To the Republican party and citizens of Montrose County

I’m writing this because I don’t want anyone wondering where I stand.

I’m still with you.

The Montrose County Republican Central Committee appointed me to this seat. I don’t forget that. I don’t take it lightly. That’s where I came from. I’m the same man you put here.

Same values. Same beliefs. Same fight.

What happened with my decision had nothing to do with Montrose County.

After the state assembly, I went to dinner with my family. I went back to the motel room that night and I was fine with the outcome. I accepted it. Truth is, I was relieved it was over. I was ready to come home, get back to work, and move on.

The next morning, I came down to the lobby.

There was a large group of delegates there waiting for me. Not a couple people. A large group. People who were on that floor. People who saw it for themselves. A lot of them from Montrose County. I was told they had been there since 6 a.m. waiting to catch me. I came down around 9:30. I walked in and they saw me. They called out, waved me over. Some had Pond hats, Pond shirts. I remember thinking, what are you all doing here, we just lost.

I didn’t know why they were there.

They gathered around me, and that’s when it started. They told me what they saw on that floor. They talked about how things played out. They talked about how endorsements and pressure in the room influenced delegate votes. They had their own thoughts about it, and they were not quiet about it. This wasn’t coming from me. This was coming from them. Then they asked me not to leave.

I told them no.

I told them I was done. I told them I was going home. I said it over and over. They didn’t go anywhere. They stayed right there and they kept asking. They kept pushing. They kept telling me not to walk away. They begged me. They asked me not to leave the fight. They asked me not to walk away from my values. They asked me not to leave them after what they had just watched. Some of them were emotional. This wasn’t small. They meant it. That went on for hours. They were the ones who brought this path to me. They were the ones who told me about the Constitution Party. I had never even heard of it.

Before I made any decision, I started making phone calls.

My first call was to the chair of the Montrose County Republican Party. Then I called PCPs. I called people I trust. People who know me. People who understand what I stand for and what this county stands for. I didn’t make one call. I made a lot of them. Every single person I talked to understood it.

Every single one of them supported it. That’s the truth.

So when I made the decision, it wasn’t about chasing something. It wasn’t about staying relevant. It wasn’t about me. This came from the people who were there. It came from what they saw. It came from what they asked of me. And it was backed by the people here at home.

I joined the Constitution Party. I didn’t leave the values. I didn’t leave the people. I didn’t leave this fight.

If you take the time to look at what it is, you’ll see it stands on the same foundation we’ve always believed in. The Declaration of Independence. The Constitution. The Bill of Rights. Limited government. Individual liberty. Local control. Read it for yourself. You’ll recognize it. I haven’t changed.

I’m still a Republican in everything that counts.

And I want to say something about home. What happens at the state level is not what we have in Montrose County.

This county is strong.

The Montrose County Republican Party is strong.

The Montrose County Republican Central Committee is strong.

You’ve shown that. You flipped the school board. You’ve pushed the city in a better direction. That came from people here stepping up and doing the work.

I’m proud to stand with that.

• I still support the Montrose County Republican Party.
• I still support the Montrose County Republican Central Committee.
• I still support the direction you’re taking this county.
• And I still support your local candidates.

There’s no divide here.

I’m still here.

I’m still with you.

Same guy. Same fight.



With respect

Sean M. Pond