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Editor’s note, 5/4/20: Milton dropped his bid for U.S. Senate and instead is running as a Unity Party candidate for Congressional District 3.
Resume: Financial adviser; avid outdoorsman
Party: Unity (Milton left the Democratic Party in March)
Give me your 30-second elevator pitch: Why are you running?
Critter Milton: I’m running because I think there is too much division in our society and we need to focus on similarities rather than concerning ourselves with differences. And [there are] all sorts of topics I think we need to address, but [at] the top of my list are education, climate, and legalization [of marijuana].
What sets you apart from the other Democratic Party candidates?
Well, my unique background. I’m not a politician. I have no intention of being a career politician, and I’ve intentionally limited the time, capital, and the terms in my campaign. I spent over a decade as a financial advisor and I bring a very broad knowledge base. But as a financial adviser, my advice was limited to the wealthy, and so I strive to share that same broad perspective with all people regardless of assets or any other discriminating classifications.
What is your top policy priority?
Education. I believe that technology allows us to provide free, universal education for all.
How would you ensure Colorado’s interests are met in Washington, D.C.?
Well, I believe there are a number of things that are being done well in Colorado that need to be brought to the federal level. Education being one. Our current governor has taken steps to implement things that I think are very beneficial: opening up the graduation requirements and allowing for things like internships earlier in the process. And I think that makes a lot of sense in the context of the mounting student debt crisis. And so, I think we need to engage kids in the system much earlier and eliminate the need for taking on massive amounts of debt. Colorado’s already taken major steps in that direction, and I think we need to implement that at a federal level along with a number of other policies, such as legalization, where we have taken progressive steps here in Colorado that I think would be beneficial at a federal level.
How would you work with an increasingly divided Senate?
I would certainly look to unite. And one of the biggest things I bring to the table is a moderate perspective. I’m very much fiscally conservative, having spent a decade as a financial adviser, but I’m also socially liberal and I recognize the need to address a variety of common concerns. So, I do have the ability to discuss and debate those topics with a variety of perspectives, and I think sharing those perspectives and allowing each individual to have their own beliefs while also coming together for the common good is critical.
What is something voters might not know about you?
Well, I’d say the most unique thing about me is my time in the wilderness. I’ve spent a lot of time out in the backcountry—skiing, hiking, and exploring our incredible world. And I bring that perspective of risk and reward that I learned in finance and through the backcountry to the political arena. And I find that some of the decisions that I make on a ridgeline or when deciding whether to drop into a large couloir really pale the risks that come into play in the political arena.
Now for the lightning round….Pick one:
Broncos or Rockies?
Broncos
I-25 or I-70?
I-70
National Western Stock Show or a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre?
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Coors Banquet Beer or a Colorado craft brew?
Colorado craft brew
Hike a fourteener or raft the Arkansas River?
Hike a fourteener
Fall foliage or wildflower season?
Fall foliage
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve or Rocky Mountain National Park?
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Wyoming or Utah?
Utah
Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity. This interview was conducted in January, after the initial publication of this package.
