Mesa County Colorado is solidly conservative, but neighboring Delta County makes this place look indigo blue.
If you want to build your house out of old tires and pickup hoods and start a scrap yard in front because your chickens and llamas already have run of the back, libertarian Delta's the place for you. You can't actually shoot neighbors you don't like, but unloading both barrels in the dirt at their feet would probably be looked upon kindly by a jury, even if they were related to the plaintiff. Supposing, of course, the county would prosecute in the first place.
Okay, I exaggerate, but not by much.
The latest news from Delta County is that one of the school board candidates is a convicted sex offender and did prison time for manslaughter, for setting a fire that killed two women in the halfway house where he was living.
That's all right, because the only restrictions to getting on the ballot are that the candidate live in the county and the sex offense not be against a child. Dale Haag lives in the county and his sexual assault conviction was against a developmentally challenged woman.
Next week, the voters will decide whether Hagg should replace an incumbent. Even in Delta, I don't like his chances. But before you judge him, read the whole story.
