Colorado’s first gentleman calls for ‘teamwork’ in return to social media after controversy

Marlon Reis, Colorado’s first gentleman, has returned to social media following a brief hiatus.

The husband of Gov. Jared Polis deleted both his Facebook and Instagram pages last week after arguing with Colorado ranchers over the state’s wolf reintroduction efforts.

On Sunday, Sept. 1, at 11 p.m. upon returning to Facebook, Reis referenced last week’s controversy in a post with a photo of a rabbit.

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“Controversy in and of itself is no reason to back off difficult questions, and disagreements are not the endpoints of problem-solving,” Reis stated. “Rather, they are reminders that the greater the challenge, the more essential the teamwork.”

When a commenter suggested that having “First Gentleman” in the page name was a problem and that it may not be the place to share personal opinions, Reis stated, “I’ll likely be setting up a public page minus the title.”

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“For better or worse, the title is, however, accurate. It’s never easy being the first of anything,” he added, including a photo of him next to portraits of Colorado’s former first ladies. 

The debate between Reis and ranchers occurred on a post the first gentleman made on Saturday, Aug. 24. The post — which has since been deleted from his Facebook page but still exists on Instagram — references the grant program created by Colorado’s Department of Agriculture and Colorado Parks and Wildlife for nonlethal wolf conflict reduction measures.

“A bit of great news to share about ways our State is stepping up to make the reintroduction of Gray Wolves a conservation success story,” Reis stated in the post.

The post triggered comments from Colorado producers, who questioned the value of the grants. The back-and-forth comments quickly devolved and got into water and other issues. Shortly following the debate, Reis deleted both his Facebook and Instagram pages.

According to the statement provided by the governor’s office last week, the first gentleman deactivated the accounts due to an increasing “volume of negative commentary” that he felt was contradictory to his “goal of fostering compassion, appreciation and respect for animals.”

Although Reis’s Facebook page was deactivated last week, the page is populated with animal photos, some of which are dated on the days the page was missing from the platform.

On Friday, Aug. 30, Rachel Gabel, an assistant editor with The Fence Post, wrote in a column that Reis returned to social media on Friday, only to disappear again. Screenshots on the Colorado Wolf Tracker Facebook group indicated the same return and subsequent removal.

The first gentleman’s post from Friday amassed over 80 comments, both from community members welcoming Reis back and criticizing him. In the thread, Reis responds to one thread where a commenter tells Reis, “Don’t let the haters get to you!”

In his response, Reis states, “They have to put up with me for 2 more years, and I know all their red buttons.”

This response prompted another commenter to state: “‘They’ are fellow Coloradans that are struggling with their livelihoods. Have some compassion rather than gloating over pushing their buttons. That’s pretty pathetic for a person in your position.”

Reis responded by stating that “for the record, I’ve never once validated the notion of an ‘urban-rural divide.'”

“What I have done is talk about how we need one another, regardless of zip code, and I’ve encouraged collaboration. That’s not ‘gloating’. As far as pushing buttons, I’ll push yours if you push mine. But I’d rather not go there, and instead focus on how we can succeed together,” Reis stated.

According to Gabel’s report, his Facebook page disappeared again after these comments.

The social media page reappeared by Sunday with his post referencing the recent debates.

“I am privileged to be in a position to champion a cause that I know matters a great deal not only to myself, but to countless Coloradans across our great state,” Reis stated. “Animals need us now more than ever, so let’s rally.”