q&a
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Q&A with Sen. Julie Gonzales | Democratic whip on legislating for marginalized communities
Sen. Julie Gonzales is one of the Colorado Democratic Party’s top political heavyweights going into her second term in the state Senate. After spending more than a decade advocating for progressive policies from the streets of her Denver community, Gonzales was elected to the Senate in 2018 – earning a whopping 83.1% of the vote.…
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Q&A with Rose Pugliese | House GOP’s assistant minority leader on starting conversations
Rep. Rose Pugliese is the most powerful freshman lawmaker in a near powerless party. Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, is assistant minority leader for the GOP caucus in the state House of Representatives – making her the only first-year legislator to hold party leadership in both the state House and Senate. She was elected to represent House…
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Q&A with Rep. Julie McCluskie | Incoming House speaker on taking the lead
State Rep. Julie McCluskie is taking the reins of the Colorado House of Representatives as the chamber enters a historic period of Democratic leadership. After the November election flipped five seats from red to blue, the House now has a 46-19 Democrat-Republican split. This supermajority is likely the largest Democratic advantage in state history and…
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Q&A with Steve Fenberg | Colorado Senate president on what’s to come next session
Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg is preparing to enter the next legislative session with near unprecedented power, largely the result of Democratic dominance in the midterm elections. A Boulder Democrat, Fenberg’s party flipped seven seats from red to blue in the November election, creating a 69-31 Democrat-Republican split in the state legislature. In the House,…
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70 and child-free | Q&A with Colorado seniors on life without having children
While having children has long been viewed as a mandatory mark of adulthood, today, more and more people are opting to live child-free lives in Colorado and nationwide. Colorado’s annual fertility rate – total live births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 – hovered at around 60 to 70 births since 1980, peaking at…
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Q&A with Bob Marshall | State House candidate on bringing back good governance
Robert “Bob” Marshall, candidate for House District 43, said he’s running for office to bring back good governance after the local and national political turmoil he’s witnessed in recent years. Marshall – an attorney and Marine Corps veteran of 28 years – was a Republican for more than three decades before leaving the party in…
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Q&A with Rep. Kurt Huffman | New House member on public service and the campaign trail
After serving in the state House of Representatives for three months, Republican Rep. Kurt Huffman is facing his first general election. Huffman was selected to represent House District 43 by a vacancy committee in June, receiving 55% of the votes from the 45 delegates. Huffman took over the seat from Sen. Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands…
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Q&A with Sen. Gonzales and Rep. Froelich | On making Colorado a sanctuary for abortion access
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, Colorado has emerged as a national leader for abortion protections. Even before the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision was released in June, state lawmakers enshrined abortion as a fundamental right under the Reproductive Health Equity Act. Among the most permissive…
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Q&A with Sen. John Cooke | Minority leader on getting things done and forging friendships
After nearly eight years as a Colorado state senator, John Cooke is leaving elected office with no plans of returning. Cooke concluded his last legislative session in May, facing an impending term limit this January. Since entering the Senate in 2015, the Greeley Republican served as majority whip, assistant minority leader and was promoted to…
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Q&A with Sen. Kerry Donovan | Outgoing senator reflects on her time in the Capitol
For more than seven years, Sen. Kerry Donovan has been a staple of the Colorado legislature. But her career as a state Senator is coming to an end as her term is expiring this January. During her time in the Capitol, Donovan sponsored just under 200 bills, including successful legislation ranging from removing restrictions on…