City Councilman Ryan Frazier was kind enough to meet me at a local coffee shop for a quick interview this last Saturday. The first impression of Councilman Frazier is one of an open, friendly strength--he is quick, very obviously intelligent, and accomplished. He is a genuine conservative who espouses, as his campaign site says, fiscally prudent, common sense, limited government. For the people of Aurora, he represents a passionate voice who cares deeply about his community.

No black Republican can ignore the issue of race when running for office. Race becomes an obvious point of contention as Republicans are seen, rightly or wrongly, as either incapable or unwilling to represent the issues of minority communities. When asked about the response he gets as a black conservative, Frazier admits to having felt that pre-judgement on occasion, but says that “There are people who automatically put you in a category and categorize you as a not necessarily for blacks. But I tell you, I’ve been able to overcome that and I’ve been able to overcome tht with my actions more than my words.”

The Denver Post, the area’s more left leaning paper must agree. While they took issue with Frazier’s Right to Work legislation, they gave him a grudging endorsement, admitting that, “none of his challengers showed a strong command of Aurora issues.”

The conversation about race turned into a conversation about Justice Clarence Thomas. When asked about the negative response to Justice Clarence Thomas’ book, My Grandfather’s Son, in some parts of the black community, Frazier notes that “ history will have a different review of Justice Thomas than the media and his detractors do today and I think it’s precisely for the reason that you just cited: he has a very deep understanding of the constitution. You can’t just toss that aside and ignore it; you have to respect that. I think that history will respect that.”

That’s the kind of thing that will put a smile on the face of just about any Republican as will his explanation of his guiding political principles; a thoughtful and succinct explanation. “I saw the principles of the Republican party were closer to my beliefs, and those were the free enterprise system, keep government to the lowest practical level, advance fiscal responsibility, and protect the rights of every individual. Those really define me and my perspective on our representative democracy. They guide my decision making.”

This extends to his views on eminent domain. “I am a big believer in property rights, a big proponent of property rights. Throughout history, property rights has been a lynchpin to our society such that, if you recall, prior to us reading those words ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,’ if you ever read back in Thomas Paine’s Common Sense it was life, liberty, and property. The fundamental meaning of property rights to our society can never be overlooked or diminished. I would never undermine that important aspect of our society. Eminent domain is one of those tools that I think should only be used at the last possible moment. I would be hard pressed to support something like that.”

He doesn’t resort to big promises to bolster his candidacy, he just promises to do his best to make his decisions based on those four simple principles--an approach that our political culture could use more of. His politics are principled but practical, his philosophies concise but not simplistic.

Another thing that will put a smile on many faces is Frazier’s statewide right-to-work push. His legislation doesn’t come from an anti-union place; he very simply believes that workers deserve the right to choose whether or not to be part of a union instead of being forced to be part of a union or to pay union dues. He believes--as I do--that employees will support unions when they believe the organizations actually represents their interests.

There is much more to the candidate than his obvious political ambitions. His passion for a public charter school that he helped found, the Academy at Highpoint, is a subject that brings out smile and an obvious sense of pride.  Mention of his children brings an even bigger smile. The recent trip with Engineers without Borders and the Institute for African American Leadership to Ghana brings out stories of the kindness and beauty mixed with poverty and pollution. He talks of the emotional experience of seeing a slave castle and the “door of no return” and his hopes of traveling to Africa again.

What Frazier convinced me of is that the future of the Republican party in local, Colorado politics is in good hands. His vision, his charisma, and his willingness to take principled stands make him a great, younger face for the GOP, and it is my sincere hope that he takes his political ambitions to a higher level. Of course, state level politics are within his reach, but so are national politics. I will be surprised if we don’t see him take that step at some point.

While I generally don’t devote much energy to endorsing local candidates, Ryan Frazier is a man who will represent the citizens in Aurora well. He deserves our votes and our support and I look forward to seeing what he can accomplish for us in the future.

Visit Ryan Frazier’s campaign site.