Adams County

Incumbent State Rep. Monica Duran won her first term in the Colorado House in 2018. She started as a grassroots activist who took her fight to the public policy arena. Her priorities are ensuring working families can thrive, improving gender and racial equity, boosting health care access, and providing for safer communities. Another focus is commonsense gun safety laws: In June, she noted in an opinion piece in The Colorado Sun that while the COVID-19 pandemic put off certain legislative measures in the works, she would not give up on a law for the safe storage of firearms.

As a survivor of domestic abuse, Duran often introduces and supports bills that protect other survivors. In particular this legislative session, she sponsored and passed a bill to make unemployment easier to access for domestic violence survivors and has raised awareness about hidden abuse during lockdown that can take place. She also advocates for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Duran is also a strong supporter of increased mental health care services and animal rights.

In this race, Duran is by far the preferred candidate and deserves another term to keep fighting for us in the Colorado House.

She is being challenged by Laurel Imer, a Jefferson County Republican activist and the former chair of the Trump campaign for the county. Imer is clearly a fan of Trump’s, arguing that we should “end the COVID chaos,” and in a recent campaign press release named Black Lives Matter as a “domestic terrorist group.” She is supportive of Trump’s racist “America First” policy and likes to be in the company of other right-wing racists and conspiracy theorists. Voters in District 24 shouldn’t elect anyone like Imer to the state legislature. 

Lindsey Daugherty is running for House District 29 to succeed term-limited Democratic State Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp. Daugherty has everything it takes to be a strong progressive voice in the Colorado House. She has worked since 2013 in her own law firm specializing in family and juvenile law, and she regularly volunteers her services to help underserved communities.

Daugherty’s campaign easily exemplifies her image as a forward-looking progressive. She has an explicit aim to work for LGBTQ people at the Capitol and stands firmly with the Black Lives Matter movement. She names access to abortion and affordable contraception as “absolute rights.” Daughterty’s views on the environment line up with the Green New Deal, aiming to boost a transition to renewable resources and investing in industries to create sustainable-energy jobs for years. And she holds that increasing funding to establish quality public schools will benefit not just students but educators, who are often paid far too low, as well.

In a great underscore to her progressive credentials, Daugherty has received endorsements from well-known U.S. Reps. Ed Perlmutter and Joe Neguse. Daugherty has easily earned a recommendation to represent District 29.

The Republican candidate vying for District 29 is Vanessa Warren-Demott. The northern Jefferson County resident says on her website that she supports mental health and transportation but offers very little detail about what she wants to do. Voters should be aware, however, of her relaying stories spouted by the QAnon conspiracy movement. In July, Demott was caught spreading the completely false Wayfair conspiracy theory that “overpriced” items on the furniture store’s website are named after missing children the company wants to sell. This ignorance of the truth is absolutely what progressives don’t want in office.

Ryan Van Gundy is a veteran and engineer in Wheat Ridge and the Libertarian candidate in this race. He has no specific public policy positions apart from running as a Libertarian. Someone who doesn’t tell you how they want to govern or legislate is someone we don’t think you should vote for.

Incumbent State Rep. Yadira Caraveo is already getting recognition as a progressive leader in her first term as a state lawmaker. As a practicing pediatrician, the freshman legislator says her call to political action came from her patients with the issues they faced inspiring her to run for office.

Her priorities are affordable health care, education, and affordable housing. In just one term, Caraveo has been able to pass several bills to improve the lives of Coloradans, including being the leading force to bring a bipartisan approval of the Sick Leave for Employees measure amid the COVID-19 crisis. Other successes this session included an air quality protection law that establishes per-ton fees for air pollutants and emission mitigation and a law protecting patients from abusive medical providers.

As the daughter of parents who moved to Colorado from Mexico, she has vowed to stand up for immigrants. She also has a clear stance against racial profiling practices by police, wage disparity, and other racial justice issues, such ascending the school-to-prison pipelines that plague communities and being vigilant about protecting stricter gun safety laws, particularly keeping firearms away from people in crisis or with violent criminal histories.

With all this and more — such as her push for public funding to level the playing field in politics — Caraveo is easily the progressive voters’ candidate.

Since 2017, State Rep. Adrienne Benavidez has represented District 32, and she is running for a third term. Over the last four years, she has consistently sponsored progressive legislation. Specifically in this session, she worked to improve the protection against air toxics emissions and also sponsored the bill to replace Columbus Day with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day, making Colorado the first state to name a state holiday after a woman.

Benavidez has recently prioritized issues concerning Black Lives Matter and the way police violence should be addressed in Colorado. She also banded with fellow Latino and Black Caucus members to celebrate the Supreme Court’s action against the Trump administration on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, saying its end “would have destroyed the lives of thousands of Colorado families” and calling on Congress for immediate permanent protections.

As the majority co-whip of the Democratic caucus, Benavidez has proven to be a leader with progressive values who deserves reelection. She is the clear choice for District 32.

Her main challenger is Republican candidate Tony Caputo. Caputo has openly expressed his disdain for the LGBTQ community, especially marriage equality. Some of his priorities are protecting freedom of speech from “political correctness,” pushing forward pro-gun policies, and seeking privatization of government departments and functions. Caputo’s campaign does not serve the diversity of Colorado nor promote equity, and as such, we cannot recommend a vote for him.

Also on the ballot is Jason Chapman, a Libertarian. He seems to have disclosed no public stances on any policies, much less those that pertain to District 32, as he lacks a campaign website or any discoverable political social media presence. Stick with the strong and experienced voice and give progressive support to Benavidez.

Incumbent State Rep. Matt Gray has represented District 33 since 2017. A former deputy district attorney and public finance attorney, he has many years of experience working with local governments. Gray’s recent legislative efforts have focused on government efficiency and public finance, and he has served on the finance committee. His recent work has also addressed residential oil and gas drilling; he has repeatedly advocated for homeowners who oppose fracking in their communities and schools. Gray has also been fighting for paid family and medical leave for several legislative sessions.

Before becoming a representative, Gray served as vice chair to the Adams County Youth Initiative and chair of the Broomfield Board of Equalization, ensuring homeowners aren’t over-taxed. His work in the House also has a marked emphasis on transportation, and he has fought for regional funding equality.

Gray is the best progressive candidate to represent this district.

Mindy Quiachon, a conservative activist in Broomfield, is taking on Gray in this election. Quiachon is much like other Republicans on the ballot this cycle: She talks about grand ideas like supporting the economy but has no vision when it comes to specific ideas about problems she wants to solve. What’s worse is her criticism of things like stay-at-home orders and mask mandates — things we know for a fact protect people from COVID-19. A candidate without ideas is someone looking for power for no reason. Voters should instead reelect Gray.

As the only nurse in the Colorado General Assembly, incumbent State Rep. Kyle Mullica has been on the “frontlines of the coronavirus fight” both via his role as a legislator and as an EMT and nurse. In his time as a legislator, Mullica has been a leading voice on public health and protecting working families, introducing bills to curb vaping and youth nicotine use, lower prescription drug costs, and increase the number of nurses in Colorado schools.

Among Mullica’s other priorities are fighting for working families by ensuring livable wages and collective bargaining rights, better access to reproductive care, support for DREAMers, sustainable energy solutions, and more. Mullica vows to continue his progressive work in an immediate way by fighting for a smart and “just” economic return from the coronavirus pandemic and pushing forward health care reforms.

Mullica is the best candidate to continue bringing progressive values to the capitol on behalf of House District 34.

His opponent, Republican Mark Bromley, is an electrician living in Northglenn. His website boasts his support for quite a backwards agenda. He’s against vaccinations, police oversight, reforming the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), red-flag laws, and gun safety in general as well as the repeal of the death penalty in Colorado. On top of all of that, he also spreads a lot of disinformation and pro-Trump propaganda. A vote for Bromley is a vote against progress in Colorado.

Incumbent State Rep. Shannon Bird is seeking a second term representing District 35. She has longstanding experience in business, financial negotiations, and local government. Before becoming a representative, she served on the Westminster City Council, where she created an internship program and secured funding for infrastructure improvements at schools.

Bird’s legislative work to date has focused on fiscal policy, education financing, and economic development, and she is the vice chair of the House finance committee. She has also been a strong advocate for public education, particularly fair and equitable funding for schools in all neighborhoods. To help working individuals and families, Bird sponsored bills this term easing credential and licensing transferability in fields ranging from electricians to midwives and another on extending workforce development programs. She also supports DREAMers, affordable housing, and pairing law enforcement with behavioral health specialists for response calls — plus she regularly convenes virtual town halls and socially distant meetups with constituents.

She is the best candidate to lead her district forward in fighting for progressive values.

Challenging her for the seat is Republican Roger Lehman. As of the start of September, he appeared to have not spoken to the media or even created a website or social media pages explaining his campaign or his personal policy positions. If Lehman isn’t going to put his voice on any issues, then he should not be Statehouse-bound.

Incumbent State Rep. Mike Weissman is running for a third term in District 36. He has been a progressive voice the last four years and has the record to prove it. On his extensive, bilingual campaign website, he backs a wide range of issues — from evidence-based criminal justice reform to transparent government to bringing Colorado schools out of the bottom of national ranking for state funding. And he has an outstanding record on issues like conservation, battling climate change, and consumer protection.

Weissman has sponsored bills concerning energy efficiency in new residential construction and changing how police and courts handle criminal defendants with mental health issues. His latest legislative session report is strong in sponsoring measures to boost veteran resources, bring counseling and behavioral health services to schools, increasing transparency in medical bills, investing in public resources like transportation, and more. He also does his best to connect with constituents.

The plain choice for progressive representation in District 36 is Weissman.

Republican Dustin Bishop is also vying for the seat. Bishop’s campaign priorities range from instituting a “flat tax rate for everyone, with no deductions” and revoking daylight saving time in Colorado. Of course, Colorado already has a flat income tax rate, and anyone running for the state legislature should already know that. In a stark stance against gun safety laws, he believes, in his own words, that “Americans have the constitutional right to own guns, and this should not be restricted by the type of gun, or the number of rounds that it can hold.” Bishop lacks the political experience and knowledge to successfully represent Coloradans. Instead, reelect Weissman.

Democratic candidate Holly Herson is a proud rural Coloradan who grew up on her family’s farm in Frederick and is now settled in Milliken. Her background is in health care, and before recently welcoming a baby, she and her wife were foster parents for troubled teens. It’s only logical that at the top of her priority list are expanding mental health services, increasing access to medical professionals, and making sure treatments are affordable. She also feels strongly that Weld County is at the forefront of being an energy leader but that innovation in alternate production is necessary to keep eastern Colorado from turning into a ghost town.

Herson has a clear passion for trying to bring change to District 48, and voters should rally behind her to do it.

Running on the Republican side is Tonya Van Beber. Lifelong Weld County resident Van Beber is an educational consultant and co-owns an excavating business with her husband. She stands solidly in the Donald Trump camp and has a pretty direct stance about how she wants to represent her district. “We are not Denver, we are not Boulder,” she declares, adding that “we don’t drive Teslas, we don’t see agriculture as a hobby, we depend on oil and gas, we eat beef.” There’s really nothing else for progressives to see here.

Maria-Vittoria “Guigi” Carminati is a fearless advocate for women and marginalized communities, including survivors of police brutality and domestic violence. An activist and civil rights attorney, she has worked for the Texas ACLU and started her own law firm, The Woman Lawyer.

Carminati is the co-author of several books and articles in space law, is experienced in commercial and civil litigation, and has fought against family separation at the border. On top of that, she has taught at the University of Houston Law Center and helped vulnerable populations seek equity and fair treatment in the face of injustice. These are testaments to her ability to deliver on a progressive vision that prioritizes accessible housing and healthcare, public education, and criminal justice reform.

Carminati will ignite change in her district and at the Capitol, putting “progress back into progressive policy” if elected. She is the clearly preferred candidate.

She is running against Republican incumbent State Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, who was elected in 2019. Bockenfeld has a background in banking and finance. His staunch defense of law enforcement earlier this year during a debate on a police accountability bill shows he will not support progressive criminal justice reform in light of recent protests demanding change. Bockenfeld was also the lone vote against banning the so-called “gay and trans panic defense,” a measure with strong bipartisan support that protects LGBTQ folks from violence and hate crimes.

Kevin Gulbranson is also seeking the District 55 seat. He has served as outreach director of the Libertarian Party of Colorado and Arapahoe County. Gulbranson’s positions on mental health show he prioritizes individual rights and free markets. Policy stances other than those that align with the Libertarian Party are not widely known.