What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
Supporting public education, protecting the environment, and helping my constituents: students, low-income families, people of color, the elderly, military personnel, first responders, and everyone in Senate District 11.
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
Most of my legislation has been bipartisan, because I always try to find common ground with other legislators on education and school safety, environmental protections, public safety, and military veterans, among other subjects.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
I will be a voice for my constituents, bringing my experience as a firefighter, as a high school sports official, and as an elected state representative into the state senate.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
Too many places are being described as affordable housing when they’re not affordable. They’re too expensive. They’re attainable, but not affordable. I want to see more affordable housing being built in Colorado.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
The majority of the bill did a lot of good things for funding mental health and drug abuse programs, and studying other drug-related problems. One part of the bill – the most controversial part – raised the penalties for fentanyl users, even if they didn’t know the drugs they were taking contained fentanyl, and I didn’t like that part. I didn’t want to lose all those other good parts of the bill, so I voted for it, but no, I didn’t like that one part which raised penalties for drug users.
What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
Repeal recent tax hikes on gasoline and delivery services. Repeal expensive regulations on energy, healthcare and housing.
Defend and fully fund the police, lock up repeat offenders and fentanyl dealers reducing crime and making out neighborhoods safe.
Get politics out of schools. Give teachers the honor and support they are due. Let them teach and allow parents to raise their children.
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
Having been in the minority and passed bills the past four years I obviously found common ground.
Wildfire, water, even energy and public safety are all issues that expect both sides of the aisle will find common ground.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
Running for re-election, my perspective has been in the chamber, as a member of the majority party my collaboration skills will be useful in finding that common ground we talked about earlier.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
First thing we do is stop placing costly regulations on housing, next we repeal legislation that has already passed and then we look at how to encourage more supply. The industry is still not building condos and other entry-level home ownership products due to litigation threats. That can be solved legislatively.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
I did not vote for the current law on fentanyl possession, it was a feel-good law that made for good optics but when it came to prosecuting fentanyl dealers, gave the district attorneys nothing workable to bring about convictions. So in the end changed little from the decriminalize fentanyl law we were working under the previous four years, which saw the use of fentanyl explode in this state.
What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
Education, responsibility, limited government
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
I would not seek common ground with either party. I would evaluate the legislation on its own merits and vote accordingly.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
A respect for the human being. That they can make decisions on their own. That government need not shelter and protect people as if they were children.
I believe that parents can make responsible decisions for their children, especially in education. Parents, in general, care more about their children than most others.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
They could define what affordable housing is. The contractors know what is expected of them.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
I believe people make choices and sometimes they make poor choices. It is not my place to tell others how to live or die. Education on the outcomes of their choices would be beneficial.
How candidate order was determined: A lot drawing was held at the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 3 to determine the general election ballot order for major and minor party candidates. Colorado law (1-5-404, C.R.S.) requires that candidates are ordered on the ballot in three tiers: major party candidates followed by minor party candidates followed by unaffiliated candidates. Within each tier, the candidates are ordered by a lot drawing with the exception of the office of Governor and Lt. Governor, which are ordered by the last name of the gubernatorial candidate.
