Candidate for U.S. Senate visits Delta

DELTA — Delta residents had the opportunity to informally meet and chat with a  candidate running for U.S. senator on Friday afternoon.

Bob Schaffer visited the Bill Heddles Recreation Center to share his views and ambitions for the future of Colorado, and answer questions revolving mostly around immigration control and education reform.

“I think education is the most important issue confronting the country today — long term. There’s lots of immediate issues, like immigration reform,” Schaffer said. “But long term, in a country where we govern ourselves and citizen leadership is how we define our leadership as a country, we have to have educated citizens.”

Not only does Schaffer find it important to provide the best education for our country’s youth, he also finds it critical to get younger generations familiar with politics.

In fact, Schaffer cares about the future of our youth and their involvement in politics so much that the majority of his campaign team while running for the State Board of Education was under the age of 18.

“Even kids that aren’t old enough to vote need to be involved in the political process,” he said. “Kids are great ambassadors to stay politically involved.”

The issue of illegal immigration and how it is affecting the United States and Colorado alike was brought up by a number of citizens. Schaffer made it clear that something must be done to control our borders on both the north and south.

“I’m a law and order sort of person. If we’re going to have immigration laws and we’re going to have borders — which is part of the definition of a nation by the way — than they need to be enforced and they have to be secured.”

Schaffer said there are a range of answers to controlling the border. Fences might work, he said, and so could increased manpower or remote surveillance.

“I’m for whatever it takes.”

In combination with securing the borders, Schaffer said that laws need to be in place to make sure visas are not overstayed. Right now, the consequences for illegally crossing the border are not high enough, he said.

Schaffer is running against U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs and Delta County Commissioner Wayne Wolf. Current U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Loveland will be retiring in 2008.

A former state senator and state representative, Schaffer has served on the House Resources, Agriculture, Workforce and Education Committees, and has chaired numerous committees, such as the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Education Committee. In 1993, he and his wife Maureen founded what is now known as Traut Core Knowledge School, which is the first school in the state to offer the Core Knowledge curriculum.

Schaffer is currently the vice president of business development for a Denver-based energy investment firm.

Contact Marissa Brunner via e-mail at marissab@montrosepress.com