Salinas said she is proud to be a voice for her generation in Routt County.
Angelica Salinas couldn’t boast about decades of living in the Yampa Valley as her campaign knocked on more than 7,000 doors across Routt County over the last year.
Her Republican opponent for Routt County Commissioner Brent Romick — who grew up in in the valley, boasts work across the county and has the rodeo arena in Steamboat Springs named after him — made his extensive tenue in the valley a central part of his campaign.
“Early on, I heard a lot about that,” Salinas said on Tuesday, after the first drop of ballots showed her leading Romick by about 1,700 votes. “A lot of people said I wasn’t going to win or I was too new to win. I just thought, just watch me.”
“I think my message came across loud and clear,” Salinas said. “People, I think, are excited for a new voice. Someone who is living through the issues that they are living through.”
Salinas was elected to the Routt County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday in what was the closest county wide race.
As of 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Salinas was ahead of Romick by 1,634 votes -- 8,298 to 6,664. That equates to a margin of 55.5% to 44.5% According to Routt County Clerk and Recorder Jenny Thomas, there are between 800 and 1,000 votes that need to still be counted today, which is not enough for Romick to close the gap.
Salinas said she felt she was able to connect with voters who are trying to build a life in Routt County, something she is working to do as well.
“I want to be a voice for people in my generation,” Salinas said. “Young families trying to build their life here, trying to put down roots here. Making sure that Routt County remains a place me and you can stay.”
Romick said he had plenty to keep him busy despite not ascending to the commissioner’s office and that he was proud of his campaign.
“We ran the best campaign we can,” Romick said. “I‘ve learned a lot more getting bucked off and having to get back on then riding every single one of them.”
Romick said he wouldn’t be a stranger to the commissioner’s office going forward, with key issues like development in Stagecoach approaching.
“I will definitely be involved, they will have me I front of them on a constant basis,” Romick said. “I’m going to keep after it because I need to make a better Routt County."
Salinas said she was grateful for Romick, adding that she appreciated that they were both able to make it a positive campaign.
Once sworn in after the first of the year, Salinas will join her fellow commissioners Sonja Macys and Tim Redmond, who was reelected on Tuesday.
“There is a lot of [Salinas] that reminds me of Commissioner [Beth] Melton. Very smart, very prepared,” Redmond said Tuesday night, mentioning the former commissioner who did not seek reelection in 2022. “I imagine she is going to bring a new perspective and a new point of view, which will not hurt.”