51 S3 EP: 51 Sway and Matt Solomon

Dogs of War

Matt Solomon has been an Eagle County resident since 1996. After dedicating 21 years of his life to public service, Matt took the bold step of becoming Western Colorado’s candidate for the state Senate in District 8. As a candidate, Matt believes in individual freedom and liberties; and advocates for the safety and prosperity of Coloradans not just on the Western Slope but across Colorado.
Matt’s appreciation and understanding of real Western Colorado values and passions and his ability to bring experience and perspective from both the public and private sector is what makes him District 8’s best choice for Senator. As has been noted by people from across the political spectrum Matt’s wide-ranging background and interests lead them to say “Matt is Western Colorado. Matt graduated from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina with a B.A. in Sociology. Matt also attained an A.A.S. from Colorado Mountain College in Paramedicine. Matt serves on the Board of Directors for two non-profits and was nominated for the 2021 Community Impact Award in Eagle, Colorado. After playing college football, Matt was a Professional Whitewater Kayaker and was one of the pioneers of SUP (stand-up paddle boarding) in the Continental United States.
Matt is also a published author. His book Fortunate Accidents uses stories from Matt’s life to teach lessons on personal growth and leadership. Matt’s story is an example of not only how he strives to live everyday but is emblematic of his candidacy and how he will represent District 8 in the state Senate. Matt has spent the last 21 years in public service. He has proudly served his community and country as a paramedic, deputy coroner, through work as a civilian contractor with the United States military, and as a twice-elected Council Member for the Town of Eagle. Matt has a principled record of respecting private property owners’ rights, fighting unnecessary tax increases, defending individual freedoms, and consistently making decisions within the limitations of the both the federal and state constitutions; all while listening to, respecting, and advancing, at times, competing ideologies for the betterment of the community and those living in it.
After growing up working in a family business, Matt transitioned to adulthood by carrying the knowledge from his family into several private sector endeavors. Matt built teams and launched two outdoor sports industry companies internationally. He then started two of his own companies in Colorado – one of which, is the longest standing firearm shop in Eagle County. Matt’s decades worth of experience leading both national and international companies taught him the power of fiscal responsibility and how to navigate the suffocating regulations of an over-reaching government When asked, Matt shares the credit with others. He was instrumental in many policies and resolutions supporting the Town of Eagle. He helped start the Eagle River Park as a citizen, then saw it through to completion as a Council Member. Matt also worked on creative solutions for Page 2 of 2 the Town of Eagle. This included the Town of Eagle’s Climate Action Plan, short-term rental policy, and General Fund reserves.
He was also the spark that created a unanimous approval for returning Council paychecks to the General Fund during the pandemic’s shut-down of local businesses. After sweeping the vote at the District Assembly and winning the Republican Primary by keeping his opponent off the ballot, Matt is now focused on sharing this message of values with the High Country and Western Slope. In Matt’s own words: “This is a huge district with many shared concerns. The safety and education of our children is paramount. We must also address the legislation passed by our current [majority party] representation that has contributed to the increased crime and inflation.
Ensuring that actual Western Slope interests stop taking a backsea