well as our party, we can't afford to waffle on fundamental principles.

In House District 37, we have an opportunity to nominate such a candidate. His name is Spencer Swalm, a thoughtful conservative with deep roots in Colorado and a great record of success in his profession, in public service, and as a party activist.

Spencer Swalm is a friend of taxpayers as he made very clear by taking a strong public stand against Referenda C and D in the last election. These were controversial measures, but I respect the fact that Spencer didn't "hide in the grass." He was in the thick of the debate in public forums, on newspaper opinion pages, and on radio/TV.

Spencer Swalm is a business owner, an idealist and a man of action. On the campaign trail, he will give our party a great boost. If elected, he will be a strong conservative voice in the legislature. He'll be a leader for faith, family, free enterprise, sanctity of life, traditional marriage and bedrock GOP principles of limited government. Spencer will join forces with other Republican conservatives to rekindle the sense of idealism that brought our party success in the first place.

I've had the privilege of representing our county in the State House of Representatives, the State Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate. I've seen a lot of candidates come and go over the years. I can tell you this -- Spencer Swalm is one of the very best. Please vote for Spencer Swalm in the District 37 primary election.

Sincerely,

William L. Armstrong.

P.S. I have talked at length with Spencer Swalm on issues facing our state. Here's where he stands:

Immigration: Spencer wants to secure our national borders, deny amnesty to illegal aliens and cut state benefits for illegals (to the extent permitted by federal law).
Education: Spencer Swalm is for parental choice, vouchers, and is a strong supporter of charter schools.

Affordable Health Insurance: Affordable health care is crucial for Colorado employers and their employees. Spencer Swalm is an expert on health insurance issues, and we need his input on this issue.

Sanctity of Life: You won't have to wonder where Spencer Swalm stands, he's pro-life all the way.

Colorado Marriage Amendment: Spencer Swalm believes in traditional marriage and supports measures to protect marriage against rogue courts and other threats.

Right-to-work: Spencer Swalm knows workers should not be forced to join a labor union to keep their job.He's for right-to-work.

Second Amendment: Spencer Swalm will protect our second amendment rights.

Taxes: Spencer Swalm has already demonstrated his aversion to tax increases and his willingness to "take on all comers" in defending taxpayers.

With a record of success in business and public service, you can see why so many of our most outstanding leaders are backing Spencer Swalm -- Senator Nancy Spence, Senator John Andrews, Senator Shawn Mitchell, Tom Applehans, Wil Armstrong, David and Barbara Ariss, Terry Considine, Michael Gallagher, Walk Koelbel, Jr., John Kurath, Pat and Jeannie Malone, Kevin Miller, Thom Scheffel, Steve Schuck, Tom Tillapaugh... to name a few.

By the way, this letter is not authorized, coordinated with or paid for by any political committee or candidate. I paid for mailing to District 37 Republicans because I believe so strongly in Spencer Swalm. In this primary election, please vote for Spencer Swalm.

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