Colorado Politics
Politics can be confusing, frustrating, and feel overwhelming at times.
A recent Colorado Politics article noted how Americans worry about the country’s future, driven, in part, by narratives that describe this year’s presidential elections in apocalyptic terms.
Such framing inevitably misses the fact that politics, at its core, is local. Yes, federal policy shapes the contours of the country, often with global ramifications.
But what often truly matters is the action of local government officials and the laws passed at the ballot box.
Local policy directly affects people’s wallets and livelihood. Notably, local officials decide how and where to allocate taxpayer dollars. If their decision is sound, the benefits that accrue for communities are real and often exponential.
Our partners at Colorado Politics recently reached out to political candidates across the state in an effort to help voters determine who might be the best fit for them.
Included below is that report. It is important to note that candidate biographies are listed in the order they will appear on your ballot.
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES
3rd Congressional District
The Republican-leaning 3rd CD covers most of Colorado’s Western Slope and parts of Southern Colorado, including Pueblo County, San Luis Valley, and Otero County. Its major cities are Grand Junction, Pueblo, Durango and Aspen.
It’s currently represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who moved this cycle across the state to a safer district after narrowly defeating Democrat Adam Frisch in the last election.
This year, Frisch, a retired Wall Street currency trader and former member of the Aspen City Council, is making another run for the seat, this time against Republican Jeff Hurd, a Grand Junction attorney and first-time candidate.
Voter registration:
• Democrats: 110,158
• Republicans: 147,869
• Unaffiliated: 235,914
• Total active voters: 504,308
ADAM FRISCH
Party: Democrat
Website: www.adamforcolorado.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Economics, University of Colorado Boulder
If elected, what are your top three priorities, and how will you tackle them?
1) Cost of Living is killing our working families. We must invest in our communities by making workforce housing more affordable, improving access to health care in rural areas, and lowering the cost of child care.
2) Water is the lifeblood of Western and Southern Colorado. CD3 deserves better than to be represented in Congress by someone backed by special interests who want to steal our water and send it to Denver.
3) Healthcare must get more affordable and accessible in rural areas, so more families can live happier, healthier lives.
Please cite one pressing issue specific or unique to your district, and say how you plan to address it.
CD3 feels left out of the conversation by the Great State of Denver. CD3 is the only Colorado Congressional district that doesn’t touch the Denver Metro. I’ll make sure people in rural Colorado feel listened to and respected by Denver and DC.
Please describe your approach to working with colleagues from across the political aisle.
I’m not a partisan guy. I am not on Team Democrat or Team Republican, but Team CD3. Regular people are fed up with politics, which is why I won’t be a yes-man for either party. I’ll work across the aisle to address the real challenges that face communities in Western and Southern Colorado.
JEFF HURD
Party: Republican
Email: info@jeffhurdforcolorado.com
Website: jeffhurdforcolorado.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Notre Dame; J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2008; LL.M., Columbia Law School, 2010
If elected, what are your top three priorities, and how will you tackle them?
My top three priorities are securing the southern border, supporting our energy industry, and protecting Colorado’s agriculture and water. I will work to enhance border security by completing construction in high risk areas, using advanced technology for surveillance, and strengthening penalties for illegal crossings. Supporting the energy industry is key to job creation and economic growth. I will advocate for responsible energy production policies, including traditional and renewable resources, to boost our local economy and ensure energy security. Protecting our water and agriculture is crucial for our rural communities. I will defend the Colorado River Compact and oppose water exportation schemes that threaten our district’s resources.
Please cite one pressing issue specific or unique to your district, and say how you plan to address it.
A pressing issue specific to our district is water management. I plan to address this by defending water rights, supporting high-altitude water storage, and collaborating with local leaders to protect our agricultural sector and sustain rural communities.
Please describe your approach to working with colleagues from across the political aisle.
I believe in working pragmatically across party lines to achieve results.
Building trust and open communication, especially on shared issues like agriculture and rural healthcare, is essential. I will seek common ground while upholding my principles, aiming to be a prepared, principled, and effective representative for Colorado’s 3rd District.
4th Congressional District
Dominated by Douglas County and portions of Larimer and Weld counties, the solidly Republican 4th CD covers Colorado Eastern Plains, including all or portions of 18 additional counties, including Bent and Crowley Counties.
The district was represented for five terms by Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, who resigned his seat in March. Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a former restaurant owner who has represented the 3rd CD for two terms, moved into the district at the beginning of the year and won a six-way primary for the GOP nomination. She’s facing Democrat Trisha Calvarese, whose background includes writing speeches and policy work for the AFLCIO and the National Science Foundation, moved back to the district last year to care for aging parents shortly before both died.
Voter registration:
• Democrats: 88,839
• Republicans: 187,209
• Unaffiliated: 254,254
• Total active voters: 539,553
LAUREN BOEBERT
(INCUMBENT)
Party: Republican
Website: laurenforcolorado.com
If re-elected, what are your top three priorities, and how will you tackle them?
Our first priority must be securing our Southern Border, which the Biden-Harris Administration has failed to do. We have millions of illegal aliens pouring across our border, with dangerous terrorists and gang members bring drugs and chaos into our communities. It must stop. At a Colorado level, I will continue to prioritize protecting and storing water, as well as introducing bills to protect our oil & gas industry from overreach by the federal government. We need to manage our water resources responsibly for both our ag industry and development, and find solutions that work for our entire state.
Please cite one pressing issue specific or unique to your district, and say how you plan to address it.
Reliable access to water and a plan to store it for our ranchers and farmers, which is why I introduced the Finish the AVC Act to help complete the Arkansas Valley Conduit and have successfully secured millions in funding for water and infrastructure projects in Colorado.
Please describe your approach to working with colleagues from across the political aisle.
I’ve shown I can work across the aisle to get things done, like working with our Democrat Senators to get the Pueblo Jobs Act signed into law. We also collaborated on multiple Community Project Funding requests that led to tens of millions of dollars coming back to Colorado to fund important water and infrastructure projects.
TRISHA CALVARESE
Party: Democrat
Website: trisha4colorado.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Johns
Hopkins University
If elected, what are your top three priorities, and how will you tackle them?
I will fight for our veterans and our seniors, work to get the government out of reproductive choices and freedoms, and I will work to create paths to well-paid union jobs and apprenticeships right out of high school.
While Lauren Boebert has worked to slash Social Security and against health care benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits, I will always stand up for them. I’ll codify Roe v. Wade into law. And I will fight for new ladders of economic opportunity.
Please cite one pressing issue specific or unique to your district, and say how you plan to address it.
We face a rural healthcare crisis and Lauren Boebert’s failure to do her job has made it worse for Eastern Colorado. Families in our district have to drive hours to access basic healthcare.
I’ll fight to increase funding so rural hospitals and clinics can provide essential services, and I’ll push for expanded telehealth options.
Please describe your approach to working with colleagues from across the political aisle.
At the National Science Foundation, I worked with a Trump appointee to take on China and make the American economy more competitive. I’ll work with anyone to get good work done. But Lauren Boebert is a grandstander who only works for herself. We need leaders who will work for the people of Colorado.
COLORADO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CANDIDATES
District 3
The 3rd district covers most of Colorado’s Western Slope and parts of Southern Colorado, including Pueblo and the San Luis Valley.
Voter registration:
• Democrats: 110,158
• Republicans: 147,869
• Unaffiliated: 235,914
• Total active voters: 504,308
ELLEN ANGELES
Party: Democrat
Website: EllenforColorado.com
Bio: A native of Toledo, Ohio, Ellen Angeles went to Whitmer High School and later earned degrees from Kent State, Western Colorado, and Colorado Mesa University.
She also has served as an educator, banker and sales professional. She is a former teacher and a parent with a child in public school.
What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?
Students face major challenges like mental health struggles, unequal access to quality education, and limited online learning resources. Bullying, including cyberbullying, is a serious problem, and concerns about school safety add to their stress. These issues need better mental health support, fair funding, and modernized curricula.
I intend to address these challenges by advocating for mental health funding, ensuring equitable school resources, improving technology access, passing stricter anti-bullying laws, enhancing school safety, and modernizing curricula.
This will better prepare students for diverse careers and create a more inclusive, supportive learning environment.
Briefly describe your philosophy on education.
Public education is essential to create a fair and just society. Every child deserves access to quality, well-funded education, regardless of their background.
Schools should promote critical thinking, creativity, and reflect the diversity of our communities. Teachers must be fully supported, well-trained, and fairly compensated. A strong public education system benefits both students and society by building a more informed and prosperous democracy. Good schools make for great communities.
SHERRI WRIGHT
Party: Republican
Sherri Wright did not respond to the Colorado Politics questionnaire.
District 4
Colorado’s District 4 covers Adams, Arapahoe, Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Larimer, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld and Yuma counties.
Voter registration:
• Democrats: 88,839
• Republicans: 187,209
• Unaffiliated: 254,254
• Total active voters: 539,553
KRISTA HOLTZMANN
Party: Democrat
Website: www.krista4kids.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Human
Development and
Family Studies, University of Missouri;
J.D., University of Missouri
Bio: Krista Holtzmann grew up rural Missouri, where her mother was a teacher and her father served on the local school board. In the last 20 years,
Holtzmann and her husband, a healthcare provider and small business owner, have lived in Parker, Colorado.
She previously served on the Douglas County School Board and the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning Board.
What are the most pressing issues
that students face and how do you
intend to solve them?
Chronic absenteeism, the statewide teacher shortage, and student mental health challenges are critical issues affecting academic success. In 2023-2024, over 1 in 4 Colorado students were chronically absent, missing 10% of the school days. As a state board member, I will collaborate with school leaders, teachers, families, and community members to strengthen student connections to school, promote the importance of public education and the value of recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers. Additionally, I will advocate for continuing Colorado’s efforts to alleviate student anxiety, depression and risk of suicide as documented by the CDPHE Healthy Kids Survey.
Briefly describe your philosophy on education.
Providing a high-quality education to each and every child is a community’s most important responsibility.
Public schools provide opportunities for all students to gain the knowledge and skills needed to reach their full potential. Public schools are also vital to our communities, preparing our workforce and often serving as the largest local employer. Finally, public schools are pillars of democracy, fostering informed citizens and promoting equality for all. As a state board member, I would be honored to support teachers, school leaders, staff, families, and community members in working together toward a common goal: helping every student succeed.
KRISTI “KBB” BURTON BROWN
Party: Republican
Website: kbbforcolorado.com
Education: J.D., Oak Brook College of Law and Government Policy
Kristi Burton Brown did not respond to the Colorado Politics questionnaire.
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOARD OF REGENTS CANDIDATES
The University of Colorado Board of Regents consists of nine members serving staggered six-year terms, one elected from each of Colorado’s eight congressional districts and one from the state at large. The at-large seat is the only statewide race in the 2024 elections.
At-Large
This is the only seat on the nine-member board that is a statewide election.
Voter registration:
• Democrats: 1,008,115
• Republicans: 901,749
• Unaffiliated: 1,883,376
• Total active voters: 3,872,161
ELLIOTT HOOD
Party: Democrat
Website: www.hoodforcolorado.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Colorado Boulder; J.D., Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
Bio: Elliott Hood served as an elementary teacher and later as a school attorney. He chairs the Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and previously served as the vice chair of the state commission Colorado Disability Funding Committee. Hood is married to Caroline and they have two sons.
What are the most pressing issues
that students face and how do you
intend to solve them?
Affordability and debt. We are pricing out many students from pursuing a college degree, and many who do go to college are burdened with debt for years. We need to make college more affordable by, among other things, expanding financial aid, keeping tuition stable, providing more affordable housing, making books and materials lower cost based on need, locking in four-year tuition rates in a student’s first year, and growing our endowment to help with tuition assistance.
Briefly describe your philosophy on education.
I believe very deeply that the most important thing we can do as a community is to build opportunities for people, and the best way to do that is by providing great public schools to everyone, regardless of their background or zip code. I am proud to have dedicated my professional life to public education.
How will you work to keep tuition affordable?
It is several times more expensive to attend CU as an in-state student than it was when I graduated 20 years ago.
We need to slow the pace of tuition increases and prioritize tuition assistance for in-state and lower-income students, who are more likely to take out debt to finance their education.
Beyond tuition, we need to lower the cost of an education at CU by making housing, books, and materials more affordable. Given how little our state spends on higher education — mostly due to TABOR — we need to roll up our sleeves and find creative ways to save students money.
ERIC RINARD
Party: Republican
Website: rinardforregent.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder.
Bio: A design engineer, Eric Rinard has worked for four different Front Range technology companies since 1986. He was also a systems Engineer in Fort Worth, Texas. He is married and he and his wife have four children, ages 11 to 19.
What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?
I have a lot of listening to do before I can precisely answer this question.
As the newest regent, I won’t have all the answers but I am dedicated to help find them, in an objective and inclusive way. One thing I have noticed, however, is that the high cost of living on or around campus essentially doubles the cost of a college education.
Development of more student housing must be a priority. Some of the billions of dollars in CU’s liquid assets can be converted to real assets that will benefit students for generations, while not reducing asset principal.
Briefly describe your philosophy on education.
Primary and secondary education must provide a solid foundation in the basics of life, including reading, writing, arithmetic, science and exposure to the arts. Every student must be encouraged and supported to prepare for higher education as well, to the best of their ability. College preparatory options have grown tremendously in Colorado, and universities need to support and adapt to the needs of students in these new programs, such as P-TECH. At the college level, the most important educational components are free speech, reason, and diversity of opinion, regardless of the chosen field of study.
How will you work to keep tuition affordable?
The university must support and encourage innovative high school programs that include college coursework and two-year degrees. This increases readiness and reduces time to earn a degree, both of which lower student costs and increase educational success.
I oppose unionization of university staff, which ultimately leads to higher tuition costs.
District 3
The 3rd district covers most of Colorado’s Western Slope and parts of Southern Colorado, including Pueblo County and the San Luis Valley. Its major cities are Grand Junction, Pueblo, Durango and Aspen.
Voter registration:
• Democrats: 110,158
• Republicans: 147,869
• Unaffiliated: 235,914
• Total active voters: 504,308
ROBERT LOGAN
Party: Democrat
Website: Loganforcu.com
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Fort Lewis College; public teaching license, Fort Lewis College; Master’s degree, Denver Seminary
Bio: Robert Logan served as a public school teacher for 27 years and retired last year. He was a mentor for the Public Education Business Coalition and as an instructional coach for all teachers at Durango High School. He also served in the Air Force.
What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?
• Reduce the cost of college, for all students, make higher education affordable for all
• Expand the partnerships (not compete) with the other colleges in CD3: Mesa State, Western, Fort Lewis, Adam State. Add value to the district through cooperation
• Expand the partnerships and have a continuous presence in the communities of CD3.
• Improve the involvement of CU with the indigenous groups within CD3.
• Increase the number of instate students accepted and attending one of the four campuses.
• Support collective bargaining for all CU employees
Briefly describe your philosophy on education.
Exploration and curiosity are the cornerstones of learning. When a student finds a reason for understanding a topic/subject and is given the opportunity to explore that subject, the highest level of learning occurs. The teacher/professor’s role is to provide the framework and background for the exploration. When the culture of the classroom is built around those principles and environment is a safe and challenging place to explore, students find motivation for hard work and find joy in learning.
How will you work to keep tuition affordable?
There is no simple or direct solution to this issue, but there are few cost reduction steps that can help.
1. Housing is the most expensive part of the total cost.
• Concurrent enrollment, AP, IB and other pre-on campus credits reduce the number of years a student is paying for housing/food.
• Promoting the campus in Denver and Colorado Springs as just as valuable as Boulder. (Boulder housing/food is the most expensive)
2. Tuition assistance.
• Increase state funding for all students. $116. per credit hour now; increase to $140.
• Provide free tuition for all families earning less than $100,000. This is funded by foundations/donors. Not the state. One bill with clear definitions of expenses. (No hidden fees)
• Promote the value added elements of CU. Total experience of each campus. Lifelong learning. Future options and jobs.
There is always more that needs to be done. The cost of higher education is a major barrier for too many families that would like to attend a university or college.
RAY SCOTT
Party: Republican
Website: www.rayscott.co
What are the most pressing issues that students face and how do you intend to solve them?
Tuition costs and inflation. We shall see in November if the elections help drive down inflation. Tuition is driven in part by spending issues, bring down spending and tuition should track downward or at least stop increases.
Briefly describe your philosophy on education.
Higher education is a privilege not a right in our society. Students need an environment to learn and develop skills for their life journey.
How will you work to keep tuition affordable?
Refer to number 1.
BALLOT MEASURES
The Colorado General Assembly referred half of the constitutional amendments and propositions on the ballot this November, while citizens initiated the rest.
Proposals that seek to change the Colorado Constitution require 55% of the vote to pass, while statutory measures need a simple majority.
A quick note on the language: Propositions are statutory changes, while amendments are constitutional changes.
Here are the measures referred to the ballot by the Legislature:
Amendment G
This measure expands the eligibility for the homestead exemption — a property tax deduction — for veteran homeowners with a disability who are determined to be unemployable because of that disability and as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Amendment H
This measure establishes an independent judicial discipline adjudicative board, set standards for judicial review of a discipline case, and clarify when discipline proceedings become public.
The measure came out of calls in 2022 and 2023 for changes in the judicial discipline process after reports showed a substantial increase in the number of complaints about judges, most of which were dismissed by the state’s judicial commission for lack of jurisdiction, as well as concerns about a lack of transparency around the judicial discipline process.
Amendment I
This measure makes those charged with first-degree murder ineligible for bail.
Amendment J
This measure overturns Amendment 43, adopted by voters in 2006, that banned same-sex marriage. The 2006 initiative was proposed by then-Lt. Gov. Jane Norton and her husband, former U.S. Attorney Mike Norton, and was approved on a 55% to 45% vote.
However, Amendment 43 was deemed null after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015.
Amendment K
This measure adds an extra week for some specific election deadlines. That includes changing, from three months, to three months and one week the deadline for filing initiative petitions with the Secretary of State one week before the election. It also changes from 90 days to 83 days the deadline for referendum petitions that challenge laws adopted by the General Assembly and gives judges and justices an extra week to file their intent to run for office.
Proposition JJ
This measure basically “de-Bruces” the state’s sports betting tax revenue, allowing the state to retain and spend all it collects. Under the measure, the state would use the first $29 million in revenue to regulate sports betting and pay for gambling programs. Any revenue over that would go to the state’s water plan implementation cash fund for water conservation and protection projects.
Voters approved Proposition DD in 2019, setting a 10% tax on sports betting proceeds. In 2022, the state collected $25.6 million from those taxes, more than double the amount collected the previous year. In 2023, revenues exceeded $27 million. According to Water Education Colorado, more than $60 million has been put toward water projects.
The fiscal note on HB24-1436 estimates revenues will exceed $30 million annually beginning in 2023-24.
Proposition KK
This measure, which won no Republican votes and garnered some Democratic opposition, imposes an excise tax on firearms and ammunition, effective April 1, 2025. If passed, it’s expected to generate $35 million in 2025-26, with the funds going toward the Colorado Crime Victim Services Fund for behavioral and mental health and for school security.
Here are the measures referred to the ballot by citizens:
Amendment 79
This measure enshrines the right to abortion in the Colorado Constitution and allows for the use of public funds for abortion services, reversing a 1984 initiative known as Amendment 3.
Amendment 80
The measure amends the Colorado Constitution to say all K-12 students have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education, that parents have the right to direct their children’s education, and that school choice includes neighborhood, charter, private, and home schools, open enrollment options, and any future innovations in education.
Proposition 127
This measure prohibits the hunting of bobcats, mountain lions, and lynx in Colorado. According to the Common Sense Institute, some portions of the measure are already illegal in Colorado, such as hunting and trapping lynx and mountain lions solely for trophies.
Proposition 128
This measure requires individuals convicted of certain violent crimes, including murder, sexual assault, and aggravated robbery, to serve at least 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole. Those convicted of a violent offense three or more times will be required to serve their entire sentence without being eligible for parole or early release.
Proposition 129
This measure creates a new mid-level role in the veterinary field called a veterinary professional associate. The position would require a Master’s degree and would be a step above a veterinary technician but below a doctor of veterinary medicine.
Proposition 110
This measure creates a “peace officer training and support fund” within the Department of Public Safety to assist in recruiting, training, and supporting law enforcement officers and their families.
Proposition 131
This measure changes Colorado’s primary system to an open system, with candidates chosen by voters regardless of party affiliation and not by political parties. The four candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, would then move on to the general election.
The initiative also proposes a ranked-choice voting system, in which voters would rank candidates rather than voting for just one. If approved by voters, the proposition would have gone into effect in 2026, but the Colorado General Assembly, in the final week of its session, passed SB 210, which would delay its implementation until 2028.
