Sandoval stresses listening, collaboration 

Sol Sandoval

Before deciding to seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Lauren Boebert for the U.S. Congressional District 3 seat in this fall’s election, Sol Sandoval spent months traveling throughout the district to gain insight into the issues that constituents face. A resident of Pueblo, Sandoval is one of three democratic candidates on the ballot for the June 28 primary election.

“I’ve always been involved in my community, but this is my first time to step up and be an actual candidate,” Sandoval said. “Unless voters elect someone to Congress who is personally impacted, as I am, it’s going to be tough to see real change. I’m looking ahead to moving Colorado forward.”

Sandoval is a bilingual, first-generation Latina daughter of immigrants. Her broad experience, personal and professional, has honed her for the job of U.S. representative, she said.

"I can bring people together, and my goal will be to unify, not tear communities apart,” Sandoval said. “I believe I can speak to every corner of this district and engage people who have felt left out and left behind for too long.” 

Sandoval’s career in social services has allowed her to see, up close, the economic realities working people face in 21st century Colorado. 

“I was able to witness how my community was unable to access basic things, such as prescription drugs,” Sandoval said. “I learned that people were cutting pills in half because they simply couldn’t afford medication. I met many people who struggle with their rent or with their mortgage. I’ve seen great-grandparents raising children. So my entire adult life has been a journey and running for Congress is my next step.”

In her personal life, Sandoval faces many of the same challenges faced by CD3 citizens.

“I personally struggle with my mortgage,” Sandoval said. “I can’t afford to eat meat anymore and I know that I’m not the only person who is having to deal with this. I know that almost everyone finds themselves struggling at the pump and the grocery store.”

Sandoval said having to stretch her family’s finances counts as one of her strongest qualifications for the job of U.S. representative.  

“As I travel the district I’ve learned that my constituents have more in common than not,” Sandoval said. “Whether it’s a friend from Durango or another who lives in a mobile home park, the lack of affordable housing characterizes everywhere I’ve traveled.”

Sandoval herself benefitted from a first-time home buyer program and supports government funding for efforts to support affordable housing. While the inflated cost of housing remains a conundrum for working people, she said, fuel and food prices also reflect the recent dramatic inflation. 

“Inflation partly is a result of corporations price gouging us. That’s a huge problem,” Sandoval said. “Don’t get me wrong. We can all agree, for example, that during the peak of COVID there was an issue with our not having access to goods and services. That was a reality then, but now we’re seeing gas and oil corporations experiencing record profits.”

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act along strict party lines.

“We had an opportunity to protect consumers at the gas pump and our congresswoman voted against it,” Sandoval said. “I think the citizens of CD3 are ready for an adult who actually will focus on legislating, not focusing on how many likes or how many followers they have on their Twitter account.”

Sandoval said she will work to attract investment in support of existing businesses and those that want to relocate here. That support includes rebuilding our infrastructure. If elected, Sandoval plans to work towards breaking up political deadlock.

“I am going to take every single opportunity and ask myself: Is this something that’s going to improve or harm the lives of the people of CD3? I’m not going to focus on whether a proposal has a D or an R next to it, and this is something I want everyone to know,” Sandoval said. “Over the years spent with social services, I’ve worked with everyone, democrats, republicans, unaffiliated, people who are disillusioned and don’t even participate. I know how to sit down and have a conversation.”

(Paul Wayne Foreman can be reached at paul@gunnisontimes.com.)