The Colorado GOP held their biennial State Assembly on April 11, 2026, in the Massari Arena, at the Colorado State University Pueblo campus. The assembly was characterized by slight disarray, grit, and some adversity, yet it most certainly proved that there are many passionate, strong-hearted, and committed Coloradans who were willing to disregard the hardship, stay the entire time, and remain dedicated to the purpose of the assembly. It was, without a doubt, beautiful to see.
Two students from Delta High School, myself, Abraham Hickson, and Teagan Wells, attended the State Assembly with the Delta County GOP. Leslie Parker, the Chairman of the Delta County GOP, facilitated our experience throughout the day of assembly, with the goal of helping us learn, grow, and experience being around the process of voting, debating, motioning, and more.
We arrived in Pueblo on the evening of Friday, April 10, and enjoyed dinner, before stopping at a Scott Bottoms meet and greet later that night. The morning of the assembly, we were surprised to see such extensive lines of people waiting to be let into the building. A short amount of time after we arrived, Parker came and found us, and brought us to where she, as well as the rest of the Delta County group, were located in line. Moments before we entered the building, an event-worker stepped outside and announced to the line of people that no more guests would be allowed in. Safe to say, Parker ensured that Wells and I would have the opportunity to experience the event, as she went and advocated for us to the people who were handing out guest credentials, and the people who were handing out said credentials, were entirely willing to support our experience as well, and made sure that we would be able to witness the assembly.
Wells and I sat in the guest section of the assembly, but were still somewhat close to the Delta County seating section. We were able to get a clear view of the screens, audience, speakers, and in fact- we were seated right next to the area dedicated to ballot counting, which had numerous windows for public viewing.
We were blessed to have the opportunity to speak to many people, who all brought different knowledge and advice to the table. Some of the people Wells and I had the opportunity to meet include: Candidate for Governor, Victor Marx, District 08 Representative, Gabe Evans, State Representative Scott Bottoms, House District 54 Representative, Matt Soper, and many more fantastic individuals who gave us great pieces of advice, told us intriguing stories, and encouraged us to stay consistently involved with politics.
Listening to all of the speeches from the Governor, Senate, Attorney General, and Treasurer candidates, in person, was one of the best parts of the assembly. There were new ideas brought to the table amongst every speech, which led to much discussion between Wells and I, and it most certainly reminded us of competitive debate.
We picked up some important speaking skills, knowledge, and advice from the event, and we believe that it will help us greatly throughout our journey doing Congressional Debate, this summer at the national level, through the National Speech and Debate Association. The similarities between the real motioning process at the State Assembly and the motioning process during competitive Congressional Debate, were very prominent, and it not only appealed to Wells and I, but it taught us a lot as well.
Whilst people in the crowd were complaining about the slow credentialing; the 80 extra votes compared to credentialed delegates, and the overall pace of the event, Wells and I were having an absolute blast learning, talking to anybody we could, and simply watching how candidates carried themselves. At first, both of us were confused as to why there was tension in the first place, although we understood later on why there was, yet nothing took away from the positivity of our experience.
For me personally, I felt as if going to the assembly was one of the best things I could have done to invest in my future. Not only was I able to walk out of the assembly far more educated, but I was truly inspired by what I saw that day. As a young man who hopes to have a future in politics, the people at the assembly could not have been more welcoming as well as helpful, and amongst the adversity that Republicans faced that day, they pushed through anyways, and remained dedicated to the greater cause and purpose of the assembly.
Seeing the hundreds of people waiting in line patiently in the morning; seeing people motion, and vote on motions; seeing the debate between Republicans alike- it showed me what real Coloradan patriotism was. I did not see weakness in the party, rather I saw strength brewing- I did not get disheartened by the pace of the voting process, rather I felt inspired by the dedication, commitment, and unity of people from all walks of life, especially when it came to fighting for a common cause.
Overall, I did not feel discouraged at all, rather, it lit a further spark in me, and showed me that political involvement as an upcoming voter is far easier to achieve than I had previously thought, making it far more valuable amidst the months leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. The future lies in the hands of my generation.
Come November 2026, it is critical that Colorado elects candidates who are advocates, level-headed people, and qualified individuals. We are beyond grateful for everyone who made our journey possible at the Colorado GOP State Assembly of 2026.
