Passion among Colorado’s pledged Democratic delegates announced Tuesday knows no bounds. Newcomers and old-timers alike will take to the floor of the Democratic National Convention.
Stan Matsunaka made Colorado history in 2001 as the first Asian-American legislator in a leadership position in the history of the Colorado General Assembly. He will attend the DNC as a pledged supporter from Loveland for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
On the other end of the spectrum, Ben Taber from Colorado Springs graduated from high school the day after being confirmed as a delegate for Sen. Barack Obama.
“He had just turned 18 right before the caucus,” said fellow Colorado Springs and Obama delegate Michael Maday. “He’s an example of Obama’s ability to reach these young people.”
The results released Tuesday complete the list of 36 pledged delegates the state will be sending to the Aug. 25-28 convention in Denver. The delegation will include 14 superdelegates; at-large delegate Federico Peña, a former Denver mayor who supports Obama; and three alternates who also support the Illinois senator.
The diverse backgrounds of delegates include small business owner Mary Beth Pyle in Grand Junction and Jayne Bilberry, who does “a little bit of everything” at a restaurant in Montrose.
The list also includes Kathleen Ensz, a pledged Clinton delegate. The Greeley woman created a political stink in 2006 by delivering a Marilyn Musgrave campaign mailer to the congresswoman’s campaign office in Greeley — with a contribution from her German shepherd included.
Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier: 303-954-1661 or jsteltonholtmeier@denverpost.com
