Career
He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and was later a Reform Party candidate for the 4th Congressional district in Colorado. He lost to Republican Marilyn Musgrave, in the 2006 United States. House elections. A veteran of the United States Navy, Eidsness served in the Vietnam War before coming to work for the federal Water Pollution Control Administration in 1970.
In 1975, Eidsness moved to Colorado, where he served with the Larimer-Weld Regional Council of Governments.
In 1981, then-United States. President Ronald Reagan appointed Eidsness to the post of Assistant Administrator for Water Programs within the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a post he held until 1983. Eidsness later returned to Colorado in 1991 and in 1999 settled in Fort Collins.
In late 2005, then-Republican Eidsness launched an exploratory committee to examine the prospect of challenging incumbent Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave in Colorado"s 4th congressional district in the 2006 Republican Primary. Eidsness opposed both Musgrave and Democratic candidate Angie Paccione in the November 2006 General Election.
The campaign raised just under of $27,000.
Eidsness garnered multiple newspaper endorsements, including the endorsements of the hometown newspapers of both his major-party opponents. In final returns, he netted over 27,000 votes, or 11.28% of ballots cast. Eidsness announced another run for Congress, this time running for the Democratic nomination.
He withdrew from the race in October, 2007.
A self-described "fiscal conservative" and "social moderate," Eidsness has been critical of the United States. War in Iraq, and has called for a concrete timetable for troop withdrawal. Breaking ranks with many Republicans, Eidsness has also expressed opposition to the Federal Marriage Amendment proposed by Marilyn Musgrave, and opposes federal regulation of abortion.
As a Republican, Eidsness supported Democratic nominee John Kerry during the 2004 presidential election. Eidsness holds more traditionally conservative positions with regard to stricter enforcement of United States. immigration policy and control of government spending.