Hopkins files as Republican write-in for District 1 county commissioner seat
Mike Potter
Staff Writer
Bailey resident Christopher Hopkins filed to run as a Republican write-in candidate for Park County Commissioner District 1 on Aug. 21. (Photo by Mike Potter/The Flume)
Bailey resident and business owner Christopher Hopkins has thrown his black hat into the political ring by filing to run as a Republican write-in candidate for county commissioner for District 1.
Hopkins, owner of Mountain Benefits & Tax Services in Bailey, is known to wear a black cowboy hat at political functions.
He turned in the necessary paperwork on Aug. 21 to Park County Clerk and Recorder Debra Green.
Commissioner John Tighe is also running for the seat, as is unaffiliated candidate Lora Abcarian.
Hopkins sees a split Republican party, part of which prompted him to run, he said.
When asked what the biggest issue facing county voters was, he cited the matter of trust, or lack thereof.
"Voters do not trust the county leaders," he said.
He said that point is made clear by county officials failing to gain sufficient support to pass tax increases when they are proposed.
"The people do not trust the [county] to spend it," he said.
If elected, he said, he would begin laying the foundation for residents to regain confidence in county officials.
Hopkins hopes to do this by applying his business knowledge to county issues.
He has worked for three Fortune 500 companies in tax departments, and he has led teams of three to 350 people, he said.
Being a team leader would be an advantage if three new county commissioners were elected, he said.
Partly because of the cancer-related death of former District 3 County Commissioner Doc McKay last spring, all three county commissioner seats are up for election this November.
Alma Mayor Mark Dowaliby is assured the District 3 seat, because no one filed before the deadline to run as a write-in candidate and no other candidates have filed to run for that seat.
In District 2, Republican Dick Hodges, American Constitution Party member Zdenko Novkovic and Democrat Lynda James are running for county commissioner.
Hopkins said the county commissioners will "need a team captain."
And he believes he can be that captain.
"I know what a budget is and how to stay the course," he said. "The county coffers require the ability to know how to lead the team and manage personnel and legal issues."
Hopkins has a number of years of community service as well, he said. He has been a director and committee chair for the Platte Canyon Area Chamber of Commerce, a baseball coach at Platte Canyon High School, and a board member for Platte Canyon Little League.
Republican Central Committee
Susan Pullman, chairwoman of the Park County Republican Central Committee, said it wasn't against the committee's bylaws for Hopkins to file to run as a write-in candidate.
She said the bylaws say that the central committee, of which Hopkins is a member, will support the Republican candidates that win in the primary election.
"As far as write-in candidates, the bylaws don't say anything about it one way or the other," she said.