Local political leaders on the Western Slope are voicing concerns after reports have surfaced of a left-leaning political group paying tens of thousands of dollars to boost the profile of a Republican in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District who denies the outcome of the 2020 election.

The group, Rocky Mountain Values, is a Democratic Super PAC that has previously attempted to block other Republican candidates in the state, including U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert. The political organization is referred to as a dark-money group because it doesn’t have to disclose its donors.

According to a report from The Colorado Sun, the group has spent at least $134,000 to air television ads boosting former State Rep. Ron Hanks’ profile and attacking one of his biggest opponents, Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd. The group appears to believe that Hanks will be easier for former Aspen city councilman Adam Frisch, the presumed Democratic candidate, to defeat in November. 

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Hanks is known for his hardline conservative values on issues like abortion and immigration. He attended the rally that later turned into a riot on Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol and has falsely claimed that Donald Trump won the 2020 election. The ads also criticize Hurd, who hasn’t said if he voted for former president Trump in 2016 or 2020. The 3rd congressional district has strongly voted in favor of Trump in the past two elections.

Local leaders of both Republican and Democratic parties have denounced the interference. 

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“Tampering in another party’s primary brings the risk of unintended consequences,” said Betty Wallach, the chair of the Democratic Party of Pitkin County. “(It) seldom, if ever, works. And would make us seem devious, which is a good way to make people lose faith in us.”

Gregg Rippy, the chair of the Garfield County Republicans, said he’s “tired of the trickery,” and he hopes voters can see through it.

“I think that’s totally inappropriate, but we have seen that happen in the past,” he said. “There’s nothing illegal about it.”

Jon Kelly, the chair of the Pitkin County Republicans, called the strategy a “deeply cynical ploy” but that it makes sense that Democrats would want to boost one candidate over another.

“It kind of speaks to the idea that the Democrats don’t really believe the rhetoric that these folks are dangerous or extreme or anything like that,” he said. “Because if you did, you wouldn’t take a chance at putting them in positions of authority.”

Debbie Bruell, the chair of the Garfield County Democrats, said her chapter doesn’t use strategies like that. 

“We are just straightforward about ‘These are the Democratic candidates we support, and this is why,'” she said. “And we don’t get involved in Republican politics.”

When Democratic voters told Bruell’s organization that they were thinking about changing their affiliation to vote in the Republican primary in 2022 to interfere with that process, she said she discouraged that behavior to avoid “playing the system.”

Colorado’s primary election is June 25.

Elliott Wenzler is the Western Slope politics reporter for the Craig Press and its sister publications in Glenwood Springs, Vail, Steamboat Springs, Craig, Summit County and Grand County. Reach her at ewenzler@swiftcom.com.