El Paso County

Vice President Kamala Harris is the Democratic nominee to serve as the 47th President of the United States. The daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, Harris' election would represent a historic achievement for women and underrepresented communities across the nation.

Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, Harris attended the historically Black Howard University, then graduating from University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Harris was elected in 2003 as District Attorney of San Francisco, working to reduce recidivism and combat injustice against vulnerable populations. In 2010, Harris was elected California's Attorney General, winning re-election in 2014 before successfully running for the U.S. Senate in 2016. In 2020, Harris was chosen by now-President Joe Biden to serve as the first woman Vice President of the United States.

During Harris' term in the U.S. Senate, she played a central role in fighting back against Donald Trump's Supreme Court Justice appointments, defending the Affordable Care Act that millions of Americans rely on, and working across the aisle on immigration and criminal justice issues. As Vice President, Harris broke a record number of tie votes to pass critical legislation. Harris has promised to sign in to law legislation restoring the abortion rights protections eliminated by the repeal of Roe v. Wade.

Harris' running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, is one of the nation's strongest and most effective progressive chief executives. From humble beginnings as a school teacher and 24 years of enlisted military service, Walz has channeled that experience into tireless advocacy for progressive solutions to the problems faced his state and the nation. As Governor of Minnesota, Walz signed free school meals, abortion rights, and universal background checks for gun purchases into law.

Harris' opponent in the 2024 President race, former President Donald Trump, was ruled ineligible by the Colorado Supreme Court for the presidential ballot on the basis of the 14th Amendment prohibition on candidates for office who have engaged in insurrection. This ruling removing Trump from the ballot was invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court, but the finding that Trump had engaged in insurrection was not addressed in their decision. Trump continues to assert that he won the 2020 presidential election despite no evidence to support that claim ever emerging. As President, Trump appointed three far-right Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court, skewing the court's bias for a generation and directly resulting in the repeal of the historic Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing abortion rights. Massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans signed into law by Trump helped result in historic deficits under his administration and his successor. After losing the 2020 Presidential election, Trump's refusal to admit defeat resulted in the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021, an event Trump hoped would disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.

The 2024 Presidential election represents both the clearest and most important choice for American voters in generations. For the sake of the rule of law and American democracy, Kamala Harris is the progressive choice to be the next President of the United States.
 

Trisha Calvarese is running for Congress to represent Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Calvarese grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, before graduating from Johns Hopkins University. Calvarese has worked for the AFL-CIO and the National Science Foundation. Calvarese is running on a platform of protecting Medicare and Social Security and championing rural communities in need of support for aging infrastructure and environmental risks like wildfires.

Calvarese's opponent, Rep. Lauren Boebert is one of the most polarizing and least effective members of Congress ever elected by Colorado voters. Rep. Boebert's first two terms in office were virtually devoid of accomplishments for the Third District, with Boebert repeatedly claiming credit for funding she voted against. Dissatisfaction with Boebert's representation and growing personal scandals forced Boebert to switch to run in the 4th Congressional District. After winning the CD-4 primary without majority support, Rep. Boebert has campaigned with controversial and discredited far-right members of Congress like Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida over her own constituents. Rep. Boebert has also been repeatedly cited by campaign finance regulators for use of campaign funds for personal interests.

Trisha Calvarase is the clear moral and ethical choice to represent the 4th Congressional District.

River Gassen is the Democratic candidate running for Congress in Colorado's 5th Congressional District. Gassen is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, currently teaching in the astronomy department. Gassen is a researcher working with the CU BioFrontiers Institute, "a unique interdisciplinary community of scientists driven by the mission of improving global health and welfare through collaborative, boundary-pushing bioscience."

Gassen is running for Congress to protect reproductive rights, essential programs like food assistance and Medicaid, and remediating the effects of human-caused climate change. Gassen offers leadership from a STEM educational background and making the American dream of affordable housing and access to health care a reality for everyone in Colorado's 5th District.

Gassen's opponent, right-wing talk radio host and longtime operative for the billionaire-funded conservative group Americans For Prosperity, Jeff Crank, was recently endorsed by ex-President Donald Trump after defeating the previously Trump-endorsed candidate Dave Williams in the Republican primary. Before that endorsement, Crank was fiercely opposed by MAGA Colorado Republicans over his support for Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential race. Crank's employer Americans for Prosperity said that Trump will "do irreparable damage to the country" if elected President again.

River Gassen is the clear champion for progressive values in the 5th Congressional District.

Incumbent Rep. Brittany Pettersen is running for a second term representing Colorado's 7th Congressional District. Pettersen has represented the west Denver suburbs since her original election in 2012 to the Colorado House, then succeeding Sen. Andy Kerr in Senate District 22 in 2019. 

In Congress and her previous career in the Colorado General Assembly, Pettersen has been a leading advocate for criminal justice reform and combating the opioid addiction crisis that threatens communities across the state and nation. Pettersen helped pass landmark Equal Pay for Equal Work legislation which has been modeled in other states. Pettersen was one of the sponsors of the Colorado Option health insurance reform measure intended to reduce premiums on the individual market by up to 20%. In Congress, Petterson has promised to fight for the repeal of the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts and a fairer tax policy for all Americans. Pettersen currently serves on the House Financial Services Committee, and is the Vice Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions.

Pettersen faces a range of minor candidates with little experience. Pettersen's Republican opponent is business owner Sergei Matveyuk. Former state Sen. Ron Tupa, who allied himself with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s failed presidential campaign, is an unaffiliated candidate in this race.

Pettersen is far and away the superior candidate to continue to provide strong progressive leadership to the 7th Congressional District.

Krista Holtzmann is the Democratic candidate running for the Colorado State Board of Education to represent Colorado's 4th Congressional District. Holtzmann served an assistant state's attorney in Iowa and Illinois, including the position of Director of Operations for the Iowa Child Protective Training Academy, before moving to Colorado to serve as a volunteer attorney at the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center. Holtzmann also served on the Douglas County School District Board of Directors. Holtzmann is running to expand opportunity and meet the educational needs of public school students across Colorado.

Holtzmann's opponent, longtime far-right political activist Kristi Burton Brown, is best known as the spokesperson for the failed "Personhood" abortion ban ballot measures that have appears on Colorado's statewide ballot several times since 2008. A former chairperson of the Colorado Republican Party, Burton Brown tried unsuccessfully to organize a recall election against now-Sen. Tom Sullivan, a leading gun safety advocate whose son was killed in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting. Kristi Burton Brown is one of the state's leading advocates for irresponsible ballot measures to slash revenue to public schools and institute disastrous "voucher" programs to fund religious schools at the expense of public schools.

Krista Holtzmann is the obvious progressive choice to represent the 4th Congressional District on the Colorado State Board of Education over one of the state's foremost threats to public education.

Axel Brown is the Democratic candidate running for the University of Colorado Board of Regents to represent the 5th Congressional District. Brown is an Army veteran and graduate of the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. A social worker, Brown is running to help non-traditional students and provide support for active-duty and military personnel seeking higher education.

Brown's Republican opponent Ken Montera is the incumbent member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents representing the 5th Congressional District. Montera is a graduate of the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and a retired retail executive.

We recommend Axel Brown to bring a renewed focus on service members, veterans and non-traditional students to the CU Board of Regents.

Elliott Hood the Democratic candidate running for an at-large (statewide) seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents. Hood is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Hood currently serves on the Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Hood is a former fifth-grade teacher who became an attorney for school districts, involved in litigation to defend COVID-19 safety measures and protections against discrimination. Hood served as vice chairman of the Colorado Disability Funding Committee. Hood is running to keep the CU system affordable and fight for the rights of campus workers.

Hood's Republican opponent Eric Rinard is an engineer and graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and serves as a board member at the Aspen Ridge Preparatory School charter school in Erie.

Elliott Hood is the recommended progressive choice to serve statewide on the University of Colorado Board of Regents.

Ryan Lucas (Democrat) is running for Senate District 10. Lucas is running to protect access to healthcare and protect everyday people from the misuse of artificial intelligence technology. Lucas is endorsed by the Working Families Party, recognizing his dedication to fighting for economic equality and people-first progressive policies.

Lucas is running against incumbent, Republican Larry Liston. Liston is an extreme Second Amendment conservative who supports oil and gas industry and extreme law enforcement tactics.

Also running is Libertarian John C. Hjersman.

Ryan Lucas is the progressive choice for District 10.

Rep. Marc Snyder is running for State Senate District 12. For the past six years, he has represented House District 18 at the state legislature. Snyder is an attorney and the former Mayor of Manitou Springs. Snyder has spent two decades leading his community to improve local transportation, health, economic development, sustainability, restorative justice, and military care.

Snyder is a champion for working families and small businesses at the state house, fighting to increase access to affordable housing and create a small business recovery loan program. Snyder is an effective leader in the legislature, working to make Colorado more affordable, environmentally resilient, and safe.

Donald Trump-enthusiast Stan VanderWerf is running against Snyder. Libertarian John Michael Angle is also running.

Vote Rep. Marc Snyder is the progressive running for Senate District 12.

Running for House District 14 is Katherine Gayle. Though new to state government, Gayle has worked on humanitarian projects locally and across the world regarding issues such as childhood hunger, medical aid, anti-trafficking programs, and access for people with disabilities. She is an advocate for transparent governance that serves the needs of Colorado Springs residents. Gayle supports responsible urban growth that sustains Colorado’s natural beauty, wildfire mitigation and response tactics, and increased public transportation. Gayle also opposes TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) and has been vocal about other solutions to taxation and savings.

Gayle is challenging Rep. Rose Pugliese of the Republican Party. Pugliese, a proud anti-abortion and anti-gun violence prevention candidate is the Republican Minority Leader. She was unsuccessful in furthering TABOR and led her caucus in pushing extreme abortion-ban legislation and insurrection-denial legislation.

Katherine Gayle is the progressive choice for House District 14.

Jeff Livigston is challenging extreme Christian-Nationalist incumbent Scott Bottoms to represent House District 15.

Livingston is an IT professional and veteran of the U.S Army. Central to Livingston’s platform is the support for education, schools, and educators in Colorado. He is a strong advocate for voting rights and government accountability.

Incumbent, Rep. Scott Bottoms is a hateful rightwing politician who regularly takes aim at LGBTQ+ Coloradans. A fervent conspiracy theorist, Bottoms has sponsored extreme anti-abortion legislation and denies that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election along with other strong QAnon sentiments.

Rep. Stephanie Vigil is running for reelection for Colorado House District 16. Rep. Vigil has experienced poverty, child abuse, and disability which served as a catalyst for her to run for office. Therefore, Rep. Vigil has prioritized climate and energy, education, and housing as some of her key issues. Rep. Vigil has sponsored and supported legislation for “Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction” road map, getting Colorado teachers fair wages and resources, and forwarding legislation that will level the power between renters and landlords. Rep. Vigil was a major proponent of successful legislation promoting transparency and fairness for rideshare and delivery drivers.

Rep. Vigil has sponsored bills to support veterans, the use of chosen names for LGBTQ+ youth, public school funding, and access to reproductive healthcare. Rep. Vigil has proven to support and amplify some of the key issues identified by many progressive voters.

Opposing Rep. Vigil is challenger Republican, Rebecca Keltie. Keltie believes in expanding the size and power of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), weakening Colorado's gun safety laws, and undermining public education through diversion of funds away from neighborhood schools.

Rep. Stephanie Vigil has proven to be a progressive leader for District 16.

Rep. Regina English is running for reelection to House District 17. Rep. English has extensive experience in education, specifically providing students with adequate resources and support. A PhD in Management, specializing in Organizational Leadership, Rep. English is a proven non-profit leader and advocate for children of color.

Rep. English is the first Black woman to represent El Paso County in the Colorado General Assembly for House District 17. She supports criminal justice reform— focusing on eliminating punitive justice and advocating for the humane treatment and rehabilitation of incarcerated persons. Rep. English is dedicated to ensuring reproductive healthcare and to improving quality of life for seniors and people with disabilities. She has sponsored bills ranging from animal welfare to social equity in the marajuana industry.

Republican candidate, Elizabeth Riggs is also running for House District 17. She does not have a public platform regarding her candidacy.

Rep. Regina English is the progressive choice for House District 17.

Amy T. Paschal is running for House District 18. Paschal is a software engineer and mother of two. Paschal is running to increase the affordability and accessibility of healthcare in the United States and stop medical bankruptcy. She is also seeking economic justice solutions that serve working Coloradans. Paschal is committed to advancing reproductive freedom, education funding, and developing infrastructure in Colorado. She is a Gun Sense Candidate endorsed by Moms Demand Action.

Republican, James R. Boelens Jr. is also running. He opposes large scale infrastructure projects such as highways expansions.

Amy Paschal is the progressive voice for House District 18.

Arik Dougherty is running for House District 20. Professionally, Dougherty works as a cybersecurity engineer. Father to five children, he is passionate about public education. Dougherty is a proponent of environmental stewardship, compassionate immigration policy, and the importance of social welfare programs.

Jarvis Caldwell is the Republican candidate. He staunchly supports the second amendment and is running to secure protections for gun owners.

Arik Dougherty is the progressive running for House District 20.

Running for House District 21 is challenger Liz Rosenbaum. Rosenbaum has lived in the Fountain Valley for over 20 years after being brought to the area through her husband's enlistment in the US Army. Rosenbaum has a long history of fighting for clean water and founded the Fountain Valley Clean Water Coalition in 2016 to ensure transparency about water safety and contamination.

Rosenbaum will bring her fierce advocacy for clean and safe drinking water to the state capitol and help the voices of her rural community be heard. She understands the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, invest in solar and wind energy, and the need to address food and hospital deserts in Colorado. Rosenbaum worked as the Regional Organizer for Cobalt Advocates, securing signatures in support of the Colorado constitution recognizing the right to abortion (Prop 89).

Rosenbaum is running to unseat pro-gun Representative Mary Bradfield. Bradfield is an extreme conservative more concerned about fighting against gender neutral language, abortion rights, and assault weapons legislation than she is about safe drinking water for her district.

Liz Rosenbaum is the progressive choice for House District 21.

Michael Pierson is the Democratic candidate running for the Colorado House District 22. Pierson is a retired U.S. Air Force veteran with 20 years of service in public affairs. Pierson served as Chief of Public Engagements for the U.S. Space Force and the U.S. Air Force Space Command.

Pierson is running to unseat Republican Rep. Ken DeGraaf. DeGraaf is one of the most stridently conservative members of the Colorado House, frequently making incendiary racist, homophobic, and misogynist rhetoric speeches on the floor of the Colorado House.

Michael Pierson is the clear progressive running for House District 22 over one of the state's foremost far-right embarrassments.

Alessandra Navetta is running for Colorado House District 56. Navetta is a retired nurse and attorney, dedicated to public service. She has served as a Trustee for Pines and Plains Library District. Nevetta is dedicated to speaking out for the rural voices of District 56 by advocating for increased healthcare access, high speed internet infrastructure development, and post-secondary education. She supports adding limitations to the Second Amendment and policies against corporate greed.

Republican candidate Chris Richardson also running. Richardson is a pro-gun, anti-government, TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights)-supporter and believes that the Colorado state government should not pass new laws or policies. Richardson has stated that “We should be repealing what we can, amending what we can’t repeal, and only rarely considering any new law.”

Alessandra Navetta is the progressive choice for House District 56.

Bernard Byers is seeking election to the El Paso County Commission, District 2. Byers is a Colorado native who is passionate about community involvement and service. Be it as a youth basketball coach for the non-profit Colorado Storm, as a bank manager, or as a board member for The Resource Exchange helping support and advocate for children with disabilities, Byers is a strong progressive leader. He has served as a board member for the Colorado Springs Civic Engagement Committee, Colorado Springs Rising Professionals, and as Chair of the Public Art Commission, Pikes Peak region.

Byers is dedicated to supporting and improving education, public, safety, and infrastructure in El Paso County. Byers supports LGBTQ+ rights and is a proponent for increasing access and funding to mental health recourses and suicide prevention. He is endorsed by the Colorado Working Families Party and believes in authentic and transparent governance that serves its community accurately.

Byers is challenging incumbent candidate Carrie Geitner. Geitner is a constitutional conservative who supports harmful and hateful stereotypes about South American immigrants. She is president of a charter school and supports "parental rights" to school choice, which is often associated with anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-diversity sentiments. Geitner does not separate her faith from her approach to government stating "Our rights are given by our creator and not our government. Therefore, we are free to live out our lives as we see fit." She does not support reproductive freedoms, limits to the second amendment, or the repealing of TABOR.

Bernard Byers is the progressive choice for County Commissioner of El Paso County District 2.

Naomi Lopez is running for County Commissioner in El Paso County District 3. Lopez is an educator and speech pathologist dedicated to empowering change and community. She is an active member of her teacher's union and has served as President of Neighbors for Education as well as as a member of the Colorado Springs Education Association, Colorado Education Association Equity Council for Race and Culture, and was a founding member of the Latina Equity Foundation.

Lopez hopes to support smart, inclusive, and thoughtful development in El Paso County. She will balance environmental protections and urban expansion while supporting parks and open space and renewable energy solutions. Lopez aims to improve public transportation options, physical and mental health access and support, and affordable housing for all. She is committed to celebrating diversity and inclusion and promoting all El Paso County has to offer.

Opposing Lopez is Bill Wysong. Wysong supports increasing funding to law enforcement and reducing health care accessibility for incarcerated persons. He is a supporter of TABOR and upholds unfounded and harmful ideologies regarding unhoused people having stated "Homeless encampments bring human waste, drug paraphernalia and other ecological hazards."

Naomi Lopez is the progressive choice for County Commissioner of El Paso County District 3.

Dr. Detra Duncan is running for County Commissioner of El Paso County District 4. Duncan is an active community member who holds a PhD in Organizational Management. She currently serves as a member of the Fountain City Council At-Large. Dr. Duncan also serves the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors, Fountain Creek Watershed District, and Colorado Municipal League.

As commissioner, Dr. Duncan will continue developing public safety measures, affordability, and environmental protections. She is also concerned with the state of healthcare access in El Paso County and is dedicated to providing affordable and readily available care for all. She will stand up for vocational school opportunities and infrastructure repair. Duncan is an advocate and will speak up for the needs of her community.

Applegate is the proud far-right conservative Republican opposing Dr. Duncan. Applegate is a an extreme gun enthusiast and personhood zealot. He also claims the "left is pushing woke social agendas upon children, in an attempt to tear down a nuclear family." Applegate supports TABOR, decreasing the presence of the state government, and doing away with mail-in ballots because of conspiracy theories about fraudulent elections. He does not have El Paso County's welfare in mind.

Dr. Detra Duncan is the progressive choice for County Commissioner of El Paso County District 4.

Jeremy Dowell is running in Colorado's 4th Judicial District against incumbent Republican Michael Allen, who won narrowly in 2020.

Dowell is currently a lawyer working to represent youth in the juvenile justice system in the Colorado Springs area. He was motivated to run for office due to concerns with the lack of voter choice and the "one-size-fits-all approach of the current office." He has also expressed a desire to remove political decision making from the prosecution process.

In his time as District Attorney, Allen has focused on prosecuting drug and violent crimes. He touts his record of convictions as the reason voters should choose him.

Dowell is the right choice for progressives due to his commitment to reducing political decision making in the courtroom and careful approach to individual cases.