Introduction
Scott R. Tipton (born November 9, 1956) is the U.S. Representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district. In November 2010, he defeated three-term Democratic incumbent John Salazar, to whom he lost by a wide margin in 2006. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives and a co-owner of a pottery company in Cortez, Colorado.
Early political career
A lifelong Republican, he became involved in the unsuccessful Reagan presidential campaign of 1976 and was a delegate to the Republican Convention that year. He also assisted with local campaigns for Reagan in 1980 and 1984 across Montezuma County, Colorado and the 3rd Congressional district and was Republican chairman of the 3rd Congressional district for eight years. He was a board member of Mesa Verde National Park, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, and the advisory board of Pueblo Community College.
Colorado legislature
2008 election
On February 5, 2008, he announced his candidacy for the Colorado House seat representing District 58. The announcement came shortly after the incumbent, Ray Rose, announced he would retire in 2008. He had no opposition in the Republican primary, but faced Democratic candidate Noelle Hagan in the November 2008 general election. Hagan's candidacy was endorsed by the Denver Post and the Montrose Daily Press, but Tipton won with 59 percent of the vote.
Tenure
With Representatives Laura Bradford and Frank McNulty, Tipton planned on re-introducing a version of Jessica's Law to establish minimum sentences for child sex offenders, sponsoring bills to create a full-time judge position in Montrose and to simplify water rights filing. The attempt to introduce a version of Jessica's Law was unsuccessful, it dying in committee.
Committee assignments
For the 2009 legislative session, Tipton was named to seats on the House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee and the House Local Government Committee.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
- 2006
He unsuccessfully challenged the then, first term, Democratic U.S. congressman, John Salazar. Tipton lost 38% to 62% for Salazar.
- 2010
He again challenged Democratic incumbent John Salazar in Colorado's 3rd congressional district. Libertarian Gregory Gilman and independent Jake Segrest were also on the ballot, with independents John W. Hargis, Sr. and James Fritz qualified as write-in candidates. He decided to retire from the Colorado House of Representatives to run for Congress in 2010, again challenging Salazar. In the Republican primary, he defeated Bob McConnell 56% to 44%. In the general election, he defeated Salazar 50.10% to 45.76%.
- 2012
In 2012, he was challenged by Sal Pace, a Democratic state representative from Pueblo. His re-election campaign was aided by $1.3 million in advertising against Pace, funded by the Grover Norquist led, Americans for Tax Reform. SG Interests, an oil and gas company from Texas, that sought to drill in the Thompson Divide area, also campaigned against Pace.
- 2014
In 2014, he was challenged by Democrat Abel Tapia, Libertarian Travis Mero and UNA candidate Tisha Cadia. He won with 56.14% of the vote.
Tenure
He has signed Grover Norquist's Taxpayer Protection Pledge. He has also supported the Ryan Plan, having twice voted for it.
In 2010 Tipton signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
- Committee on Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
- Subcommittee on Water and Power
- Committee on Small Business
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade, chairman
- Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Cement Caucus
Legislation
Tipton introduced the Water Rights Protection Act into the House on September 26, 2013. The bill would prevent federal agencies from requiring certain entities to relinquish their water rights to the United States in order to use public lands. Tipton said the bill was needed because it "provides critical protection for water rights' holders from federal takings by ensuring that federal government agencies cannot extort private property rights through uneven-handed negotiations." Tipton argued that the bill "prohibits federal agencies from pilfering water rights through the use of permits, leases, and other land management arrangements, for which it would otherwise have to pay just compensation under the 5th Amendment of the Constitution."
Controversies
In 2011, it was reported that he spent over $7,000 on vendors that did business with his nephew's company. Also in 2011, Tipton wrote an apology letter to the House Ethics Committee after it became known that his daughter was using his name in an effort to secure government contracts from other Congressional offices. In 2012, he violated House rules when his office mistakenly used taxpayer resources to promote a campaign event.
A super PAC, funded by oil and gas driller SG Interests, is registered at the address of Tipton's campaign attorney and run by a law clerk in his office. Although it is a violation of election laws for super PACs and a candidate's campaign to coordinate their activities, Tipton's attorney said: "I have specifically put up Chinese walls to make sure Charlie (law clerk) is in no way involved with the Tipton campaign, and I'm in no way involved with the Colorado Future Fund."