State Rep. Don Wilson, a Monument Republican, announced Wednesday he will seek a seat for the third district seat on the El Paso County board of commissioners, instead of running for a second term in the Colorado House.

Wilson served on Monument’s town board after being first elected in 2016. He served as mayor pro tem, and he was elected mayor in 2018.

In 2022, Wilson won his first race for the state House, representing House District 20, where he served on the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee and on the House Education Committee.

Along with then-Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese, now a state representative from Colorado Springs, Wilson led the fight to overturn a 2019 law allowing Colorado to participate in the National Popular Vote interstate compact. Democrats had approved the legislation to add Colorado to the states advocating for a national popular vote on the presidency and bypassing the Electoral College. Colorado voters, however, voted to uphold the General Assembly’s decision.*

In a statement Wednesday, Wilson said he fought against state government overreach as Monument mayor. That included during COVID-19, when he said he supported businesses’ right to decide whether to keep their doors open.

“I fought back when law enforcement funding was under attack to keep our community safe and helped coordinate smaller communities’ ability to increase their voice at the capitol,” Wilson added. “Therefore, I have decided that in 2024, I will be running for the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners. My experience in local government, plus the knowledge I have gained at the state level, will allow me to hit the ground running and be ready for the fight on day one.”

Wilson filed to run for reelection for the HD 20 seat in August. As of press time, he faces no opponents.

Editor’s Note: Updated to clarify the voters’ decision on National Popular Vote in 2020.