Salida Gunshop Podcast // Nov 3, 2026 Ballot

Teddy Collins on Why He’s Running for Colorado Senate District 4

Teddy Collins is the Republican nominee for Colorado Senate District 4, which includes Chaffee County BALLOTPEDIA. He joined Josiah and Adam at Salida Gunshop to talk about why he moved to Colorado, why he’s running, and the state laws he wants changed.

The Senate District 4 race

Collins won the June 30, 2026 Republican primary unopposed with 25,665 votes BALLOTPEDIA. He faces Democrat Justin Kurth on Nov 3 DENVER GAZETTE, OCT 5 2026.

The seat is open because Sen. Mark Baisley (R) is leaving it to run for U.S. Senate DENVER GAZETTE, OCT 5 2026. Collins says Baisley has endorsed him VIDEO 0:43.

SD4 spans eight counties: Chaffee, Custer, Douglas, Fremont, Jefferson, Lake, Park, and Teller. Salida is in the district SD4 DISTRICT FACT SHEET DENVER GAZETTE, OCT 5 2026.

From Texas instructor to Colorado business owner

Collins says he moved to Colorado “close to a decade ago,” when his wife was pregnant with their first daughter VIDEO 1:22. He says he owns a ranch near Larkspur VIDEO 19:05.

“I moved here for the uh Colorado/American dream and uh it’s been slipping away day by day and I can’t stand it anymore.”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 2:44

He describes earlier work as a firearms instructor, realtor, landman, and stocks and options trader VIDEO 4:08. He runs Spartan Defense in Colorado Springs, which moved there from Texas in 2019 SPARTAN DEFENSE: ABOUT KIM MONSON, APR 3 2026.

Crime, affordability, and why he’s running

Asked what has changed most in Colorado, Collins answers “crime and affordability” VIDEO 18:01. He blames much of the affordability problem on legislators without private-sector experience.

“Crime and affordability have gone uh crime is way up. Affordability is way down.”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 18:10

He talks about a break-in at his business and argues that juvenile offenders are being used to commit crimes VIDEO 13:30. He says the legislature needs “stakeholders” who own businesses VIDEO 16:07, and he lists his volunteer roles with the Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA) VIDEO 19:21.

SB25-003, dealer rules, and the lawsuits

Collins opposes SB25-003, which created a permit and eligibility card for specified semi-automatic firearms and took effect Aug 1, 2026 SB25-003, CO GENERAL ASSEMBLY. He describes the lawsuits CSSA has joined against the state VIDEO 20:36. In Del Toro v. Polis, a federal case in the District of Colorado, CSSA and individual plaintiffs challenge SB25-003; the plaintiffs moved for a preliminary injunction on Aug 11, 2026, and the docket shows no ruling on it as of early October DEL TORO V. POLIS DOCKET. In Langston v. Humphreys, a state case (No. 2025CV31185), CSSA and other plaintiffs challenge Colorado’s firearms excise tax from Prop KK; the court denied one defendant’s motion to dismiss on July 27, 2026, and there is no ruling on the merits LANGSTON V. HUMPHREYS CASE PAGE.

“But without the Second Amendment, the Constitution doesn’t exist in my opinion”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 24:37

He estimates that new dealer security rules would cost his business “70 to $80,000” for security shutters VIDEO 12:41. That figure is his own projection.

Wildlife and CPW

“I consider myself kind of a Teddy Roosevelt Republican, right?”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 10:58

Collins says Colorado Parks and Wildlife needs to be “changed significantly” VIDEO 11:25, and he calls the SB25-003 training program an “unfunded mandate through CPW” VIDEO 9:54.

School safety and armed staff

Collins wants armed security in every Colorado public school KIM MONSON, APR 3 2026 VIDEO 56:07.

“I want to know that they are protected like every single other valuable thing in life is through armed security”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 56:12

He says school boards decide whether programs like FASTER come into a district VIDEO 32:22, and that he is “not advocating specifically for faster” VIDEO 31:30.

Prop KK, mental health, and root causes

Collins argues that violence is a “cultural problem” and that lawmakers should go after its root causes VIDEO 36:02.

“We go after the root causes. We cut the head off the snake, not the limbs.”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 36:43

“I will always go with sugar before I go with salt.”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 46:08

On Prop KK’s excise tax on firearms and ammunition, he says all of the revenue should have gone to mental health VIDEO 47:21.

“Every single dime of it should have gone to mental health.”

Teddy Collins VIDEO 47:29

How to vote in Senate District 4

• Mail ballots must be received, not postmarked, by 7pm MT on Tuesday, Nov 3, 2026.
• Find your nearest drop box or voter center at GoVoteColorado.gov, run by the Colorado Secretary of State.
• Candidates: Teddy Collins (R) CAMPAIGN SITE and Justin Kurth (D)

More Nov 3 ballot coverage: other Pyrost ballot coverage. All Salida Gunshop episodes: podcast archive.

Chapters

• 0:25 Intro: Spartan Defense, SD4, and the Baisley endorsement
• 1:22 Why Teddy moved to Colorado
• 4:08 From firearms instructor to business owner
• 8:06 Growing a business in Colorado
• 9:23 SB25-003 and CPW
• 11:30 New dealer rules and compliance costs
• 13:30 The break-in story and juvenile offenders
• 14:57 Immigration, crime, and law enforcement
• 16:18 Juvenile justice and why he’s running
• 18:01 Crime and affordability
• 19:05 Ranch life and CSSA volunteer work
• 20:36 The SB25-003 and Prop KK lawsuits
• 26:01 The new firearms dealer division
• 27:31 Mark Baisley
• 29:14 School safety and armed staff programs
• 31:49 School boards and who decides on school security
• 34:06 Youth shooting sports
• 35:38 “Ghost guns,” root causes, and mental health
• 40:13 Testifying at the Capitol
• 47:21 Prop KK: where the tax money goes
• 49:22 Ballot measures and petitions
• 52:03 Testimony, stakeholders, and showing up
• 55:22 Educator registry proposal
• 58:00 Education and trade schools
• 1:02:02 Close: get out and vote

Teddy Collins FAQ

Quotes are taken verbatim from the episode’s auto-transcript, with timestamps linking to that moment in the video.