February 20, 2024 03:57 PM UTC

Wunderkind Down: Soper Knuckles Under For "MAGA Marc" Catlin

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• by: Colorado Pols

At the end of January, the Grand Junction Sentinel’s Charles Ashby reported on angry allegations of favoritism from GOP Rep. Matt Soper of Delta against the new House Micro-Minority Leader Rose Pugliese after Soper was bounced from the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee, ostensibly to make room for ex-Minority Leader Mike Lynch who was still apparently entitled to some deference after resigning from his leadership position in disgrace. As Soper told the story then, Pugliese removed Soper from the Ag Committee at the request of the committee’s vice-chairman Rep. Marc Catlin, who along with Soper was eyeing the SD-5 Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Perry Will.

The uber-ambitious Rep. Soper had also just lost the race to succeed Lynch as Minority Leader to Pugliese, making the loss of his coveted committee assignment a double snubbing:

The Delta Republican said he doesn’t believe Pugliese took that action as revenge for challenging her for that leadership position, losing to her on an 11-8 vote. He said it was because of Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose.

“Minutes after I just lost the bid for minority leader, Catlin goes running to Rose to say you’ve got to remove Matt from agriculture,” Soper said. “Rose honored that. Caving to one member because he doesn’t know if we’re going to end up as opponents for a Senate primary or not. I think it’s pretty crummy politics to think that you could score an advantage by knocking off a possible competitor.”

Three weeks later, Ashby now reports that Rep. Soper has accepted his beat-down fate and will not be challenging Catlin for SD-5 after all:

Rep. Matt Soper, R-Delta, said Wednesday he doesn’t intend to challenge Catlin for the GOP nomination, saying he made a promise to stay in the House as long as term limits allow. [Pols emphasis] He’s now in his third term, and is running unopposed for a fourth this fall.

“This is a rare opportunity for both Mesa County and Delta County to have a veteran legislator who’s entering a fourth term,” Soper said. “Seniority and longevity does make a difference. It’s amazing the work I’m able to do now for the district compared to six years ago. For the good of the district, I believe it’s worth using that senior status.”

This excuse is nonsense of course, since if Soper had intended to serve out all four terms, why would he have ever considered a run for the Senate in 2024? Either way, despite Rep. Soper’s alleged “senior status,” his actual influence in the House GOP micro-minority is demonstrably minimal based on his defeat for Minority Leader and loss of his seat on the Ag Committee. Throughout his three terms in the House, Soper’s reach has consistently exceeded his grasp; and with Soper’s would-be rival Rose Pugliese in charge and far from term-limited, we now expect Soper to finish out his House career…undistinguished.

As any true conservative will tell you, there are winners and losers.