The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“I didn’t want to be a spoiler…”
One of the three candidates for Gunnison County Commissioner is leaving the race less than a month after getting in. Write-in candidate Joe Matyk is withdrawing and throwing his support behind Republican candidate Phil Chamberland (see letter, page 5).
Matyk qualified for the election on August 24. He was running against Chamberland and incumbent Jim Starr.
“When I got in the race I didn’t really know a lot about Phil Chamberland. I didn’t know where he stood on the issues,” Matyk said. “I felt I could get the Independent vote from both Republicans and Democrats like Al Smith did last time. But I got a lot of calls from Republicans saying that while they appreciated my stand on the issues they were going to stay with Phil. So I realized my chances of winning were pretty slim and I didn’t want to be a spoiler.
“But I’ve sat down and had some good conversations with Phil and I’m comfortable with where he stands on the issues,” Matyk continued. “There are some things we differ on but with the big ones, we are on the same page.”
Matyk said his second goal was to stimulate the debate between the candidates and he feels like he has helped do that. “I think the voters are really looking at the issues,” he said, “and now there is a candidate on the ballot who reflects what I tried to get across. He appears up to the task.”
So there will be two commissioner candidates at the Crested Butte News candidates’ forum next month, on Sunday, October 17 at 6 p.m. at the Center for the Arts. The public will have a chance to grill Chamberland and Starr before casting their votes.
