Scott Bottoms Targets Western Slope Voters in Governor Bid

The gravel crunches under tires on Highway 6, just west of Craig, where the wind off the Uncompahgre Plateau carries the scent of sage and diesel. It’s a long drive to the rest of the state, and for years, that distance has felt less like geography and more like a political border. Scott Bottoms wants to bridge it.

Bottoms, the current State Representative for House District 15 and lead pastor of the Church at Briargate in Colorado Springs, is running for governor. His pitch to folks around here isn’t just about policy; it’s about fixing a state that has, in his view, lost its way under decades of one-party rule.

"Colorado is at a crossroads," Bottoms says. "Decades of one-party rule have brought reckless spending, failing schools, rising crime, unaffordable energy and housing, and government overreach that erodes our freedoms."

He’s not mincing words. He argues that the current administration’s policies have left rural and urban Coloradans alike struggling with skyrocketing costs and soft-on-crime measures that he believes have fueled chaos. As a U.S. Navy veteran and a legislator who has served for over 30 years through ministry and public office, Bottoms says he’s ready to deliver "bold, practical solutions rooted in transparency, accountability and limited government."

The question for Western Slope voters is whether Bottoms’ vision of "fiscal sanity" translates to the specific pain points of the valley. He points to property taxes and energy costs as primary drivers of the cost-of-living crisis that ranks Colorado among the worst in the nation for overall expenses.

"This isn’t rhetoric; it’s stewardship of your hard-earned money," Bottoms says of his plan to slash property taxes and cut unnecessary regulations.

His proposal includes a "Colorado D.O.G.E." — Department of Government Efficiency — paired with an Open Ledger Act. The idea is real-time, public dashboards showing every tax dollar spent. No more accounting gimmicks. Bottoms wants to audit agencies, sunset ineffective programs, and eliminate taxpayer-funded lobbying.

For a community that has watched its infrastructure budgets tighten and its energy bills fluctuate, the promise of transparency is a hard sell if the details don’t hold up. But Bottoms is betting that locals are tired of backroom deals.

"Coloradans deserve better than skyrocketing costs, soft-on-crime policies and bureaucrats who prioritize ideology over results," he says. "Homelessness is up, families are struggling and too many feel their government no longer listens."

Education is another pillar of his platform, and it’s one that resonates with parents across the state who feel disconnected from the state capital’s decisions. Bottoms wants to expand school choice, including vouchers and charter options, and codify parental authority over education, healthcare, and moral upbringing. He wants to reject "politicized content" and return control to local school boards.

Data supports this approach, Bottoms argues, pointing to his legislative record protecting minors and promoting school choice. "Parents, not the state, know what’s best for their children."

He’s also focused on public safety, promising to repeal soft-on-crime policies and restore meaningful sentencing for violent offenders and drug traffickers. A new task force would target the drug crisis and cartel activity through coordinated federal, state, and local action. Mental health services would be bolstered, though the specifics of how that funding flows to rural counties remain part of the broader promise.

The current representative says he’s running because he believes Colorado’s current trajectory is unsustainable. He sees a state where property taxes are too high, crime is rising, and energy is unaffordable. He wants to fix it by cutting waste, empowering parents, and enforcing the law.

"It’s time to reclaim Colorado for all Coloradans, rural and urban, working families, small business owners and future generations," Bottoms says.

Whether that reclamation includes the specific needs of the Western Slope; from the energy sector to the agricultural communities - will depend on how his "Department of Government Efficiency" actually functions when the ink dries on the election. For now, Bottoms is confident that his vision aligns with the values of the people who live here.

"We must reject politicized content," he says. "We must prioritize basics like reading, math and workforce skills."

It’s a simple message. It’s a big promise. And for the folks driving that long stretch of Highway 6, it’s one they’re listening to.