Democrat party chair in Pueblo uses Republican candidate’s campaign sign for target practice
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The newly appointed head of the democrat party in Pueblo is under scrutiny for posing with a former Republican candidate sign used for target practice at a local gun range.
The image, shared by Chairwoman of the Colorado GOP Kristi Burton Brown, shows Bri Buentello holding a "Stephen Varela for Senate" campaign sign with bullet holes from an AR-15 on the front of the sign.
"It was a real fear," Varela said. "To see that kind of violence and essentially communicating the threat, there was my sign, there was a target on it. It was shot up."
Varela ran against the current Pueblo Senator for District 3, Democrat Nick Hinrichsen, in the 2022 senate race. Hinrichsen is married to Buentello, the Party Chair in Pueblo.
Varela is now a member of Colorado's Board of Education.
"There could have been any other yard sign, especially on the Democratic headquarters, that they were looking at recycled yard signs," Varela said. "For her to specifically pick mine, pose with the AR-15, hold the yard with the bullseye, it just didn't make sense."
Buentello told 13 Investigates she took and posted the picture and later realized it was "poor taste" and was a "mistake."
She declined to do an interview, but issued a statement saying she took her family out to Dinosaur flats gun range in Cañon City last weekend and used a "variety of recycled yard signs for targets."
She stated she reached out to Varela to apologize for the mistake.
"The damage is already done. The message is already out there. I mean we see so much political violence right now, it's totally unnecessary," Varela said. "If I were to do that, what would have happened to me? There would have been calls for my resignation."
Pueblo DA Jeff Chostner said he's not aware of any law that makes defacing political campaign signs a criminal violation. He said what could be charged is the destruction of personal property.
Varela said he hasn't filed a police report and is still mulling what options he has to take action.
"We should never lack professionalism, and right now, one of the things I would love to see, especially in politics, is more professionalism," Varela said. "I just hope we can all work together at some point for the greater good."
