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Scott Tipton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	John Salazar
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 58th district
In office January 9, 2009 – January 2, 2011
Preceded by	Ray Rose
Succeeded by	Don Coram
Personal details
Born	(1956-11-09) November 9, 1956 (age 68) Española, New Mexico, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Jean Tipton
Children	Liesl Elizabeth
Alma mater	Fort Lewis College
Website	campaign website

Scott R. Tipton (born November 9, 1956) is the U.S. Representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district. In November 2010, he defeated three-term, Democratic incumbent John Salazar, whom he lost to by a wide margin, in 2006. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives and a co-owner of a pottery company in Cortez, Colorado. Prior to being elected to public office, he was chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, from 1997 to 2008.

Early life and education

Tipton was raised in Cortez, where he attended public schools with his brother Joe and graduated from Montezuma-Cortez High School. He went on to Ft. Lewis College in Durango where he studied political science and graduated in 1978. After Ft. Lewis, he returned to Cortez and founded Mesa Verde Indian Pottery, which he co-owns with his brother, Joe.

Early political career

A lifelong Republican, he became involved in the unsuccessful Reagan presidential campaign of 1976 and was a delegate to the Republican Convention that year. He also assisted with local campaigns for Reagan in 1980 and 1984 across Montezuma County, Colorado and the 3rd Congressional district.

He held various roles for the campaigns of Scott McInnis, Ben Campbell, Bill Owens and George W. Bush. A former Montezuma County Republican chairman, he was also the party chairman of the 3rd Congressional District for eight years.

Colorado legislature

2008 election

On February 5, 2008, he announced his candidacy for the Colorado House seat representing District 58. The announcement came shortly after the incumbent, Ray Rose, announced he would retire in 2008. He had no opposition in the Republican primary, but faced Democratic candidate Noelle Hagan in the November 2008 general election. Hagan's candidacy was endorsed by the Denver Post and the Montrose Daily Press, but Tipton won the with 59 percent of the vote.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2006

He unsuccessfully challenged the then, first term, Democratic U.S. congressman, John Salazar. Tipton lost 38% to 62% for Salazar.

2010

He again challenged Democratic incumbent John Salazar in Colorado's 3rd congressional district. Libertarian Gregory Gilman and independent Jake Segrest were also on the ballot, with independents John W. Hargis, Sr. and James Fritz qualified as write-in candidates. He decided to retire from the Colorado House of Representatives to run for Congress in 2010, again challenging Salazar. In the Republican primary, he defeated Bob McConnell 56% to 44%. In the general election, he defeated Salazar 50.10% to 45.76%.

2012

In 2012, he was challenged by Sal Pace, a Democratic state representative from Pueblo. His re-election campaign was aided by $1.3 million in advertising against Pace, funded by the Grover Norquist led, Americans for Tax Reform. SG Interests, an oil and gas company from Texas, that sought to drill in the Thompson Divide area, also campaigned against Pace.

Tenure

He has signed Glover Norquist's Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Norquist's organization purchased $1.3 million in campaign advertising on Tipton's behalf. He has also supported the Ryan Plan, having twice voted for it.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade, chairman
  • Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations

Controversies

He has faced several ethics complaints during his time in office. As a congressman, he steered taxpayer dollars and government contracts to a company owned by his nephew. He used taxpayer dollars to promote a campaign event, and also wrote an apology letter to the House Ethics Committee after it became known that his daughter was using his name in an effort to secure government contracts from other Congressional offices.

A super PAC, funded by oil and gas driller SG Interests, is registered at the address of Tipton’s campaign attorney and run by a law clerk in his office. It is a violation of election laws for super PACs and a candidate's campaign to coordinate their activities.

Personal life

He and his wife Jean have been married for 30 years and have two daughters, Liesl and Elizabeth.

References

1. "Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 Primary Election". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
2. Editorial Board (17 October 2008). "Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives". Denver Post. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
3. Norris, Wendy (3 November 2008). "State candidate endorsement watch". Colorado Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-09. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
4. "Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
5. Harmon, Gary (2010-08-03). "Salazar-Tipton rematch a different contest". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
6. Greg Giroux (2009-11-09). "Tipton Joins Race Against Salazar". Roll Call. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
7. Lawrence, Mike (2010-08-10). "Steamboat's McConnell defeated in District 3, Scott Tipton wins GOP congressional primary, goes on to face Rep. John Salazar". Steamboat Pilot. Retrieved 2010-10-28. With 70 percent of precincts reporting results Tuesday night, Tipton, a state representative from Cortez, had received 56 percent of votes across the 3rd Congressional District, compared with about 44 percent for McConnell.
8. "ATR Announces 1.3 Million Dollar Ad Buy in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District". 12 Oct 2012. Retrieved 30 Oct 2012.
9. "Driller starts super PAC to support Tipton". 29 Oct 2012. Retrieved 30 Oct 2012.
10. "The Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers 112th Congressional List" (PDF). Americans for Tax Reform. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
11. Joe Hanel (2012-10-17). "Pace dogged by $1.3 million ad buy". Durango Herald. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
12. Peter Roper (2011-4-9). "Tipton defends GOP approach". Pueblo Chieftain. Retrieved 2012-10-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
13. "Colo. Rep. Tipton Facing Second Ethics Issue". TheDenverChannel.com. 2011-6-9. Retrieved 2012-10-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
14. Allison Sherry (2012-3-2). "Rep. Tipton violates House rules in promoting campaign event". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2012-10-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
15. "Driller starts super PAC to support Tipton". Durango Herald. 2012-10-29. Retrieved 2012-10-30.

External links

• Congressman Scott Tipton official U.S. House site
• Scott Tipton for Congress
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart

Template:Persondata

• 1956 births
• Colorado Republican Party chairs
• Colorado Republicans
• Fort Lewis College alumni
• Living people
• Members of the Colorado House of Representatives
• Members of the United States House of Representatives from Colorado
• People from Montezuma County, Colorado