As the 2nd Session of the 70th General Assembly winds down, and as we hear so much rhetoric on the national scene about Democrats vs. Republicans, the tenor can become a bit disconcerting. However, while all of that background noise is going on I’d like to highlight just a small portion of bipartisan work that exemplifies how each side of the aisle can come together to accomplish good legislation.

When I was first elected in 2012 and took office in 2013, it was after a bruising campaign, and it was a very close race. I was told by many that I’d never be able to pass any type of legislation because I had won in a newly designed district that had been designed by Democrats for a Democrat. The election in 2012 came early in November, and while many won’t remember the results of that election, I sure do, and so does my family. I found out on Thanksgiving Day 2012 that I had actually won the seat, but my hopes were not high at that time that I’d be able to be an effective and influential legislator due to the makeup of the Colorado House of Representatives, the Colorado Senate and the sitting governor. It was clear my political life was going to be rough to say the least.

I reflected on those days recently, and I wanted to share that there is plenty of bipartisan work getting done; even with a strong conservative like me, we’ve found common ground over the years, and we continue to do so. While I operate off of core principles, there is always opportunity in collaboration when and where it can be found without compromising why I ran for this seat in the first place. Believe me — I hold the hardest of lines on many things.

Here are some interesting factoids about my bipartisan work on behalf of the people of Colorado since I took office:

I have sponsored or co-sponsored 39 bills that have had bipartisan support, all of which have been signed by the governor of this great state. These have included and had an impact on the following:

That is a sampling of the legislation that I’ve been able to work on across the aisle, and I’ll continue to see those opportunities while not compromising my conservative principles that have led me to represent the good people of Colorado in the state Legislature. When all you seek and hear are the contradictory and angry rhetoric of folks on each side, I felt compelled to remind Coloradans that there are many instances outside of the inflammatory language that leads the state to a better place, and I’m proud of the times in which I’ve been able to use bipartisanship as a means to do something good for the people I represent.