Colorado Springs Republican activist and campaign operative Sherrie Gibson plans to launch her campaign for vice chairman of the Colorado GOP officially on Thursday night in Pueblo at the county party’s reorganization meeting, her campaign said.

“I will continue to support and develop an unparalleled grassroots effort which encourages activism and inclusion amongst all Republicans throughout the state,” Gibson said in a statement outlining her platform. “Our goal as a party should be to build a ground operation that crushes our opposition and leads us to victory in 2018!”

She’s stressing transparency and accountability in her campaign for the party office. “Colorado Republicans have asked for continued accountability from their party officers,” she said. “I support an ongoing effort to be open and transparent with Republicans. We need to have a data-sharing platform set up and place expenses online in real time.”

Gibson is the only candidate so far for the vice chairman position. The incumbent, Derrick Wilburn, said last week that wouldn’t be seeking a second term or running for the top spot.

Gibson ran unsuccessfully in a primary for the El Paso County Commission seat won last year by former House Minority Leader Mark Waller, who went on to win the general election. A bonus member of the El Paso County GOP Executive Committee, Gibson was chief of staff on Darryl Glenn’s U.S. Senate campaign before his primary win last year and worked with Denver-based political consultant Cheryl Fernandez supporting Republican candidates in the fall election. She sits on the Colorado Springs Planning Commission and is a graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies and the Leadership Institute.

“Sherrie Gibson will make a tremendous vice chairman; conservative, reliable and constructive,” says former state vice chairman Mark Baisley. “Sherrie has my enthusiastic endorsement.”

Colorado Republicans pick officers at a meeting of the state central committee scheduled for April 1. County parties will be holding their own reorganizational meetings throughout February to elect officers and bonus members to the state central committee based on GOP votes in the November election. The party hasn’t yet said where the state meeting will take place.

Gibson is a Navy veteran. She has an undergraduate degree in political science from California State University in San Bernardino and a Master’s in Business Administration from Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

El Paso County-based political consultant Jillian Likness is running Gibson’s campaign for the party post.

Incumbent state GOP Chairman Steve House said last week that he won’t be seeking a second term. Former congressional candidate George Athanasopoulos and El Paso County Chairman Jeff Hays are the two candidates running for chairman. Brandi Meek is the only announced candidate for secretary.

– ernest@coloradostatesman.com