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LIFELONG REPUBLICAN PARTY ACTIVIST
FORMER HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER IN GREELEY
PROUD GRANDMOTHER OF 15
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Betty Ehn, lifelong Republican activist, supports Stan Matsunaka for Congress
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"I believe in what
Stan Matsunaka stands for"
Betty Ehn, a lifelong Republican and former high school teacher in Greeley, has been a frequent volunteer and a Republican Party activist in Weld County for decades. Today, she is the proud grandmother of 15, and still active in campaigns.
She says she supports Stan Matsunaka because she believes in what he stands for. "I have been sending emails to all my friends and telling them to vote for Stan," Betty laughs, adding, "In my emails, I tell them:
'Hell hasn't froze over, and the dam didn't break, but I'm supporting a Democrat!'
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Betty Ehn with her son Fred, left, and grandson Ben
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"Stan tells the truth about his record, and I like that"
"As a Republican who has actively been involved in many Republican campaigns over the years," Betty explained, " I wasn't about to support Stan Matsunaka until I knew more about him. So I did a lot of research on his voting record, and looked up information about what he said and compared it to what he actually did."
"I liked what I saw. Stan really did vote the way he said he did. What's more, I was surprised to find out that some of the things that Musgrave says about him are flat-out not true. For example, she said he voted against a Water Storage Bill, but it turns out that she and Matsunaka both voted exactly the same way about the bill in question."
"Sometimes I wish there were a way that voters could at least know whether some of these claims are true or not. I don't think it's right when candidates go out there
and deliberately say things that they know aren't true at all."
"Musgrave does not represent moderate Republicans like me"
"I feel that Marilyn Musgrave does not represent my concerns for government," states Betty. "My concern is for the people—all the people—not just a few. That's the Republican Party that I know and that I've served for so many years."
Betty continued, "Musgrave's agenda on social issues overrides good thinking and common sense. Our district has real problems and she's not addressing them. She says she's going to vote a 100% Republican platform all the way. That doesn't make sense. No candidate should do that. If they do, they're not representing their district. The Party platform is not going to solve our water problems. We need strong representation to do that, not just someone who takes orders from Washington."
Water and the economy are the key issues
"Even though I'm a former teacher, and education is important to me,
I think the primary issue in this district is water, and alongside that, the economy. Colorado is in a bad shape economically; we have been hit hard."
"We need to get a water storage solution underway. This is essential. The eastern part of the state is just drying up and blowing away. I lived through the times of the Dust Bowl and the drought that went with it, and I know how the people in Eastern Colorado are suffering. I know that this is a problem that we need to deal with right away."
"For the economy, we need to create more jobs that allow people to stay in their rural communities. I have several neighbors who have been laid off and simply can't find work. We can't have an economy where all the young people have to go to Denver to find work."
Betty Ehn reflects on the role of local activists, then and now
Betty Ehn has worked as a campaign manager on many Republican campaigns. As a seasoned veteran, she has seen first-hand how political campaigns in the Fourth District have changed over the years:
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Betty Ehn likes to get together with other members of the Scottish clan from which she is descended. This summer, she and 17 clan cousins are planning a trip to revisit their ancestral lands in Scotland.
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"I remember when political campaigns were run differently here in Colorado. Used to be, candidates would go door-to-door all day long, just meeting with people face-to-face. You don't see much of that any more."
"Years ago, if you supported a candidate, you'd get your neighbors and friends together to make yard signs. You'd all bring food to keep you going, and there you'd be, working late into the
night eating baked beans and casseroles and stapling those yard signs."
"Nowadays, you just go to some fancy website and order the yard signs online. They arrive already made up, so people don't get together to work on them at campaign headquarters. Things have changed, and besides, most people say they don't have time to do that kind of thing any more."
"However, I think it's important for people to stay involved. Perhaps now more than ever, because we are in hard times right now and we need strong leadership. People need to become knowledgeable about what their candidates stand for. It's not hard to do. You can even do your research right on the Internet."
"Campaigns used to be more community-based. Now there is too much influence from big money outside the district.
That doesn't help our district get representation for its own people. I think it's just ridiculous when a candidate spends a million dollars running for a seat here in the Fourth District. That money could sure be put to better use."
"It's going to be a close election. I hope people will take this election seriously enough to find out what the candidates stand for, and who they represent. And then I hope they'll get out and vote."
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