Craig Sullivan

Craig Sullivan was born in Stockton, California. He graduated from Thornton High School. He attended Metropolitan State College.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a retired air traffic controller, with over 22 years in the tower at Denver International Airport in an FAA controller career of over 31 years. I have lived in or near the HD34 environs for over 42 years of my life.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The costs of living and housing. The Democrats in charge of Colorado don't care about the effects of increased taxes, fees, and regulation. Your costs for everything, including food, fuel, and insurance, have gone up because of careless Democrat policies. The incumbent in this race has marched in lock-step with the most radical of her colleagues, and we're all paying the price. The beneficiaries of these one-party rule policies are small special interest groups, and the people in charge don't care one little bit about your needs or wants.Crime. It's on the rise everywhere in Colorado because of Democrat soft-on-crime policies. Our great police officers must be constantly on guard to ensure that they don't violate a criminal's 'rights'. The lives of these officers are on the line every day. And if they dare perform any enforcement action, they might be subject to a frivolous lawsuit made possible by pro-criminal laws on the books. Meanwhile, our district incumbent and her radical legislative colleagues are working hard to ensure that responsible, law-abiding gun owners are demonized because of what criminals do with their weapons.Immigration. Colorado's sanctuary state status is short-sighted and unsustainable. Nobody planned that thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants would actually pour into our state after other states put up legal roadblocks. We simply don't have the resources to handle the influx without significantly cutting vital services to Colorado taxpayers. Denver has already begun cutting its budget to divert funds to the growing, needy immigrant population. Crime, disease, and pollution are exploding in and around migrant communities. Homelessness is up significantly when they spread out with nowhere to go. Millions of your tax dollars are being diverted to expenses you never asked for.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Improving the business climate in Colorado. Businesses provide our goods, services, employment, and a significant portion of our tax base. But Colorado has lost thousands of businesses in the last few years because of restrictive regulation that has driven many employers out of business or to relocate. Many adjacent states are benefiting handsomely from Colorado leadership's lack of foresight.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Among political figures, I look up to Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. His leadership has been greatly beneficial for his state.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

That person must absolutely put the greater good first.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Any passed legislation must be constitutional, necessary, and paid for. Budgetary and regulatory considerations must never be made solely for the purpose of creating winners and losers. The district should feel confident in my commitment and ability to deliberate and legislate conscientiously.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to be the kind of legislator who leads the residents of the district to trust principled, selfless, conservative leadership after my time is over.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When I turned 16, I got a job as a dishwasher and eventually busboy at a diner. I only worked it for a few months because of a busy spring schedule at school.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Conversations need to be happening, and the governor should be willing to listen to the other party whether or not it is in the legislative majority. And each side should be willing to stand up when the other is violating constitutional freedoms, sound fiscal policy, or reckless and unnecessary legislation.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Water and energy issues, and creating a regionally competitive business climate.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

On the face of it, yes. But it must be approached with caution in order to prevent violating core values.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

I remember how important it was to the nation when President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974. Even at age 11, I understood how important the event was.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Craig Sullivan is a retired air traffic controller, with over 22 years in the tower at Denver International Airport in a career spanning over 31 years. Craig has lived in and near the HD34 environs for over 42 years.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The costs of living and housing. The Democrats in charge of Colorado don't care about the effects of increased taxes, fees and regulation. Your costs for everything, including food, fuel, and insurance, have gone up because of careless Democrat policies. The incumbent in this race has marched in lock-step with the most radical of her colleagues, and you are paying the price. The beneficiaries of these Democrat policies are tiny special interest groups, and these people don't care one little bit about your well-being.Crime. It's on the rise everywhere in Colorado because of Democrat soft-on-crime policies. Our fantastic police officers must be constantly on-guard to ensure that they don't violate a criminal's 'rights'. Their lives are on the line every day. And if they dare perform any enforcement action, they might be subject to a frivolous lawsuit made possible by pro-criminal laws on the books. Meanwhile, the incumbent Democrat and her radical state house colleagues are working hard to ensure that responsible, law-abiding gun owners are demonized because of what criminals do with their weapons.Immigration. This issue has significant impact on my first two! Colorado's sanctuary state status was short-sighted and is unsustainable. Nobody planned that thousands upon thousands of illegal immigrants would actually pour into our state, but here we are. We simply don't have the resources to handle the influx without significantly cutting vital services to Colorado taxpayers. Denver has already begun cutting its budget to divert funds to the growing, needy immigrant population. Crime, disease and pollution are exploding in and around migrant communities. Homelessness is up significantly when they spread out with nowhere to go. Millions of your tax dollars are being diverted to expenses you never asked for.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The response to radical environmentalism. When enacted, environmental laws should have practical, attainable means to an end, as opposed to unilaterally mandating that certain goals absolutely MUST be met by a particular date in the not-too-distant future. Essentially, we should not be in such a rush to eliminate the use of oil, gas or coal - as a nation, the U.S. has proven that we can and do produce and consume such products more cleanly than any other nation. Battery technology quite likely is the future, but people don't realize (and the extremists won't tell you) that spent batteries are loaded with toxic chemicals that cannot be recycled. Excessive reliance on current battery technology will create an environmental crisis.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Among current political figures, I look up to Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana. Kennedy in particular intrigues me. He's a man of great intelligence and principle. He is particularly relentless in his examination of judicial nominees.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I read and study the Holy Bible. I always say I consider the Bible to be a mirror, not a hammer; something to apply to myself first instead of using it as a weapon 'against' others.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

That person must absolutely put the greater good first.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have always strived to be as upright of an individual as I possibly can be. The taxpayers can trust me to choose principle over party. I enjoy the process of educating myself about the issues that are before me, which I believe would make me a good committee member as well as a good legislator.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Any passed legislation must be constitutional, necessary, and paid for. Ensure that amended or overturned prior legislation fails to meet at least one of those criteria. Budgetary or regulatory considerations must never be for the purpose of solely creating winners and losers. The taxpayers should feel confident in my commitment and ability to deliberate and legislate conscientiously.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Many of the neighborhoods in House District 34 have reflexively voted Democrat for years. When the time comes to leave office, I hope to have convinced them to examine what is going on in their neighborhoods and their entire state, and to vote accordingly going forward.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember Richard Nixon's resignation when I was 11. Even then, I knew that it was a profound event.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a dishwasher at a diner. I got hired right after I turned 16 and only kept it through the holidays because of spring high school activities.

What is your favorite book? Why?

(Apart from the Bible) The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. The first and best spy thriller I ever read, filled with glimpses into the inner workings of D.C. I always appreciated the 'true' Clancy novels instead of the newer books that have his name but do not contain his writing.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Captain America! While, like the fictional Steve Rogers, I would need significant genetic modification to achieve the physical side, I have always liked the fact that Steve had an altruistic side that constantly put others first.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Not what it is now! At present, the governor and Democrat-run legislature march hand-in-hand, regardless of the needs or wants of the citizens of Colorado. Ideally each should be a check on the other and be compelled to negotiate in order to get controversial legislation passed. We need more Republicans in the legislature to stop or overturn recent Democrat overreach.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Our current Democrat leadership in the governor's office and state legislature seem to be laser-focused on destroying the state's economy via short-sighted regulation and legislation. Of special note are their repeated, and frequently successful, targeting of the oil/gas/natural resources industry, farming and ranching, excessive taxation which includes their hoped-for repeal of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and onerous, job-killing legislation affecting employers and businesses.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Somewhat on the procedural side, but ultimately it ought to be seen as beneficial for normal citizens to bring their life experience and common sense to the table.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Most definitely, yes! I would like to have a friendly relationship with every legislator on either side of the aisle, mostly because that's the type of person I am, but it also would have the benefit of creating a ground floor of trust to build upon for higher levels of communication and cooperation.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Former Colorado legislator and U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong, may he rest in peace. A man of great Christian faith who worked from that sincere mindset to build relationships and a solid record of legislative accomplishment and integrity.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No. I'll be 62 when the legislative session starts, and my goals are simply to bring common sense values to the Colorado State House of Representatives.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have spoken to numerous individuals about the impact fentanyl has had on their loved ones. In particular, one couple with young children spoke of losing a very close and dear friend recently to an accidental fentanyl overdose, and they appreciated my commitment to addressing that problem in the legislature.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Not a joke per se, a quip - "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you."

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

That's somewhat of a broad question in that there may be extreme and urgent emergencies that prevent immediate oversight, but in general I'd say yes, it is within their scope of responsible authority. Ideally, the legislature would be able to anticipate circumstances around which they could create a framework of action for the governor and his administration, but any of that would need to be collaborative in its creation.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

I don't want to pin myself down to anything specific. I am researching fentanyl-related issues at this time and I can see myself collaborating with other legislators as well as law enforcement officials and the federal government on legislation addressing that growing crisis.

What committees interest you?

These can be found at https://leg.colorado.gov/content/committees. I am most interested in serving on Energy and Environment, and Transportation, Housing and Local Government. I can also see myself serving on Judiciary, Appropriations, and/or Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources. Ultimately though, I will not shirk any committee assignment in-session. I am also willing, available and eager to serve on year-round or intermittent committees. Every one of the year-round committees address areas of interest to me. Of the intermittent committees, I'm drawn to the Artificial Intelligence Impact Task Force, Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force, Transportation Legislation Review Committee, Wildfire Matters Review Committee, and Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy & Task Force.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

As previously mentioned, budgetary and regulatory legislation must never be for the sole purpose of creating winners and losers. There should be a demonstrable benefit or need to the citizens of the state of Colorado when crafting legislation. I believe in sunshine rules and will always strive to be in compliance with the law.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

I've heard from a lot of voters that the size of our ballots is ridiculous, the initiatives are often very confusing or poorly worded, and Colorado's 'Blue Book' (mailed to each household prior to ballots going out) is overly left-leaning in its evaluations. But I don't plan to make it a legislative priority of mine to change that system. We have too many other issues to address.