ALAMOSA — With just two weeks left before the election and early voting already in progress, Adam Frisch, Western Slope businessman and candidate for Colorado’s Third Congressional District (CD3), was at Milagro’s in Alamosa Friday morning for a meet-and-greet with local voters. 

Frisch estimates that, during this campaign cycle, Friday was “about the 25th time,” he has come to Alamosa on top of another 15 trips to the San Luis Valley. Add in the first time he ran for the seat in CD3 in the 2022 election, that number is half again as much with more than 72,000 miles spent on the road. 

He’s done visits with farmers who have taken him on tours of their operations, walked in parades, gone to community bar-b-ques and met with veteran groups. He’s walked the Veteran Memorial Boulevard in La Jara, the half mile stretch of road marked with wreaths honoring those who served their country.  

“I spent the night in a motel in Antonito,” he says, smiling. “I don’t think many candidates can say that.” 

Frisch maintains the only way a Democrat can win in a historically Republican district that gives Republicans a 7-point advantage is to go out and talk with voters, wherever they are, regardless if they’re Republicans, Democrats or Unaffiliated.   

In 2022, that strategy got him - a political newcomer with no name recognition and a state party that didn’t think he could win – within 556 votes of beating Rep. Lauren Boebert, a far right firebrand known around the country for her controversial statements. 

“If I’d had a little bit more money and another week, I think I would have won,”  he says. This time, he’s not going to repeat that situation. He’s been campaigning non-stop since the beginning of 2023 and has raised $17 million with an average donation to his campaign of $26.50.   

He also says he has spent more than 120 days in Pueblo, the largest population center in the district. On Monday, Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham endorsed Frisch in the race. 

Friday’s crowd in Alamosa was larger than usual, and Frisch started off with his take on the district.  

“CD3 party affiliation is 45 Republican, 22 Democratic and 35 Independent,” he said. “But 80% of voters agree on 80% of the issues. This district needs Democrats and Independents to show up and push back on the rhetoric that’s coming out of the Republican Party.’ Acknowledging that the race is “very close”, he said winning comes down to the margin of effort.  

Frisch went on to touch on the issues of most concern to voters.  

He pledged, as he has before, to stand up for rural water. 

On the topic of economics, he spoke of the importance in supporting agriculture as “farmers and ranchers are working harder and harder”.  

Access to health care, especially in rural communities, is a priority. 

More money needs to be devoted to child care and school districts. And “lots of economic development is needed in southern Colorado.” 

Frisch says the border conversation and the immigration conversation are not connected. Human trafficking is now being run by the cartels, which took “a huge economic business model to make it happen and it must be stopped.”  

Citing a recent trip to McAllen, Texas – a hot spot in illegal crossings – Frisch brought up President Reagan’s Immigration and Reform Act of 1986. “We can have a secure border and also be humane.” 

He further reminded voters that Mexico has surpassed China as the country’s number one trading partner and emphasized that cartels must be stopped. 

On the topic of reproductive rights, Frisch reiterated his stand on the issue. “At no time throughout a pregnancy will a politician make a better choice than a woman. This is about people making their own decisions.” 

When asked about energy, Frisch advocates for energy development in Colorado because “it’s cleaner than energy developed elsewhere” and also acknowledges “we’re in a climate crisis, and there are lots of opportunities in solar and wind power.” But transmission lines are needed. “The country needs 250,000 miles of transmission lines. Last year, 250 miles were approved.”  

 AI and data centers will outstrip our capacity, he said, “and nuclear must be part of the conversation to de-carbon. But communities must be empowered to decide for themselves.” 

Frisch, who spoke with voters for close to an hour, only briefly mentioned his opponent, Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd, in his comments. 

“Jeff Hurd has skipped twelve to fifteen opportunities to debate, passing on all but two of them. I’m the only candidate not taking corporate PAC money. This is a race of hard work and independence versus someone who’s waving a red flag and being supported by Speaker Mike Johnson, Jim Jordan and the Koch brothers.”