Meet Tig

     My name is John “Tig” Tiegen. I am a husband, a father, a Marine, and a proud resident of Colorado Springs. I believe in God, family, country, hard work, personal responsibility, and telling the truth even when it is uncomfortable. I am not running for mayor to build a title for myself. I am running because this city matters, and because too many people feel like common sense has gone missing from local leadership.

     A lot of people know my name because of Benghazi and the book 13 Hours. That part of my life brought public attention, but it is not the reason I am running. What that experience did give me was a very clear understanding of pressure, responsibility, and consequences. When lives are on the line, excuses mean nothing. Blame means nothing. What matters is who steps up, who stays focused, and who takes ownership when it counts. That mindset never left me.

I have lived enough life to know that leadership is not about image. It is not about speeches, headlines, or making everyone happy. Leadership is about doing the hard job in front of you. It is about making decisions when the stakes are real. It is about telling the truth even when people do not want to hear it. It is about standing firm when others fold. Most of all, it is about being accountable for what happens under your watch. That is how I see the role of mayor.

     The mayor is not there to posture. The mayor is there to lead, manage, solve problems, and make sure city government is working for the people who pay for it and live with the results. The people of Colorado Springs deserve a mayor who understands that this is not about politics as usual. It is about public safety, roads, housing, homelessness, growth, water, infrastructure, accountability, and whether families can trust their city to do the basics right.

I am running on common sense because common sense is exactly what this city needs.

    We need safer streets and stronger support for law enforcement, fire, and emergency services. We need leadership that understands public safety is not optional. Families, business owners, and seniors should not feel like they are on their own while City Hall talks in circles.

    We need roads and infrastructure that are actually maintained instead of patched over while residents keep paying the price in traffic, wear and tear, and wasted time. We need to focus on the things people deal with every single day, not just the things that make for a nice press release.

    We need responsible growth. Colorado Springs is growing, whether people like it or not. The question is whether we are going to manage that growth with discipline and common sense, or let it keep outpacing our roads, services, water planning, and neighborhoods. Growth has to work for the people already here, not just for those making money off the next project.

    We need real action on homelessness. That means compassion where it belongs, accountability where it is needed, and policies that protect the public while helping people get back on their feet. Letting problems grow while pretending they are getting better is not leadership.

    We need housing solutions that make sense for working people and families, not just slogans. We need city leadership that understands what rising costs, bad planning, and disconnected decision making are doing to everyday residents in Colorado Springs.

    We need a city government that remembers who it works for. The people are not an obstacle to get around. They are the reason government exists in the first place. City Hall should not feel distant, arrogant, or unaccountable. It should be responsive, transparent, and grounded in service.

    I am not a career politician. I am not coming into this race with polished political language or a playbook built to tell people whatever they want to hear. That is not who I am. I would rather be direct and honest than polished and fake. People may not always agree with me, but they will know where I stand. They will know I mean what I say. And they will know that if I make a promise, I expect to be judged by results.

    I believe leadership starts with accountability. If something is broken, fix it. If money is being wasted, stop it. If a department is failing, address it. If the public is being ignored, change it. If we fall short, own it. That is the standard I believe in, and that is the standard I will bring to City Hall.

    I also believe this city is worth fighting for. Colorado Springs is not just a place on a map to me. It is home. It is where families are trying to build a future. It is where veterans live, where small businesses take risks, where parents raise kids, where churches serve, where first responders answer the call, and where good people want a city government that respects their time, their money, and their trust.

    This campaign is about bringing common sense back to local government. It is about putting the people of Colorado Springs first. It is about leadership that is steady, honest, and willing to make hard calls. It is about building a city that is safer, stronger, more accountable, and better run.

    My Promise to you!

I am not running to be liked, I am running to do the job.

If we fail, that is on me.

If we win, it is because you did the work.

I will show up, I will listen, I will make decisions, I will tell the truth, I will fight for this city. And I will lead with common sense.

    If you want a mayor who will take the job seriously, stand up under pressure, and put Colorado Springs first, I am asking you to join this campaign.

John “Tig” Tiegen