State Rep. Mark Larson, the Cortez businessman who represents House District 59, has made good use of his first term in office.

He’s done a phenomenal amount of homework and is now extremely conversant on many of Colorado’s divisive issues. He’s learned how to work the political system, and also learned to view it with some distaste, an opinion that warms the hearts of many disaffected citizens of the far southwestern counties. He’s put in the time, at home, in Denver and elsewhere, (including numerous hours on the shuttle between here and there) to juggle the needs of the people he represents with the demands of the legislative schedule.

He deserves to be returned to office.

Larson is a moderate Republican, a fiscal conservative who has expressed valid concerns about a potential "hard right turn" by the legislature. That means he occasionally receives criticism from both sides; it also means that he’s achieved a balance between abstract political philosophy and real-world application. He not only understands that Cortez and Durango are not Denver, he understands how and why, and he can explain those differences to Front Range representatives. That’s an invaluable skill.

His challengers are diverse. Bill Zimsky, a Durango attorney, is running on the Libertarian ticket and campaigning on the correct premise that many local residents believe the government is too actively involved in their lives. Be that as it may, the state is not going to wither away, and anyone campaigning for that eventuality is likely to be less than effective in ensuring that southwest Colorado receives the political respect it needs during the legislative allocation of funds.

Suzanne Garcia, a young Democrat who’s also from Durango, has emphasized education (also a Larson focus) and family issues in her low-key campaign. Her political history includes service as chairperson of the La Plata County Democrats and an unsuccessful run for a Durango City Council seat.

Both will appeal — Zimsky from the right and Garcia from the left — to voters unhappy about the current state of political affairs. Larson has three advantages over the challengers. He is a centrist, he is a realist, and he is an incumbent, with all the political advantages that implies. Those advantages can be brought to bear on behalf of the residents of District 59.