Lew Webb, a Durango-based businessman and self-proclaimed “common sense patriot,” has vowed to bring conservative values back to southwestern Colorado if he’s elected to succeed Lauren Boebert in the House of Representatives.
Hailing from California, Webb moved to Durango 24 years ago after his family sold its car dealership. His campaign website said Webb financed and built a “mountain retreat to support missionaries, struggling pastors and church groups, providing a haven for those in ministry seeking spiritual, emotional, and physical replenishment.”
Webb has never run for office and does not have prior ties to politics. His campaign has been largely self-financed. Webb said he decided to run for office to fight “against governmental overreach, to secure our borders, provide relief for working families, and to protect the freedoms that define the American way of life for our ranchers, farmers and small businesses, the life blood of our economy.”
On democracy and good governance
When asked about his thoughts on the state of democracy in the U.S., Webb said the government no longer represents the people, evoking the language of U.S. founding documents.
“I think unfortunately, our government has gotten off the rails, way off the rails,” Webb told CPR News. “They aren't necessarily doing the work of we the people, they're doing what benefits them.”
Webb also said that he has low confidence in election systems.
“When you look at things where there are billions of dollars, trillions of dollars at stake, when great power, great wealth is at stake, people, cheat people will do anything for great wealth and great power,” he said. “And so I think it would be pretty naive of me to think that our elections could not be manipulated in the future.”
On the economy and cost of living
Webb claimed that the U.S. economy is being “destroyed intentionally” by the government, in order to make residents more dependent on government services.
“If our culture can be destroyed, our reliance on God can be destroyed, our reliance on family can be destroyed and our economy can be destroyed, then our government can come to us and say, ‘Hey, everything is a bust, so we've got to take over now. We'll feed you, we'll house you, we'll clothe you, you rely on us for everything. Here's socialism,’” he said.
One specific example he gave was the regulation of non-renewable energy sources, which he said is forcing people to spend more money on gas. He argued fuel prices have gone up due to an overreliance on foreign oil, which he said has widespread impacts on the supply chain and retail prices.
On immigration
Webb identified immigration as one of his top priorities. His plan echoed President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
“My plan is easy,” he said. “Finish the wall.”
Webb argued that people who have entered the country illegally within the last five to 10 years should be deported. He said that the country should have stricter laws for those seeking American citizenship.
“If you [immigrate] legally and you work hard and you learn the language, and you learn the history, and you become a United States citizen as a result of a lot of effort and some time and some just hard work, wow, that's going to be really valuable. American citizenship is going to be very valuable to that person,” he said. “That’s why it has to be hard to become an American citizen because it's valuable to be an American citizen.”
CPR’s Tom Hesse contributed to this report.
