June 04, 2026 12:10 PM UTC

GOP Statehouse Candidates Gibbs & Lammon Agree: Trump Deserves a Third Term

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• by: Erik Maulbetsch

(The Constitution is for beta cucks — Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Originally posted at the Colorado Times Recorder

As a rule, politicians famously dislike “lightning rounds” during a debate. Whether it’s because the reductive “yes or no” format doesn’t allow for nuance or prevents one from hiding an unpopular position, most candidates prefer to expound upon questions, and frequently try the same tactic even when asked for a one-word answer.

For this reason, when Arapahoe County Republicans gathered at Smoky Hill Library this weekend, for a primary debate between two conservative candidates for the state legislature, they witnessed a rarity in political debates: an extended lightning round in which both candidates played by the rules.

Darryl Gibbs and Danielle Lammon, who each hope to challenge Sen. Tom Sullivan (D-Aurora) to represent the 27th District, which covers Centennial, Dove Valley and parts of Aurora, listened to statements read by the moderator and then indicated their position by raising their hands.

The exercise produced predictable agreement on most subjects — both would give Trump a third term if they could, and neither believes the government may mandate vaccines or masks during a pandemic.

Two issues, however, revealed a split between the pair, divides that have largely defined the “grassroots” vs. “establishment” camps of today’s Colorado GOP: Tina Peters and closing the primary. Only Gibbs agreed that Peters was a “political prisoner punished for exposing voter fraud,” and that only registered Republicans should vote in their party’s primary.

Party registration came up twice during the lightning round. The moderator also asked if candidates agreed with the statement, “I have been consistently a registered Republican in the last four years.” Both raised their hand. Gibbs’ answer appears to contradict the fact that in 2022, he ran for Lt. Governor not as a Republican, but on the American Constitution Party gubernatorial ticket with Danielle Neuschwanger.

Neither candidate has ever held public office. This is Lammon’s first campaign, while Gibbs lost a Statehouse race to Democrat Naquetta Ricks in 2024, in addition to his failed statewide run in 2022.

Gibbs did not return an email request for clarification as to how he could have been registered as a Republican in 2022 while running for office as a third-party candidate. This article will be updated with any response received.

Read the transcript of the debate’s lightning round below:

Moderator: Yeah, raise your hand. Yeah, you got it. If you agree with this statement, both of you. It’s written for both of your hands. If you disagree with the statement, raise you hand. So now that you agree, if you disagree with the statements, then you stay still, all right? And then if you don’t know what to answer, you go like this: “I don’t know!”

Moderator: Elected officials are elected mainly to work for the government and be responsible to the government.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator: Tina Peters was a political prisoner and was punished for exposing voter fraud.

[Response: Gibbs: “Yes.” (Hand up). Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator: The laws of the country take priority over your personal religious views and practices if elected.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator: The government should provide healthcare or basic income for all citizens.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator:  I think it’s okay to lie if it helps to resolve a difficult situation.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator: Term limits for elected officials is a great idea and should be a law.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand up. Lammon: Hand up.]

Moderator: I have been consistently a registered Republican in the last four years.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand up. Lammon: Hand up.]

Moderator: Joe Biden won the 2020 election, no doubt.

[Response: Gibbs: Hands down. Lammon: Hands down.] 

Moderator: I think it’s okay for authorities and the government to mandate vaccines and masks during a pandemic.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator: Republican primary elections must be closed to Republicans only.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand up. Lammon: Hand down.] 

Moderator: I feel very comfortable in the gender neutral bathroom.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.] 

Moderator: Wealthier people should be taxed more.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.]

Moderator: It’s okay for the Secretary of State to have control over and count Republican ballots in the Republican primary.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand down. Lammon: Hand down.] 

Moderator: If it were up to me, I would give President Trump four more years in office.

[Response: Gibbs: Hand up. Lammon: Hand up.]

Moderator: OK, now on to the [other] questions…