From Congressman Doug Lamborn: 

Dear friends and supporters,

    I have long been a strong supporter of the delegate and assembly process in Colorado.  Besides voting to protect it in the Colorado legislature, I relied on it myself in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, and 2006.  In the first four cases I received top line on the ballot and in the last was a close second.  In all cases I was the winner in the following election.

     In this election I have decided to utilize the alternate approach to be placed on the ballot.  The quality required for the important process of electing a Congressman to represent us in Washington, D.C. has been lacking, primarily in El Paso County, this most populated county, in the Fifth Congressional District.

    I am not placing blame or casting aspersions on anyone's motives.  In fact, some of the problems arose from the positive fact that six times the normal amount of Republicans showed up for the caucuses in February.  This overwhelmed the ability of the county party to adequately monitor and track delegate information, our own count showed me leading with those delegates we have been able to contact.

    Nevertheless, I have lost confidence that the various problems can be satisfactorily resolved by the date of the assembly and that the process in place is of the quality required for a Congressional election.  Many of my supporters have expressed this same concern.  While I am very willing to discuss these issues with those in responsibility so as to make improvements over the long term, I do not believe it would be constructive to air these concerns in the media.

    My decision to petition unto the ballot is strengthened by another unrelated fact.  House leadership has given no time in our schedule for all of April or May to be working in the District during the week, except for Memorial Day week.  This voting schedule in Washington makes it difficult to give the more than 600 delegates, plus an equal number of alternates, the personal time each deserves.  Mailings and phone calls are helpful, but the one-on-one meetings that are the best, and that 1,200 delegates and alternates should have, are not easy to arrange during the remaining weekends.

    Anyone with questions or concerns is welcome as always to contact me or my campaign.  I look forward to using the delegate and assembly process in the future after this unique election is over.  I also look forward to continuing to represent the people of the Fifth Congressional District with conservative leadership and Republican values.  Thank you.

Yours truly,

Congressman Doug Lamborn