State Rep. Polly Lawrence, a Republican from Douglas County, on Tuesday announced a bid for state treasurer in 2018.
Lawrence announced her candidacy in a in which she pledged to rein in state spending and reform the Public Employees’ Retirement Association, which for the .
A former assistant minority leader, the establishment-aligned Republican has long held a position of influence in the Democrat-led House of Representatives.
Last session, she was widely expected to rise to the , but the caucus backed a more conservative leader in Patrick Neville. Instead, she served as something of a political barometer for whether key legislation could pass the GOP-led Senate.
“I’m not afraid to tackle big problems, and I’m not afraid to find bigger solutions to them,” Lawrence wrote in the email. “The future of our state and our nation demands more of us as Coloradans and as Americans.”
Lawrence, who began her third term as a state lawmaker this year, is vying to replace Republican state Treasurer Walker Stapleton, who is term-limited.
She joins a growing Republican field that includes of Littleton and . On the Democratic side, state Rep. Steve Lebsock also plans to run.