Our country, and our state, are facing some tremendous challenges right now after years of liberal Democratic governance – the economy, taxes, crime, a failing education system, cultural upheavals, our military readiness and other serious problems are all weighing heavily on Coloradans, many of whom are starting to look about for an alternative.

One would think the state Republican Party might be in a position to offer the people of Colorado that alternative. Instead, they are wasting their time with petty antics, internal bullying, and vindictive purges of solid, long-time conservatives, like me, who refuse to cave to hard-right extremism.

I have recently been made an example of by the state GOP politburo. A few weeks ago, just prior to the special session, I was “censured” by the state Republican Party for nothing more than standing up to one of the party’s bullies and exercising my rights as an American citizen. During a highly contentious party meeting I was physically assaulted by an out-of-control individual who was harassing not just me but other elected officials. After filing my complaint with the police, and an extensive investigation by the city attorney, the case went to court. A jury ultimately found the individual not guilty. And that’s okay, that’s how our system that so many have fought and died for works – as Benjamin Franklin said, “better a hundred guilty men go free than one innocent suffer.” So be it, I had my day in court, and I can live with that.

But rather than let the system and institutions simply work, the state party, in conjunction with the local party chair, weaponized the court decision, and the inner politburo – all 11 of them – voted to censure me, simply for standing up for my individual rights. Instead of supporting elected Republicans, raising money and building goodwill among the voting public, they went on a jihad against a lifelong conservative elected Republican. Wasn’t that a good use of party resources?

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Now, I do not much care what this vindictive cabal of revolutionaries wants to do to me; I have been an active Reagan Republican for a very long time, and the people who count – my constituents – know it. The problem is not what they did to me, but what they are doing to our once proud and vibrant Republican Party leading into the 2024 election cycle.

I am not the only one that this new group has targeted – not by a long shot. Virtually any lifelong Reagan conservative who has held office and does not profess blind loyalty to Dave Williams is ripe for censure. My colleague, Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, for instance, has been openly condemned by the politburo. The pettiness is rampant, and without merit. What currently passes for “leadership” in the state and El Paso GOP is clearly not concerned with offering a suitable governing alternative; they are only concerned with purging long-time, loyal Republicans, who have given their heart, soul and treasure fighting for the principles of the Republican Party and who have been openly castigated and run out of that party by this radical leadership. These vindictive purges are reminiscent of those pursued by Stalin or Mao’s Red Guards.

The unfortunate result of all this fratricide is the effective neutering of the Republican Party in Colorado. The people of this state who are watching this madness are dismayed. By going down this path, the state party is making themselves look like irresponsible fools, and unfortunately that is tainting the entire party. How are voters expected to trust Republicans to govern when the folks in charge of the party can’t even act like adults themselves?

I do not apologize for standing up to the tyrannical despots currently in charge of the state Republican Party. I accepted the court’s decision without rancor or malice and was ready to move on for the greater good of the party. Apparently, the local and state party bosses were not. They were instead hell-bent on exorcising loyal Republicans like me and others.

The current state Republican Party leadership is worse than ineffective – it is self-destructive.

Larry Liston, a Colorado Springs Republican, represents District 10 in the Colorado Senate.