Challenger from right will seek Bruce’s seat

A politically connected conservative and former employee of Focus on the Family has set up a Web page announcing she’ll seek the District 2 commissioner seat held by fellow Republican Douglas Bruce.

Amy Lathen’s decision — coming a full year before the GOP caucuses and 20 months before the general election — could set up a primary challenge against a man well-known in El Paso county for his antitax crusades and his ability to flummox opponents.

Lathen, 39, said that she will formally announce her candidacy in June, but that she already has filed paperwork with the El Paso County clerk and recorder that allows her to seek campaign donations.

Lathen is a member of the El Paso County GOP executive committee, ran John Newsome’s successful campaign for district attorney in 2004 and played a role in the campaigns of former Gov. Bill Owens and President Bush.

She said she has started her campaign early because she wants the ability to accept donations, wanted to satisfy the urgings of “excited” supporters and wants to be ready in case the Republican caucuses are moved to early February.

Her Web site includes endorsements from northern El Paso County legislators, former County Commissioner Duncan Bremer and current Commissioner Jim Bensberg. She acknowledged her run could be seen as indirect criticism of Bruce, but she denied that’s the case.

“My decision to run for this has absolutely nothing to do with Doug,” she said. “It really doesn’t. Nobody knows if he’s going to run again.”

That’s news to Bruce.

The famously pugnacious Bruce said Monday that he told Lathen and the Republican central committee in February that it would be a mistake to assume he wouldn’t run for a second term.

Bruce said it will be up to Lathen to prove that her track record can match his. He said he holds no animosity toward Lathen but that he isn’t afraid of going one-on-one with her in a battle of conservative values.

Bruce said he showed Lathen around the commissioners’ office a few months ago and then took her to lunch, where he asked her why she was considering running.

“I asked her that two or three times,” Bruce said. “It was a softball question. She couldn’t give me an answer.”

Lathen’s Web site espouses her conservative views — no amnesty for illegal immigrants, no abortion and no gun control, for example. She said she offered those so voters could get an idea of who she is, but doesn’t expect those stances would have much relevance to the dayto-day governance of county government.

Lathen identified two local issues she’ll address in her campaign: water and efficient government.

She said requiring developers to supply reliable water service to fast-growing eastern El Paso County will be a priority.

“I think we need to be smart,” she said. “I don’t want to put a bunch of development where no water is available. . . . I intend to look at the long-term aspect of making sure we have water sufficiency.”

She believes in limited government that spends tax dollars in an efficient, transparent, fiscally responsible way. She said she supports voters’ right to decide whether taxes should be increased to support more government services.

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0197 or bill.mckeown@gazette.com

TO LEARN MORE

For more about Amy Lathen and her campaign, visit www.amylathenforcountycommissioner.com. For more about Douglas Bruce, visit www.douglasbruce.com.