Office and district sought: State Senate, District 32
Name: Chris Romer
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.romerforsenate.com
E-mail: Chris@romerforsenate.com
Age: 47
Last degree earned: B.A. in Economics (Honors), Stanford University
Occupation: Public Finance Banker, JPMorgan Chase
Hobbies: Coaching girls soccer and lacrosse, golf
Family: Wife Laurie; daughters Rachel, Paige, and Grace.
How long have you lived in Colorado? Where did you live before? Born and raised in Colorado
Last book read: “1776” by David McCullough
Civic Involvement (no more than 5): Chief strategist, Amendment 23; founding president, Great Education Colorado; co-author, 2002 Growth Dividend under TABOR; Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation, founder and bard Member; Colorado Children’s Campaign, past board chair and member
Major endorsements: United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Carpenters Union, Colorado Education Association, AFL-CIO, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado
Why are you running?: With my lifetime of extensive civic involvement together we can overcome the challenges of health care, education, and the economy with common sense solutions.
What are the top three challenges facing Colorado or the institution you seek to represent? (One sentence each please)
Education: Amendment 23 was a good first step, but we must increase funding by at least another 10 percent to achieve the goal of being above the national average based on a percentage of our total economy or Colorado GDP.
Health Care: Providing health insurance for every child in Colorado.
Sustainable Energy: In Colorado we have the natural resources, the technology, and the intellectual capital to become the Silicon Valley of sustainable energy and we can lead the charge toward energy independence and become a national leader in the fight to break our addiction to foreign oil, to reduce the impact of fossil fuels and climate change, and to create a cleaner, high-wage economy.
What is your top priority in the next session if you should win?
I commit that the first bill I will sponsor will be to provide health insurance for every child in Colorado.
What proposal in the last session did you oppose the most?
As former superintendent at the New America Schools I am committed to helping immigrants acquire English but was horrified by Rep. Dave Schultheis proposal to amend the state constitution that would have prohibited government entities from printing most publications in languages other than English.
What proposal in the last session did you agree with the most?
I was proud of HB 1212, the bill that allows pharmacists to prescribe the morning-after pill, otherwise known as Plan B.
Preventing unwanted pregnancies is critical to the educational goals and success of our young adults. Plan A is to provide young people with accurate health information and strong self-esteem, which is essential to making good choices. Unfortunately, Plan A doesn’t always work, and a safe alternative can and should be available.
