Democrat Lisa Cutter runs for her second term against Republican Donald Rosier in this JeffCo district.

About the district:

Located in western Jefferson County, including a small portion of Littleton and Ken Caryl, but this is mostly a mountain district. Includes Evergreen, Genesee, Conifer, Morrison. Runs north to the Jeffco-Boulder county line and south to the Jeffco-Douglas county line. 

Population: 80,251

Households: 31,386

Median Household Income: $111,733

Median Age: 46 Over 65: 17%

Poverty Rate: 4%

Racial breakdown: 89% white; 7% Hispanic; 2% Asian; 1% Black

Voter breakdown: 26% Dem; 30% GOP; 43%  UAF

The candidates:

Lisa A. Cutter, Democrat

cutterforcolorado.com 

About Cutter: Cutter, part of the 2018 “blue wave,” became the first Democrat in state history to represent the district. She is a public relations consultant and serves on the House Education and Public Health Care & Human Services Committees. She has been among the most successful lawmakers; all of her bills in 2019 were signed into law, including a media literacy curriculum for public education and a law on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs), seen as a way for corporations to stifle citizen activism. She also was a sponsor of several COVID-19 relief laws in 2020. 

Donald Rosier, Republican

donaldrosier.com 

About Rosier: A former Jeffco commissioner, this is Rosier’s first run for the General Assembly. He was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016 but failed to make the primary ballot. Rosier resigned his commissioner seat to become general manager for the Douglas County Sterling Ranch development, which ended after six months. A civil engineer, he is now a consultant and runs an organic farm in his spare time. His legislative priorities include funding for transportation and infrastructure needs, increasing teacher pay and imposing “fiscal restraint” on state lawmakers.  

Cash breakdown/Top donors

Cutter: $116,869

Top donors: Colorado Democratic Party ($12,500), Colorado Springs firefighters small donor ($4,000), Colorado electrical workers small donor ($4,000).

Rosier: $41,264

Top donors: CARE small donor ($2,500), Colorado Chamber small donor ($1,000) and NAIOP (commercial real estate) small donor ($1,000).

Colorado Politics analysis

Leans Democrat. Cutter won by 5% of the vote in 2018 over a last-minute replacement Republican candidate. Democratic-leaning independent expenditure committees are expected to put big dollars into holding the seat in her favor.