Yeah. I thought my last column was my last column on the personal conundrum I have with the Mesa County Republican leadership and JJ Fletcher. But as I stated in my headline for the last column, these folks are the gift that keeps on giving. This time with a little help from their friends.

It’s becoming clear these people just can’t leave things alone. Then again, they can’t see JJ shouldn’t have run for election to the Mesa County Commission in the first place. I have no problem with them coming at me if it would be something of substance, like some real reasons JJ is running. Despite a few attempts to ask JJ directly why he’s running or giving me examples of what he’d do differently or better than Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland, the only answer I got was a block on JJ’s Facebook page and an offer for coffee or email to get some answers. Although I suspect those communications would result in more talking points instead of actual answers.

Because that’s all JJ has been running on, talking points. Here are his top three: It’s time, Janet Rowland is a career politician and he’s different with new ideas. Could JJ be more vague? I guess it beats talking about issues.

Let’s start with it’s time. My dad ran for school board in my hometown using the slogan “It’s time for a change.” He lost in his first campaign. I would attribute the loss mainly to thinking change alone was a reason to vote him in. But it goes deeper. By constantly saying “it’s time,” candidates think they don’t have to show any actual reasons to be elected. Change alone is enough. Yes, it worked for 50 percent of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. But Obama could drone on for days with an air of confidence on failed ideas while saying nothing. Anyone see JJ do even a minute?

So how about Janet is a career politician? Now if you read the recap of the “debate” from last week on the front page of the local daily, you saw a “quote” from Janet saying she’s, “…only been in office 11 years,” which to some might sound like a long time. What you didn’t read was the first part of Janet’s answer, which spoke to her being a county resident for more than 40 years and her time in office is a small part of all she’s done in her public service to the county and work experience. Then again, biased questions get you edited, talking point answers instead of a quality reporter just writing down what was actually said. That “gotcha” answer was before the “story” descended into a martyrdom about our former county health director. Like I said, a little help from JJ’s friends. Who knew a Republican had friends at the local daily?

Last, JJ claims he’s different in how he’ll listen to citizens and get the facts before making decisions and talking up his collaboration skills. In fact, JJ has been quoted saying he’d do the “will of the people” if elected. It’s a bad thing to elect someone on basically, “Give us Barabas.” This is also where I ended up getting blocked on Facebook for having the temerity to ask JJ for some examples of hasty, bad decisions our commissioners have made, a successful collaboration or even a new idea he has in mind. I got crickets. Those are the questions that resulted in me being blocked. For JJ supporters, you should note Janet doesn’t block anyone from her pages.

So JJ supporters, perhaps you should “make your vote count” with someone who’ll listen and give access to the public, like Janet, all while doing the actual work and getting results for the county. Also note, that was my dad’s slogan the second time he ran for school board. He won because he went to voters and welcomed input. It’s becoming obvious JJ does not.

I apologize for having to repeat some of the actions of JJ described in my previous columns, but they’re important to note because JJ’s friends are now also running a campaign of “hate.” And by “hate,” I mean the new, leftist style of saying anyone who disagrees with your candidate or asks the wrong question is a “hater” — which I’ve now been accused of by the former Mesa County Republican party chair and other JJ surrogates, including one of his daughters. Can you hear Ringo singing? I can. As I told the current county Republican party chair, “You’re all acting like a bunch of Democrats.” You know how I know? It’s what they’re saying I’m doing and there’s nothing more Democrat than that. Maybe next they’ll take the local, communist, billboard buyer’s strategy and go after my advertisers. But when you write opinion columns in River City, you take your chances — both sides of the aisle.

So the campaign will go on with Janet running on her record. You know, the one JJ can’t show any problems with. And JJ will go on spouting talking points that should provoke followup questions. Yet they never come due to who’s “allowed” to toss the softballs.

Hiding like Biden and talking like Obama. What a way for a “Republican” to run for office. Which leads to one last question: Who’s running JJ?

Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at (970) 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com.