Following her first-ever public campaign appearance in Colorado, presidential candidate Kamala Harris has announced endorsements from a half-dozen Colorado leaders, including two state representatives.

The California senator’s campaign said that her Colorado endorsers include state Reps. Leslie Herod and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, both Denver Democrats.

“Senator Harris knows what it means to fight for justice — and that’s why she’s earned my support,” Herod, chair of the Black Democratic Legislative Caucus, said in a statement released by Harris’ campaign.

“As [San Francisco] District Attorney, she was a national leader on reducing recidivism by focusing on reentry programs, and as Attorney General, she created the Open Justice initiative so that the public could access criminal justice data,” Herod said. “Reducing incarceration and increasing transparency are critical to reforming our broken criminal justice system — and I know that Kamala will continue to fight for justice from the White House.”

“I’m endorsing Kamala Harris because of her focus on education as a means to improve our kids’ lives,” Gonzales-Gutierrez said in the statement. “Her plan to pay teachers their value will not only reward the dedicated public servants in our schools, but will also lead to higher quality education and better outcomes for our children. That’s the moral clarity and smart leadership I’m looking for in a president, and I found it in Kamala.”

The campaign also announced endorsements by Denver-born Katherine Archuleta, former director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in the Obama administration; and Colorado activists Nita Gonzales, Jerry Gonzales and Anna Jo Haynes.

Harris is facing two Colorado rivals — John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet — in her bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination.

On Aug. 2, Harris headlined a rally of about 2,300 people at Denver’s Manual High School. Herod spoke at the rally.

Late last month, the campaign of former Vice President Joe Biden announced that several Colorado leaders, including former Denver Mayor and Clinton Cabinet member Federico Peña, were endorsing his presidential bid.

–

–

–

–