Arapahoe County

Joe Biden is one of the nation’s most experienced public servants, having served as a U.S. senator from Delaware for 36 years and the U.S. vice president for eight years. Biden is running on a comprehensive progressive platform.

Biden has championed individual rights throughout his career — from spearheading the Violence Against Women Act to passing laws that expanded the definition of hate crimes to include those based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. Biden led the fight to pass the Brady Bill, which established the national firearms background check system, and helped secure a 10-year ban on assault weapons from 1994-2004. As vice president, Biden oversaw the implementation of one of the largest economic recovery plans in American history in 2009, saving the American automobile industry and millions of American jobs in all sectors of the economy. During the Obama/Biden administration, the United States made significant progress toward a clean energy economy and provided health coverage to millions of Americans via the passage of the Affordable Care Act — a law Biden has vowed to expand and improve.

If elected president, Biden has pledged to work to reverse the damage from the last four years of partisan obstruction and executive branch policies solely benefiting the wealthy and well-connected. Biden supports a $15-per-hour minimum wage and 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave for all workers. He also seeks to address the country's racial wealth disparity, equal opportunity, and jobs gaps by empowering small-business creation and expansion in economically disadvantaged areas. On the climate crisis, Biden proposes net-zero CO2 emissions in the U.S. by 2050 and rejoining the Paris climate accords. On the immediate front, Biden has proposed a national crisis response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Biden’s experience handling the economic recovery with Obama after the Great Recession of 2009 will inform his actions to help individuals, families, small businesses, and local and state governments that are struggling badly as a result of the botched response to the pandemic. Biden will restore the long-standing precedent that public health decisions are best made by public health professionals.

Biden has pledged to defend abortion rights, expand and protect union membership, bring together an equitable and diverse group of experts to handle the nation’s institutional racism crisis, and restore dignity to the office of president of the United States.

Biden is the clear presidential choice for progressive voters.

In this election, he faces Donald Trump — considered by progressives to be the most corrupt, incompetent, anti-progressive president in recent memory and perhaps in American history. Trump’s biggest achievement as president was forcing through a massive tax cut that overwhelmingly favored the wealthiest Americans, making the nation’s historic income-disparity problem even worse. Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Paris Climate Accords, making the U.S. one of very few countries that are not signatories. Trump’s administration has encouraged repeated unsuccessful attempts by Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which has provided health coverage to millions of Americans, including a federal court challenge in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to dismantle the law. Trump has supported racist immigration practices that contravene international law on the treatment of refugees.

Trump’s decisions have trickled into even the most mundane things, affecting Americans on a daily basis. Trump scrapped a bill requiring airlines to disclose bag fees, blocked consumers from suing banks, ignored the growing crisis over student loans, lifted bans on transferring military equipment to local law enforcement which has exacerbated police-citizen conflicts, particularly in relation to Black Lives Matter protests, and has set off a trade war with China that has done tremendous economic damage to American agricultural producers and manufacturers.

Controversies involving Trump’s presidency are too numerous to list here but include lying about mail voting to such a degree that social media platforms have been forced to remove his misinformation, racist, sexist, and defamatory statements against his political opponents, dispatching federal police to attack protesters in unmarked vehicles, installing corrupt and incompetent tools of special interest into every level of government, nominating federal judges and Supreme Court justices who seek to overturn Roe v. Wade, banning transgender Americans from military service, helping spread baseless conspiracy theories, defending the actions of overt white supremacists and racist nationalists, downplaying the severity of the coronavirus pandemic to the public despite detailed foreknowledge of the coming disaster, pursuing diplomacy with dictators while scorning traditional American allies, and changing federal guidelines to undermine racial equality. For a more comprehensive list, we encourage you to visit the Wikipedia page for Trump administration controversies.

Evidence abounds showing that Trump never disassociated himself from his businesses and has used his office for personal enrichment. And let’s not forget he was impeached over revelations he first blocked military aid to Ukraine and then pushed its president to dig up damaging info on his political opponent as a “favor.”

Trump must not only be defeated, but the margin of victory must be so resounding as to prevent him from calling the results of the election into question as he has already pledged to do.

Former Colorado Gov. and incumbent U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper did not take the usual path into public office. After being laid off from his job as a geologist, he opened a successful brewpub. But as a small-business owner, he became involved in his community, and he ran for office. He served two terms each as mayor of Denver and governor of Colorado, using his unique perspective to bring people together to get things done.

When Hickenlooper was sworn in as governor in 2010, Colorado ranked 40th among the states in job creation. By the time Hickenlooper left office eight years later, Colorado had the #1 economy in the nation. Under Hickenlooper, when he was governor, Colorado’s economy grew without leaving Coloradans behind. Hickenlooper expanded Medicaid to cover an additional 400,000 Coloradans and cut the uninsured rate by nearly two-thirds. He signed three landmark gun safety laws in 2013 that banned high-capacity magazines and required background checks for any firearm transfer. On the environment, Hickenlooper made Colorado the first state to limit methane pollution from oil and gas wells. Working with the General Assembly, Hickenlooper signed legislation to ensure every eligible registered voter in Colorado gets a mail-in ballot, made voter registration more accessible, and pushed for numerous other election reforms that have made Colorado a model for election innovation. He also signed historic legislation granting in-state tuition to DREAMers.

Hickenlooper has vowed to improve and build on the Affordable Care Act and supports a federally administered public health coverage option. Hickenlooper recognizes the existential threat of climate change and favors a bold, science-based approach. He supports commonsense policies on gun violence, including restoring an assault weapons ban. Hickenlooper was the first governor of Colorado to apologize for the Sand Creek Massacre and has committed to listening to the voices of marginalized communities and rooting out systemic racism where it lurks in our society, from police brutality to immigration laws to racial disparities in economic status to access to quality education.

Hickenlooper is the progressive voter’s best choice for U.S. senator.

He faces incumbent U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in this election. While in the Senate, Gardner has been a reliable Republican vote on the overwhelming majority of issues. He has supported Donald Trump’s position on votes 89% of the time, and Politico notes that Gardner is “reliably conservative on most issues.” In 2014, Gardner promised in a campaign ad to speak out when his party is wrong and called on Donald Trump to pull out of the race for president in October of 2016. Since then, however, Gardner has fully embraced Trump and was one of the first senators to endorse Trump’s reelection.

From his earliest votes in Congress, Gardner has consistently sought to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He has voted to repeal the ACA and to replace it with a bill that would dramatically decrease health care coverage and increase the cost of coverage. He was quoted at a private luncheon that failing to repeal the ACA would result in fewer donations to Republicans, suggesting he is not motivated by the common good.

Gardner has rejected most gun safety legislation throughout his career and is a top recipient of donations from the National Rifle Association. He has voted against expanding background checks to include gun show sales, which has been the law in Colorado since just after the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. He even voted against banning gun sales to people on the terrorist watch list.

In a historic change of heart, The Denver Post editorial board declared in 2019 they made a mistake in their 2014 endorsement of Gardner, stating he “has been too busy walking a political tight rope to be a leader.”

This race also has a Libertarian candidate: Raymon Doane. Doane is a Denver native who currently works for the Colorado Department of Revenue as a property tax specialist and business analyst. He previously ran for the state senate in 2016 as a Republican, and in 2018, he first filed to run for state treasurer and then for Congress against Democrat Diana DeGette as a Libertarian.

Doane’s few public statements should give voters pause. While the country has been dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, Doane was quoted as saying, “The federal government should not have to intervene on behalf of local municipalities and states that make poor decisions during a pandemic.” He also has said he thinks public health mandates should be more like “suggestions.” Additionally, among the four policy positions Doane takes on his website, one statement endorsing an unregulated Second Amendment stands out: “The government should NEVER have a monopoly on force. The U.S. Senate must … refuse to vote for any legislation which limits an American’s right to self-defense.” These kinds of statements don’t represent Colorado progressives.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette is seeking reelection for what would be her 13th term representing Colorado’s 1st Congressional District. DeGette, a lawyer, is Colorado’s most senior national legislator, the dean of its nine-member delegation, and the state’s only woman in Congress.

A lifelong Denverite, she has dedicated her career to protecting the environment, expanding access to health care, and fighting for reproductive justice. Before being elected to Congress, DeGette served two terms in the Colorado House of Representatives, where she authored an important law that protected access to abortion clinics. She continues this work in Congress as co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus.

DeGette has been recognized for her ability to work across party lines to deliver results. Some of her biggest achievements include playing an important role in the passage of the Affordable Care Act, co-authoring an influential law that modernized our medical research fields, and spearheading two key pieces of legislation that made big improvements in protecting the safety of our nation’s food supply. As chair of a key oversight panel, DeGette has led the effort to hold the Trump administration accountable for separating undocumented children from their families.

DeGette has also been an outspoken advocate for enacting commonsense gun safety measures, safeguarding Colorado’s public lands, and protecting American consumers. If reelected, DeGette will continue being the strong, progressive voice that Denver needs in Washington.

Her Republican opponent, Shane Bolling, is a management consultant working in energy. He is also a Denver resident and a first-time candidate for office. Bolling has not taken any issue positions except for his unabashed support for Donald Trump. He retweeted a Twitter account called “When Is Trump Gone?” with “Not so fast my friend, 4years plus.” He has also retweeted another account that claimed the recent Black Lives Matter protests are the perfect advertising for Trump, commenting, “It’s why Colorado turns back Red 11.03.20 simple Safety & Security.” Bolling also retweets and comments on coronavirus conspiracy theories. He seems to take no positions on anything else.

Ike McCorkle is challenging the Republican incumbent for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. The single father of three kids believes the people in the district deserve a representative who is dedicated to them, not the elite. In order to get Big Money out of politics, he supports a publicly funded, transparent system of campaign financing and wants to see the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling overturned to limit the influence of special interest groups that are buying much of our governmental leadership.

McCorkle is also an unabashed environmentalist who intends to fight for a Green New Deal not just to address the existential threat of climate change and rapidly transition energy production but to reinvest in rural America and create thousands of good-paying jobs in his district. Other policies he supports are ones that will expand equity and opportunity for everyone, including Medicare for All, tuition-free public college, reducing college debt by imposing a tax on Wall Street speculators, and a universal basic income system.

A retired Marine Corps officer and special operator who served for 18 years, six deployments, and four combat tours, McCorkle seeks to bring dignity and integrity to Congress and restore trust and confidence in government. He is a clear progressive choice who, if elected, plans to bring people with diverse backgrounds and beliefs together to build an American society where we lift each other up so that we all benefit together.

The incumbent he faces is U.S. Sen. Ken Buck, a former prosecutor and district attorney in Weld County who has been in Congress since 2014. His legal career has been marred by numerous ethical scandals, including compromising a case against Republican donors and declining to prosecute a sexual assault, instead blaming the victim. Since he has been in Congress, Buck has toed the party’s extreme right-wing line. He is anti-choice, opposes reasonable gun safety legislation, and has said that being gay is a choice. Buck also voted in favor of the 2017 tax reform bill, which heavily favored the wealthy and corporations while increasing tax burdens on the middle class. With all this in mind, Buck must not remain in office.
 

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a lawyer and former Army Ranger who completed three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is running for reelection in Colorado's 6th Congressional District. In 2018, he defeated longtime Republican incumbent Mike Coffman to become the first Democrat ever to represent this district.

Before serving in Congress, Crow spent years helping veterans like himself who struggled to receive benefits, focusing his work on veteran homelessness and substance abuse issues. Then, during his first term, Crow stepped into the national spotlight as one of the seven impeachment managers who argued for Donald Trump’s removal from office during the Senate trial. Crow made the case that Trump put both Ukraine’s safety and the U.S.’s national security at risk by withholding military aid in exchange for political favors.

Crow’s district is the most diverse in Colorado, with 1 in 5 residents being born outside the United States; Crow has said this is what makes his community such a special place to live. He supports protecting DREAMers and passing comprehensive immigration reform and has called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to end its contracts with private prison companies.

Crow has also focused on instituting campaign finance reform. The first bill he sponsored, the End Dark Money Act, would prevent mega-donors from being able to hide their political contributions. His other priorities include preventing gun violence, combatting the effects of climate change, ensuring small businesses are able to thrive, and fighting for a bold investment in America’s infrastructure.

Running against him is Steve House, the former chair of the Colorado Republican Party and a one-time gubernatorial candidate. He spent 35 years working in the health care industry, yet the biggest point House has made about problems in the health care system is that “we must face the facts and repeal Obamacare.” House apparently doesn’t realize that recent Republican efforts to repeal and replace what’s officially known as the Affordable Care Act—which has been a lifeline for many Americans struggling with health insurance coverage—have been cited as increasing the cost of health care coverage while also reducing coverage throughout the U.S. This kind of regressive thinking can’t be elected to office.

Lisa Escárcega knows how important schools are for kids. Escárcega says her teachers kept her on track when she was a kid in the foster care system. That helped push her go to college on a scholarship and then encouraged her to get her master’s degree in school psychology and even continue on to a doctorate in school psychology. The schools helped her achieve her dreams, she says, and she wants to give back. We strongly recommend voting for Escárcega.

Running for the seat as a Republican is Sydnnia Wulff, an activist and attorney. Her only known public statement included her saying that a vote for her was a vote “to continue supporting the only qualified candidate, President Donald Trump.” The state board of education is more important than hurling political propaganda, so don’t vote for Wulff.

Also on the ballot is Alan Hayman, a Libertarian Party officer in Denver. He has no publicly stated education policy positions to speak of, but his Facebook page has posts making light about watching conspiracy theory videos. If he has no policy ideas about the one thing involved in this job, he cannot be supported.

Ilana Spiegel is a highly experienced and well-respected grassroots organizer, columnist, and public education advocate. A mother and a former public school teacher, her platform emphasizes accessibility in higher education, opportunity, affordability, and inclusivity. Her history as a staff developer, coach, and consultant demonstrates that she will follow through on her promise to “fight for Colorado students and families.”

Spiegel’s organizing led to the creation of the Standards and Assessment Task Force, where she worked with stakeholders on legislation to improve standardized testing in Colorado. Spiegel also spearheaded groups such as Taxpayers for Public Education and SPEAK for Cherry Creek to oppose a conservative-majority school board in Douglas County that threatened the vitality of public education. Spiegel organized and spoke at a 2017 teach-in to educate the public about and protest an ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) conference where Betsy DeVos was a speaker.

Her fierce advocacy and organizing work proves she will stand for progressive values by fighting rising tuition, encouraging academic freedom, and making higher education more accessible and diverse.

She faces Republican Richard Murray and the Unity Party’s Robert Worthey. Murray is an attorney from Highlands Ranch and frequently refers to his desire to run for regent because of his “double buff” status. While he does say that he’s worried about the cost of college, he seems to have more ideas about how to make CU’s football team better than he does about the cost of higher education. We think voters should not vote for Murray.

Worthey is a music teacher and former Green Party candidate for the 6th Congressional District. He is now running with the independent Unity Party, whose platform mostly reflects a Republican or conservative agenda. He seems to have no published policy positions or public statements reflecting what he would do once he’s in office.
We recommend voting for Spiegel, a candidate whose agenda aligns with our values.

Incumbent State Sen. Dominick Moreno is has been a public servant for the area practically since the moment he graduated from Georgetown University. He has worked for the people first on the city council, at the statehouse, and now in the state senate. One of the first things he accomplished in office was instituting a universal breakfast for low-income students, and among his top priorities is fighting for working families. He’s the vice chair of the appropriations, budget, and capitol building advisory committees and worked last session on passing laws ranging from LGBTQ issues to foster care services to health insurance affordability. This is the kind of work constituents like to see, and progressive voters should feel comfortable keeping Moreno in office to do it.

Also vying for the seat is Martín Mendez, an Adams County Republican activist. His only full-fledged position on his website is being against vaccinations. Mendez seems to have no other ideas, which is all the more reason to reelect Moreno.

Since his appointment to the seat, State Sen. Jeff Bridges has been a legislator that District 26 — and progressives — can be proud of. His ideals are strongly rooted in boosting hard-working families, achieving health care for all, taking responsibility for climate change, and believing that “women’s issues are everyone’s issues.” But Bridges is also keenly aware that you have to reach across the aisle in order to get things done. That’s why he’s so proud of the fact that every bill he’s passed in the legislature has had bipartisan support.

In his short time in office, Bridges has helped pass legislation to support full-day kindergarten, lower the cost of health care in the state, allow all Colorado employees to earn paid sick leave, and reinvest money in transportation without raising taxes. His accomplishments on working with fellow legislators and in several key committees are numerous, and he’s already looking ahead to what’s next. He plans to seek out things like expanded vocation and continuing education programs and funding and simplifying the tax code so that small businesses can thrive. A fully funded Colorado Water Plan is in his sights as well as increased recognition of reproductive rights.

Bridges is ambitious but also is getting things done. Progressives should be very comfortable giving him all their support to continue doing good work.

Taking him on is Bob Roth, a former Aurora city council member who is very active with various nonprofit organizations. His official public policy statements deal largely in generalities on fiscal responsibility, infrastructure, and education reform. But voters should be concerned about his opinions on the coronavirus and law enforcement. He has been very critical about school and business restrictions, saying everything should open back up in favor of easier logistics and economic relief. On police reform, he criticized proposed bans on Aurora police officers using chemical agents, long rifles, and armored vehicles — aimed at curbing police-protester violence — saying the move “handicapped” officers. Moreover, in an August post on his campaign’s social media, he suggests he wouldn’t have supported comprehensive sexuality education in schools, wouldn’t have prohibited conversion therapy, and wouldn’t have passed the red-flag law. This kind of candidate would derail progressive values if in office.

Also on the ballot is Marc Solomon for the Libertarian Party. He has not made any policy statements widely known.

Chris Kolker is a former teacher and a current financial planner and small-business owner. He previously ran in 2018 for state representative in District 38 and came very close — under 400 votes — to flipping the seat. Kolker has called Arapahoe County home since 1999 and appears to be the kind of person who knows the struggles of everyday life for working families and how the increasing cost of living is making it worse. 

Among Kolker’s top priorities: funding for Colorado schools, instituting more gun-safety laws, improving transportation quality, and taking action on human-caused climate change. He also is a strong proponent of social justice reform, particularly as to the legislature’s recent sweeping changes to law enforcement accountability, and said it’s “long past time for us to … dismantle systemic racism.” His platform and actions already have endorsers like the Human Rights Campaign, Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, and several unions excited to see him in office, and quite frankly, we are too.

Kolker is the one progressives should give their support to in this race.

Vying for the seat on the Republican side is Suzanne Staiert. Staiert has some impressive experience: She is a former city prosecutor for Aurora, the former city attorney for Littleton, and a former deputy Secretary of State. And on issues like education and political integrity, she seems straightforward, if not practically moderate. Staiert wants to say she’s “practical, not political,” but scratch the surface a little, and you’ll find her partisanship coming through. She’s outspoken against reforming our national electoral system, which is clearly broken. She also is a strong supporter of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), which is the primary cause for a number of our budget shortfalls and one of the reasons Colorado is falling behind on education. She definitely doesn’t hit the singingly progressive notes that Kolker does, and he could do more in the office. 

Janet Buckner, a current state representative, has long served the people of Aurora and the surrounding area — and now there's a good opportunity to send her to the state senate. Buckner knows what it’s like to have a working family just trying to get by, which is exactly why she sponsored bills in the legislature to help working women get paid what they are owed. She works hard to help keep insurance companies honest, and, as a former educator, she advocates for educators to be paid what they're worth and for students to be set up for success. Buckner has already shown us that she knows who sent her to the legislature, and progressive voters should support her to keep up the good work.

Karl Stecher is a retired neurosurgeon running for District 28. He only recently espoused any policy positions — one of which is a common Republican preoccupation these days of simply reelecting Donald Trump. Among his other very short statements of interest are helping home-based businesses, backing free choice for schools, and keeping “law and order.” Voters can’t get behind a short-sighted campaign like this.

Longtime legislator and incumbent State Sen. Rhonda Fields is practically a force of nature with her fierceness in taking on controversial issues on behalf of “the voiceless and vulnerable.” The current assistant majority leader of the state senate has a number of wins under her belt in education (public school funding, reducing truancy, and expanding early childhood education), criminal justice reform (the recent law enforcement accountability bill, peace officer standards, and victims’ rights), conservation, youth protection, health care, women’s rights, veteran issues, homelessness, and more.

If it’s not obvious by now, we strongly recommend reelecting Fields.

Making an attempt to challenge her for the seat is perennial Libertarian candidate Michele Poague. She brags about creating “the original Tea Party” and accuses Democrats of wanting “special treatment” of minority groups. This kind of political philosophy basically speaks for itself.

Incumbent State Rep. Meg Froelich has a long history of activism for women’s rights, children’s welfare, education, community leadership, and environmental protection. Since being appointed to the District 3 seat in 2019, she has co-sponsored and passed bills on issues ranging from public-sector collective bargaining to accountability in law enforcement to expanding Medicaid. She used her position on the Energy and Environment Committee to introduce legislation that efficiently manages Colorado’s natural resources, and she has supported the economic balance of development that complements open spaces. In an interview with the Englewood Herald last year, Froelich said she commended the legislature’s work to ban anti-LGBTQ “conversion therapy” and helping create true ID documents for transgender folks and that she would continue to work on issues like paid family leave and protecting the new full-day kindergarten program.

Froelich’s experience as a successful legislator, dedication to the people of Colorado, and progressive policy platform make her the preferred candidate in this race.

Taking her on in this race is Republican Dean Titterington. Titterington is the owner and president of a property management company and a longtime charter school advocate. He recently replaced Bill Klocek as the Republican on the ballot, but Titterington has made no public statements on what he would do if elected to the state legislature. He seems to have no campaign social media presence or even a website. Progressive voters should reelect Froelich to a full term in the Colorado House.

Incumbent State Rep. Emily Sirota, who was first elected to the statehouse in 2018, has been described by former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb as a “progressive with strong roots in her community and deep experience in government, social work, and education.” Before joining the legislature, she helped run an early learning center; worked for the Colorado Progressive Coalition, where she organized support for paid sick leave policy; and has been an aide to a U.S. senator, a congressman, and a governor.

In her first term, Sirota passed critical legislation to end tax breaks for special interests to help fund K-12 education and give relief to working families, enact sweeping reforms to early childhood programs as well as mandating the teaching of the Holocaust and genocide in public schools, place contribution limits on campaigns for county elections, and have Colorado join the National Popular Vote Compact. Sirota also carried a bill for a task force to analyze how much money Colorado could save by going to a health-care-for-all system.

Sirota is the clear progressive choice.

Challenging her for the seat is Republican Larry Braig, a retired Denver firefighter who is running on a typical conservative platform. He fully supports the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) and protecting the Electoral College instead of moving to a national popular vote. Most disconcerting, however, is a July post Braig shared on his campaign Facebook page saying that the Black Lives Matter movement “supports black genocide” because it favors abortion rights and “supports white supremacy” because “it only addresses when a white man kills a black man” and not “black on black crime.” With this racist line of thinking, we strongly recommend against voting for Braig.

Also on the ballot is Libertarian Wes Pinchot. His platform is widely unknown.

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.

Incumbent State Rep. Tom Sullivan was first elected to District 37 in 2018. After his son was murdered in the Aurora movie theater mass shooting, he became involved in politics by advocating for victims’ rights and testifying during committee hearings for stronger gun safety laws.

Sullivan’s platform emphasizes supporting and strengthening middle-class families by stimulating a healthy economy, promoting good jobs, and fighting for affordable health care, education, and housing. While in office, he has fought for the working families of Colorado and successfully sponsored a monumental red-flag gun regulation bill signed into law last year. The bill gained strong opposition from Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO) and Kristi Burton Brown, vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party, who organized a recall effort against Sullivan. Prominent progressive leaders from across the nation including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren rallied their support for Sullivan’s agenda, the recall failed, and the bill was signed into law.

Sullivan deserves to continue to represent this district with the support of progressive voters.

Challenging him for the seat is Republican Caroline Cornell, who is a career coach and education volunteer in the Centennial area. Her campaign website contains some generic platitudes like supporting the economy, wanting more money for fixing roads, and supporting the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). But don’t look for any specifics from Cornell. She seems to use her social media pages largely for kids’ entertainment and proving she has door-to-door selfie skills instead of informing people about her specific views. Not only that, but she seems more interested in getting kids out of quarantine than protecting families during a pandemic. If these are the highlights for her to talk and post about in public, then progressive voters should be worried about what Cornell isn’t saying. 

David Ortiz’s experience as a military veteran, public affairs professional, community and media liaison, advocate, and lobbyist proves he will fight to make equality of opportunity and economic recovery priorities as a representative for District 38.

After college, Ortiz volunteered in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and worked at the Houston mayor’s Office of International Affairs and Development. Ortiz was selected to train as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army, and he survived a near-fatal crash while deployed in Afghanistan in 2012. He was left paralyzed from the waist down and has dedicated his life as a public servant to advocating for veterans, service members, and people with disabilities. He has successfully helped to secure resources for veteran services, served in numerous leadership positions at nonprofits, and worked as a legislative liaison.

Ortiz has demonstrated his commitment to progressive issues through his work on several pieces of legislation on higher education, the criminal justice system, mental health, and housing. He is the clear choice in this race.

He is taking on incumbent State Rep. Richard Champion, an energy businessman and diehard right-wing conservative who toes the party line instead of representing his constituents. Champion was nominated to the seat by a select group of Republican activists after his predecessor joined the Trump administration. He is apparently more angry about stay-at-home orders and mask mandates than about the failed federal response to the coronavirus in the first place. He tends to make up his own facts about reforming health care, resulting in conservative ideas that actually take health care away from people. Champion is the kind of backwards-thinking conservative we don’t want representing us anymore.

Democratic candidate Naquetta Ricks, a Liberian immigrant and longtime resident of Aurora, brings 18 years of business and financial management experience to her bid to represent District 40. She has worked in the transportation, informational technology, and real estate sectors and owns a small business.

Citing the hardships and tragic consequences of gun violence, Ricks has said she’s committed to increasing public safety by supporting legislation on gun safety. She’s also a strong advocate for affordable and attainable housing, knowing well the difficulties buyers face in the market. She is dedicated to developing legislation that moves Colorado toward rent caps and housing programs for low income and fixed-income residents. Among her other priorities are education and economic development.

Ricks is the recommended candidate in this race.

Also vying for the seat are Republican Richard Allen Bassett and Libertarian Robert Harrison. Bassett doesn’t seem to have much true political presence, but his campaign social media is pretty telling of his stances. Amid his general anti-progressive posts are ones with conspiracy theories about COVID-19 data and criticism that the legislature has let the governor run Colorado unchecked. He also strongly opposes stricter gun safety laws.

Harrison, or “Dr. Rob,” is a system architect for UCHealth. He previously ran for office and lost in District 28. His campaign page indicates his priorities are not in line with progressives: He wants to repeal red-flag gun safety laws, objects to joining the National Popular Vote Compact, and asserts “health care bureaucrats” have no authority to make COVID-19 guidelines.

Iman Jodeh has spent the last several years working at the Capitol and in the community advancing several progressive causes. She currently is the community advocate and liaison for Interfaith Alliance of Colorado and is the founder and executive director of Meet the Middle East, a nonprofit dedicated to building relationships between Americans and Middle Easterners. She is also a board member for Colorado’s Women’s Lobby and has taught at the University of Denver.

The Colorado native has a passion for education that’s often tied to elevating public policy. She helped to pass in-state tuition measures for refugees and immigrants who served alongside our troops. She also has advocated for a more inclusive historical narrative for our public school students. Her work on civil rights has aimed to boost voting rights, which she seeks to expand with more opportunities for automatic voter registration and multilingual ballots. Jodeh has said she plans to bring progressive bills to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk and is excited to help him reach his goals of a fully sustainable Colorado by 2030 and preserve our open spaces for the next generation.

Jodeh is the clear choice in this race.

Also seeking the seat is Republican candidate Robert Andrews, who has a straightforward conservative platform. His priorities are passing anti-abortion rights legislation, repealing gun safety laws, and protecting what he calls “a traditional family structure.” He opposes Black Lives Matter protests, characterizing protesters as turmoil-seeking vandals. Andrews doesn’t go into depth on what political plans he has besides stating that Colorado is safer if the public votes Republican. We disagree wholeheartedly and recommend Jodeh for state representative.

State Rep. Dominique Jackson is the incumbent for District 42 and faces no opposition. Her legislative successes since being first elected in 2016 include battling housing discrimination, increasing fines for air and water quality violations, and trying to lower prescription drug costs. We look forward to more of her good work in office.

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.

Incumbent State Rep. Julie McCluskie has represented District 61 since being elected in 2018. McCluskie’s background assisting local schools with mental health and community engagement has informed her important work at the Capitol, where she has helped pass numerous education bills, including a renewal of the READ Act. As a key part of the joint budget committee, she helped prioritize critical services during the Covid-19 pandemic. McCluskie’s stances on health care, education, and opportunities for working families are reflective of a progressive vision for the future of her district, and she is the clear recommended candidate in this race.

Republican Kim McGahey is challenging her for the seat. He is a former real estate broker, citizen’s advocate, and volunteer in Breckenridge. McGahey’s emphasis on fiscal conservancy and constitutional freedoms reflect conservative stances that are likely to obstruct progress in Colorado. Additionally, his virulent opposition to economic shutdowns earlier this year reflects a disregard for public health and safety.

Amy Padden, the Democratic candidate for District 18, is a seasoned prosecutor with a stunning resume, having worked at all levels of law enforcement. Recently, she has been a deputy district attorney for District 5, and she has been both an assistant and deputy chief U.S. attorney and an assistant attorney general in Colorado. Padden wants to use all of that experience for criminal justice reforms like protecting vulnerable populations and addressing systemic inequities like police use of force and over-incarceration. It’s clear Padden stands for progressive reforms and is the clear choice in this race.

Running on the Republican side is John Kellner. He is a Marine Corps veteran and prosecutor in both Boulder County and District 18 and specializes in cold cases. While Kellner undeniably has lengthy experience, progressive voters should be cautious about the fact that he doesn’t seem at all interested in seriously needed criminal justice reforms. Padden is the preferred candidate in this race.