If we're going to be able to pull Colorado back from the brink of single party rule, we've got to get some common sense Republicans elected. And joining me now is Sam Bandamre. He wants to be your representative from the nineteenth district in the Colorado Senate.
Sam, Welcome to the show.
Well, thank you, Mandy, good to be with you today.
Well, I want to start the interview by addressing your very well known last name Vandmere has a long reputation here. What is your connection, if any, to the Speedway.
Well, yeah, I'm a first cousin to Johnny. His dad and my dad were brother so we're first cousins and it's all family. What can I say?
Excellent? Excellent.
Now, the nineteenth Senate district that covers a big old chunk of Jefferson County. Is it all in Jefferson County? I can't quite figure out if it's all in Jefferson County.
It looks like it though, Yes it is. That basically covers all of our bad about half a Westminster and all of Leiden or Leyden. However you want to.
From Oset All right, what made you want to run for the state Senate at this point in your life.
Well, you know, as a native Colorado, I grew up when the American dream was alive, and so it's my desire and purpose to return those values for our future generations here in Colorado. So you know, I enlisted in the Navy when I was seventeen, did two tours in Vietnam. So I am proud to say I'm a veteran and looking out for our veterans as one of my goals. I've started three companies over my career and established another
ten around the world. So I'm running to restore physical responsibility and limited the government to Colorado, and specifically, some of my priorities are to I want to repeal that Colorado bag law. And you know that a lot of people say, well, that's you know, there's bigger fish to fride than that, but it's really symbolic of really what I want to accomplish, and that's to eliminate these state taxes that are masquerading as fees. And then of course
I want to reduce and control property taxes. I want to declare Colorado a non sanctuary state, and then these sanctuary cities in Colorado. So I want to repeal these laws that are blocking state agencies to cooperate with ICE and detain and deport these criminal illegal immigrants. I want to encourage the development and adoption of a net zero energy program that will reduce our common emissions and current loads on our electrical grid. My home is in that zero,
so we know how to do that. I want to repeal the laws and regulations that are hindering the development of Colorado's match and natural gas and oil production. So, you know, got a lot to accomplish, and as of right now, my opponent does not support any of these and has actively voted to block most of them as a member of the State House. So yeah, I've got great aspirations. It's going to be fun, but a serious one.
I've thought, well, and here's the thing.
All of the things that you just talked about, preserving TABOR, lowering taxes and making fees subject to TABOR again, all.
Of this stuff.
This is the Colorado that I moved into ten years ago. And I tell people all the time the changes that have occurred, especially since twenty nineteen, when well twenty thirteen really when Democrats really took hold of Colorado, have been significant, and they've been the kind of changes that are foundationally changing, right, like the attacks on Tabor, which are are not going
to stop. So when people in your district, when you are going and knocking doors and you're talking to people, what are the number one issues that people talk about, Sam.
Well, obviously the first one, and I've knocked on a lot of doors, including all the businesses in downtown are Vada and so forth. The economy, without a doubt, is number one. You know these You know, one of the things I try to explain to people when it comes to inflation at the state level, our hands are kind of tied because that's really a federal issue. They keep printing all this money. You know, we can't print money as a state, so we've got to balance our budget
with what we have. But I do believe that we can make Colorado's economy strong enough to overcome a lot of these issues and give our people a strong economy to work with here in Colorado.
Well, Sam, I'm glad you're running. Republicans are so hopelessly out outnumbered in the House and the Senate.
That we've got to get some good people.
Back in the in the House in the Senate to sort of bring some balance. Back to Colorado, how do you if you find yourself in the house where you are part of a small much smaller minority, how do you get things done when you are in the minority.
What's your plan?
Well, my her plan is through collaboration. And of course there's nothing wrong with collaborator collaboration, but collaboration that produces a bad result is worse than no collaboration at all. Right, Uh So yeah, I intend to work with those across the aisle. Uh. I think there's a lot of things that we agree on, but a lot of things we disagree on, and some of them we have to agree to disagree. But uh, it's a matter who has the
most votes at the bottom line. Right, So we're gonna we're gonna work with that, and and we've got to, you know, try to get an economy that supports our small businesses and which is really the backbone of our economy and and nearly half of our citizens. So, uh, getting our economy up and going. And one of the way ways I want to kick start that is through
our oil and gas and streets. I think if we can get you know, the regulations top of them, get them going, and then Obviously, I do have a net zero energy program that long term, well well work into that, but we need to kickstart right now, and I believe the oil and gas industry is the way to do that.
I agree, But I think as long as Jared Poulis's governor, he hates the oil.
And gas industry.
I really say, when they when they fracked across from his vacation home, that was too much for him and he and he just has decided oil and gas must die in the state. So I admire you for going to back for oil and gas, and I hope the voters take that into consideration.
Sam.
Why should people vote for Sam VanderMeer in House District number nineteen Senate District number nineteen.
Well, obviously, I'm I really have two things that I'm working on. One is saving you money by lowering your taxes, and the other is keeping you safe by getting tough on crime. And so those are the two things that I really want to focus on. But the third one of it, of course, is is the net zero energy program, where we're going to be able to save you save seventy five percent of our eliminate seventy five percent of our carbon output. Uh, and those are real numbers. I mean,
we're out here doing it. It's it's they're they're you know, my home to net zero. We've got all the numbers to work with. So, you know, for those that are kind of on the left and concerned about our environment, we've got the answers for that. So uh, you know, between between the environment, between taxes and all these issues that we're facing. That by the way, the Democrats own all of these issues that we're at. They've been in power for the last twelve years, so they on it.
And all we got to do is just ask the the voter public out there. You know, if you like what's the way things are, vote, you know, vote my opponent. But uh, but if you want to see a real change, give us Republicans a chance.
Sam Bandomir, yep, Sam Bandamir. You can find his website Sam for Colorado dot Com. I linked it on my blog, but it's pretty easy to remember Sam for Colorado dot Com.
Sam, best of luck to you. I just got a text that said, please tell Sam good luck.
I will encourage all my friends on social media in his district to vote for him.
So you got one, all right, all right?
Sam, thank you, thank you.
I appreciate your time today.
Okay, all right, that's.
Sam Vandimir for the nineteenth Senate District here in Colorado.
Give him a look. Sam for colorado dot Com.