Four years ago, we endorsed Ray Scott for the state Senate seat he currently occupies in the hope that his legislative experience in the House had taught him the importance of reaching across the aisle and putting the Western Slope ahead of his party’s agenda.

Instead Scott became more ensconced as a party loyalist, ascending to a leadership position among Senate Republicans as he continued to advance a narrow agenda of supporting fossil fuel development and voting conservatively to appease his base.

That’s why we supported his GOP primary opponent, Dan Thurlow, who had made a name for himself as an independent thinker in the House and promised to represent all of Mesa County. Scott’s lopsided win only reinforced the idea that he doesn’t have to change a thing to hold on to the office.

Read more at The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.