Justman Wins Republican Nomination For Mesa County Commissioner Seat

By Kathleen Goddyene

After months of campaigning, John Justman secured his position in the race for Mesa County Commissioner. With 56.5 percent of the votes, Justman won the Republican nomination, beating out former Fruita mayor Ken Henry.

“I thought we were going to win, but in the back of your head, you can’t help but think, ‘what if we don’t win?’” Justman said.
Justman, who declared his candidacy back in September,  gives a lot of credit for the win to his wife, Frances. She was along side him in his efforts, doing everything from stuffing envelopes to picking out his clothes for events.

“I’m a farmer, not a dresser,” Justman said. “She made sure I always looked my best.”
Image can have a big impact on a campaign, but Justman and his team went beyond that. Volunteers walked the precincts, going door-to-door promoting their candidate. Another tactic used was simple sign waving at busy intersections.

Although the campaigning that the team did was beneficial, it can’t compete with Justman’s resume. He has worked as a member, vice chairman and chairman of the Mesa County Planning Commission, as the chairman of the Fruita Co-op Board, as the secretary for the Soil Conservation Board, and as the director of Grand Valley Irrigation. Justman has also been a board member for the Colorado Onion Association, an active member of Club 20, a member of the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, and is a National Rifle Association Life Endowment member.

The Justman farm is in its 40th summer, which says a lot about the dedication and determination the Republican candidate possesses.

“One year, I had so much happening on the farm that I sent out 82 W2s. Obviously, this is nothing compared to the county, but that is a lot for one farmer to handle,” Justman said.

Justman moved from Wisconsin to the Grand Valley in 1963 and has been a resident of Fruita since 1972. He and Frances have been married for 48 years. They have two sons and two grandchildren.

One of the goals Justman has for Mesa County is to create more jobs. He noted that Colorado Mesa University’s expansion should be a draw for perspective businesses and that the Grand Junction Regional Airport is a hub for the Western Slope.

On his easy-to-use website, Justman stresses the abundance of natural resources Mesa County has and how we should be advancing responsible production of these resources to create new wealth for our county. More importantly, Justman recognizes the natural beauty that surrounds Mesa County and that it should be preserved.

After working hard for nearly 10 months, the campaign team for John Justman will be taking a short break. No Democratic parties petitioned for Mesa County Commissioner, but Justman is facing Independent party candidates. For more information on John Justman, visit www.justmanforcommissioner.com.