Candidate Profile: Charlie Winn, District 2

The 2020 election is heating up in Colorado and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. Eyes are primarily focused on the presidential election, but voters will also decide the outcome of state representative and senate seats.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Charlie Winn is running for U.S. House of Representatives District 2.

Age: 77
Party affiliation: Republican Party
Family: Wife and 2 sons
Occupation: Physician 45 years
Previous elected experience: None
Family members in government: No

The single most pressing issue facing our state is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Ensuring quality, affordable healthcare to all citizens. This will require a comprehensive, local provided healthcare system. A large bureaucracy in Washington will not improve care. The system must be centered on the patient and allow the patient and their doctor to make choices on care. A market based system with HSA’s and price transparency are a must. Direct patient care will promote the patient-physician interaction while improving patient outcomes.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

As a physician I have real world experience in healthcare. I have lived all over the world and bring new ideas to the problems

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Having dealt with difficult issues, I know the importance of careful study of the problem and the assessment of all the solutions. As a physician I understand the consequences of misdiagnosis as well as the need to balance the benefits with the risks.

What steps should state government take to bolster economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic for local businesses?

The initial lockdowns were necessary to prevent overwhelming the health care resources. Lockdowns will slow the spread but not prevent the spread or facilitate bringing an end to the pandemic. And lockdowns have real and serious side effects. Now schools and businesses must open up with constant monitoring. Those under 50 have a very low rate of serious sequela and should be given the option of going back to daily living using the usual precautions of hand hygiene and distancing with appropriate wearing of masks. Others such as the elderly and those with additional risks need to be given assistance and additional protections.

How will you address the calls for racial justice and police reform?

All segments of society must be treated fairly and be seen as equal under the law. And society as a whole must take the time to listen to others. Societal injustices may not be institutionalized and may be more nuanced requiring care to avoid confirmation bias that doesn’t address the real cause.

Police are an important component of society. Without security there is no freedom. But the police must be held accountable and held responsible for acting within the limits of their authority. Ultimately they answer to elected officials and and their officials must answer to the people.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

All children must have access to quality K-12 education. If that is not available in their neighborhoods then they must be given a choice. And all young people who have the will and ability for higher education must be provided this opportunity and not limited by cost. The institutions of higher learning must be held accountable for both the quality and cost of this higher education.

The last plank in the platform is the need to protect the environment while providing the energy needed to supply nearly 8B people with clean water, food and the myriad of other needs requiring energy. We have the technological options and must use all of them.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions

The 21st century will be the most technologically advanced in all history. Planning for future will require learning from the past to address the expected challenges but remaining agile enough to deal with the unexpected.