Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District needs a congressman from the region, who understands the unique and difficult challenges of rural, working-class life. It does not need a New York currency trader — drowning in out-of-state donations — transplanted to live among Aspen’s glitterati.

“The rural parts of our state have been completely left behind,” said Aspen’s Adam Frisch, the district’s Democratic nominee — who grew up in Minneapolis before embarking on a New York money career.

Frisch knows to state the 3rd District’s problem but sounds unprepared to fix it. Consider his performance at a recent debate in Pueblo against Republican nominee Jeff Hurd, a Western Slope native living in Grand Junction.

Asked about the high cost of housing, Frisch offered this.

“What someone in federal office can do is try to get as much money as possible that we all send to D.C., that money needs to come back from taxes, reinvested in local community,” Frisch said.

In other words, do more of the same. Channel money to Washington, then hope to pull it back so we can throw it at housing. This has never worked but is the solution Frisch offers the Western Slope.

Hurd — a country lawyer immersed in rural policy — offers a more sophisticated answer.

“We need to grow the housing supply,” Hurd said.

Addressing the Pueblo audience, Hurd explained that Pueblo County issues about 500 housing permits annually. To meet demand, he said, it should issue nearly three times more.

“We need to get rid of unnecessary regulations that raise costs of housing construction materials,” Hurd said. “Bad energy policy is increasing the cost of building a home. Bad building codes, renewable energy codes and environmental regulations are adding time, delays and fees to housing. There’s a lot we can do to raise supply of housing by reducing regulation.”

Asked about lowering food costs, Frisch said he won’t take “corporate PAC money from the agricultural industry.” Moments later, he complained that key players in that industry can’t make money.

“Farmers used to get 30 cents on the dollar and now they’re getting less than 10 cents on the dollar that’s spent in here,” Frisch said.

We are to blame the “food industry” for high prices, even as the production side of that sector works for peanuts. Forget Weird Science, this is Weird Math.

In a survey for Colorado Public Radio, Frisch borrowed from Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and blamed inflation on “megacorporations” that “price-gouge hardworking Coloradans.” It withstands no scrutiny.

Hurd clearly understands that inflation and high prices result from policies that curtail domestic energy production.

To address the Western Slope’s water challenges, Frisch said he would “make sure I get on a committee that has a direct effect on water.” Hurd promises action on three fronts.

“Protect the compact (Colorado River Compact), build more high-altitude distributive storage and get rid of invasive species,” Hurd said at the Pueblo debate, explaining how invasions of Russian olive and Tamarisk plants are consuming Western Slope water.

Name the topic, and Frisch sounds like someone in an artificial world far removed from farming, ranching, mining and traditional labor. Hurd sounds like someone involved with all the above.

Urban interests and politicians have neglected and abused rural Colorado for too long. More than ever, the Third needs someone who fully understands the unique and complex challenges of life in Pueblo and throughout the Western Slope.

Hurd — who has made a career of defending rural, working Coloradans — is the right person at just the right time.

The Gazette Editorial Board