Tensions grow in the Colorado Republican Party as multiple counties ask for chairman to resign
EL PASO CO., Colo (KRDO) - Tonight, multiple county GOP Republican parties are calling on State Republican Party GOP Chairman Dave Williams to resign after he asked voters to burn pride flags and made other anti-gay statements. Now, Jefferson County Republicans say they have secured the needed votes from the State Central Committee (SCC) to call a special meeting. In that meeting, if 60% of the SCC votes to have Dave Williams resign, he must do so.
According to Jefferson County Republicans, they are confident that they will reach the needed votes. Republican Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams echoed the call today, signing a letter with other Republican officials in the county, all urging Dave Williams to resign.
He said the turning point for him was when the GOP asked Republicans to burn flags this Pride month over an X post.
"Obviously, he didn't mean flags that they owned. He meant trespass," Williams of Teller County said. "Go on to private property, pull down a pride flag and burn it ... that really hit a nerve with us because we want order up here."
Dan Williams also said that members of the LGBTQ+ community were welcome in Teller County and that though he was a member of the Republican party, he disagreed with the statements the GOP chair made about the people group.
"I don't consider him to be my chairman. I don't consider him to be a person who is worthy of leadership," Dan Williams said.
As of Sunday evening, the following counties support this call: Mesa, Garfield, Delta, La Plata, Pueblo, Otero, Huerfano, Las Animas, Eagle, Teller, La Plata and Elbert.
However, one county not on the list is El Paso County, which happens to be where Dave Williams is running for a seat to represent the people of the fifth district in the United States Congress.
"We're not going to always agree on everything that's put out or said or even thought by another leader. But coming from experience, this has happened to me here in El Paso County repeatedly. The solution is not to kick someone out of a position just because you don't agree with what they say," Vickie Tonkins, the El Paso County Republican GOP chair said.
She went on to ask for open communication in the party and challenged other leaders within the party to communicate with each other. She also echoed Dave William's sentiments about Pride month, pointing to concerns with children participating in any way.
"We are hurting our children. And a part of this platform is to protect children," Tonkins said. "And so that's where I think people are missing. They're looking on the appearance of something and not looking at the substance of what he was trying to present. I know what that substance is because I see it almost daily."
To our request for a statement or an interview, Dave Williams replied with this statement:
"If they have verified petitions then we look forward to the special meeting discussion over their defense of pride month and its harmful agenda against children while notifying their constituents of their publicly aligned pride position."
- Republican GOP Dave Williams
He also sent a link to letters sent to his constituents, which can be read here.
