I doubt Colorado Politics columnist and former state GOP Chair Dick Wadhams and I have ever agreed on anything that involves partisan politics, but I have thoroughly enjoyed his reporting on current Colorado Republican Chair “Comrade Dave” Williams’s successful efforts to turn Colorado into the darkest shade of blue possible.

It appears, however, that incompetence, divisiveness and demonization are not attributes to which the Republican Party can claim exclusive ownership. It appears Bri Buentello, the chairperson of the Pueblo County Democratic Party, attended the same seminar as Comrade Dave in how to disenfranchise loyal party supporters.

Readers should be certain to scrutinize my comments as my relationship with Buentello is as disparate as can possibly be. It traces back to her defeat for reelection by Stephanie Luck for the District 47 seat in the House of Representatives in 2020.

I ran for and was elected to the Pueblo District 60 school board in November 2023. Despite being a lifelong Democrat, Buentello and the Democrat Party refused to endorse me or even acknowledge my Democratic beliefs. Now that the disclaimer is out in the open let me share how Buentello mirrors the GOP’s “Comrade Dave” in destroying the Pueblo Democrat Party.

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Immediately after Buentello’s contested election as party head she chose to post a picture of herself enjoying target practice on the campaign sign of the Republican who ran against her husband for the state Senate. She was widely criticized by both Dems and Republicans and subsequently apologized for her outrageous behavior.

In the following election for county commissioner, Eppie Griego, the present Chairman of the Pueblo Board of County Commissioners, endorsed a Republican candidate for a vacancy on the BOCC. Griego was a lifelong Democrat (more coming on this subject) and a person widely respected in the community. Griego was censured by the Pueblo County Democrat Party and removed from the party’s central committee for his endorsement. In all fairness to the Democrat party, such a procedure should have been expected. Buentello was not the party chairperson at the time of the censure.

At a subsequent community event, a Pueblo city councilor alleged Griego issued an anti-gay slur to him, which Griego has steadfastly denied, as reported in the local media. Buentello claims to have been present when the alleged slur was made, seemingly validating the councilor’s allegation. Griego submits she could not have heard anything because he didn’t say anything.

It was also reported by the Pueblo media local Democrats under Buentello’s leadership were considering multiple measures to oust Griego, including a primary challenge in the next BOCC election cycle because of his endorsement of a Republican and the alleged slur.

Griego announced at a public meeting his independence in standing up for the people of Pueblo, instead of the priorities of his political party, resulted in him being attacked both professionally and personally. As a result, he changed his party affiliation from Democrat to unaffiliated.

Buentello responded to the announcement with the following statement: “It’s great to see Commissioner Griego finally come clean with Pueblo about the truth: that he doesn’t, and has never shared our Democratic values of honesty, fairness, and economic justice.” This despite the fact Griego was successful in the primary and general elections to win his seat as the Democratic candidate for the BOCC.

It’s hard not to call Buentello’s leadership into question as a result of the most recent school board and city elections. Though both elections were nonpartisan, party affiliation was widely endorsed. Both the Democrat and Republican parties along with evangelicals openly endorsed candidates. For transparency sake, I was not endorsed by either party or the evangelicals, nor was I endorsed by the state or local teachers’ unions. I did receive the endorsement of the Pueblo Association of Realtors.

The three incumbent school board members endorsed by the Democrats were all defeated. Two of the four contested school board positions were filled by Republicans and the other two included a Democrat, me, although not claimed by the Democrat Party, and a prior Democrat who is now registered as unaffiliated. The three Democrats running for city councilor positions were all defeated by Republicans. A Democrat and Republican are in a runoff for mayor.

The BOCC is presently comprised of an unaffiliated, thanks to Buentello, a Republican who was supported by Griego and a Democrat who was appointed to fill a position vacated by a Democrat (and who is already facing a Republican challenger). I have lived in Pueblo for 51 years and do not remember a Pueblo BOCC not being dominated by a Democratic majority and the distinct possibility of a Republican majority in the next election.

Just as “Comrade Dave” has solidified Colorado’s standing as a deeply blue state, so does it appear his Pueblo Democratic counterpart, Bri Buentello, is well on her way to turning Pueblo County red. Hope I’m wrong, Dick, but will keep you posted.

Dennis Maes served 24 years as a 10th Judicial District judge in Pueblo and was chief judge for 17 of those years. He previously served as director of Pueblo County Legal Services, Inc.; as a public defender and as an attorney in private practice.