Cary Kennedy

Cary Kennedy

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Colorado Treasurer

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Deputy Mayor of Denver

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 26, 2018

Education

High school

Manual High School

Bachelor's

St. Lawrence University

Graduate

Columbia University

Law

University of Denver

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Personal website

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

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Cary Kennedy was a Democratic candidate for governor of Colorado in the 2018 election. She was defeated by Jared Polis (D) in the Democratic primary.

Click here for more information on the June 26 Democratic primary election. Click here for more information on the November 6 general election.

Biography

A native of Colorado, Kennedy spent her early years in Evergreen and Denver, graduating from Manual High School. She went on to receive a bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence University, a master's degree from Columbia University, and a law degree from the University of Denver. Kennedy was the author of Colorado Amendment 23, which was approved by voters in 2000 and mandated annual increases in the state's education budget.

Education

• High school - Manual High School
• Bachelor's - St. Lawrence University
• M.P.A. - Columbia University
• J.D. - University of Denver School of Law

Political career

Deputy Mayor of Denver (2011-2017)

Kennedy was appointed as deputy mayor of Denver by Mayor Michael B. Hancock in 2011. Hancock had appointed Kennedy as the city's chief financial officer earlier that year. She was responsible for managing the city's finances and stepping in for Hancock if he had been unable to perform any of the office's duties. Kennedy resigned both positions on February 11, 2017, in order to establish a consulting firm.

Colorado Treasurer (2007-2011)

Kennedy was first elected Colorado treasurer in 2006 and was sworn in the next year. She was defeated in the 2010 election by Walker Stapleton.

Elections

2018

See also: Colorado gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 and Colorado gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (June 26 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for Governor of Colorado

Jared Polis defeated Walker Stapleton, Scott Helker, and Bill Hammons in the general election for Governor of Colorado on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jared Polis (D)	53.4	1,348,888
		Walker Stapleton (R)	42.8	1,080,801
	Submit photo	Scott Helker (L)	2.8	69,519
		Bill Hammons (Unity Party)	1.0	25,854

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,525,062
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Korey Paul Starkey (Independent)
• Veronique Bellamy (G)
• George Allen Cantrell (Constitution Party)
• Michael Wilbourn (Independent)
• Kathleen Cunningham (Unaffiliated)
• Paul Willmon (Unaffiliated)
• Richard Osada (Independent)
• Matthew Wood (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Colorado

Jared Polis defeated Cary Kennedy, Michael Johnston, and Donna Lynne in the Democratic primary for Governor of Colorado on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jared Polis	44.5	283,340
		Cary Kennedy	24.7	157,396
		Michael Johnston	23.5	149,884
		Donna Lynne	7.3	46,382

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 637,002
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Noel Ginsburg (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Colorado

Walker Stapleton defeated Victor Mitchell, Greg Lopez, and Doug Robinson in the Republican primary for Governor of Colorado on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Walker Stapleton	47.7	239,861
	Submit photo	Victor Mitchell	30.1	151,585
		Greg Lopez	13.2	66,432
		Doug Robinson	9.0	45,327

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 503,205
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Barry Farah (R)

2010

Kennedy sought re-election to the office of Colorado treasurer in 2010. She was unopposed in the primary election and was defeated by Republican candidate Walker Stapleton in the general election.

Colorado Treasurer, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Walker Stapleton	50.7%	866,934
	Democratic	Cary Kennedy Incumbent	49.3%	842,877
Total Votes				1,709,811
Election results via Colorado Secretary of State

Colorado Treasurer, 2010
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Cary Kennedy Incumbent	100%	269,827
Total Votes		269,827
Election results via Colorado Secretary of State.

2006

Kennedy was elected Colorado treasurer in 2006. She was unopposed in the primary election and defeated Republican candidate Mark Hillman in the general election.

Colorado Treasurer, 2006
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Cary Kennedy	51.3%	770,403
	Republican	Mark Hillman	48.7%	730,718
Total Votes				1,501,121
Election results via Colorado Secretary of State

Colorado Treasurer, 2006
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Cary Kennedy	100%	133,364
Total Votes		133,364
Election results via Colorado Secretary of State.

Campaign themes

2018

“	Health Care A Public Option for All Coloradans As Governor, I will lead Colorado to universal health care coverage. The Affordable Care Act gets close – 97.5% of children in Colorado are covered and over 94% of Coloradans have health insurance today. We can be proud of this accomplishment, and I will not let Washington take us backwards. But there is more work to do. Every single one of us needs to be able to get high-quality, affordable health care when we need it and where we need it. Right now we face two significant challenges: health insurance is too expensive and too many people don’t have access to the care they need. I have a bold vision to give all Coloradans affordable, high quality health care. Under my plan, all Coloradans will be able to purchase coverage through Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program), or one of the private plans offered to state employees. These public options will lower premiums, stabilize markets, and increase affordable health insurance options for all Coloradans, and especially those in rural communities. Read my full health care plan here. Early in my career I helped start the Child Health Plan in Colorado, which helped tens of thousands of low income children across our state get health insurance. As Governor, I will always work to ensure everyone in Colorado has access to affordable, accessible, high quality health care, because health care is a right for everyone. Reproductive Health Care Women in Colorado — and everywhere — need access to safe and effective sexual and reproductive healthcare, including access to the contraceptive method of their choice and abortion services. I support a woman’s right to choose when and if she will continue her pregnancy. Reproductive rights are human rights and women must have autonomy over their bodies. Over 40 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court granted women this constitutional right in the historic Roe v. Wade case. This decision established that a woman’s Constitutional right to privacy covers her right to make personal medical decisions — including the decision to have an abortion. Because of this landmark decision, women have had access to safe and legal abortion for most of my lifetime. Also for most of my lifetime, some have worked to limit women’s ability to make personal medical decisions. This has resulted in some women, mostly those with less means, having to deal with barriers to accessing the care they need. Colorado has been a national leader in increasing the ability of women to plan for and decide when to become parents. Our state implemented a program that has made all contraceptive methods more widely available to women of all income levels, including long acting methods like IUDs and implants. Colorado’s investment in improving access to more types of birth control has reduced the the teen abortion rate by 64%, reduced unplanned pregnancies among teens by more than 50% and among those in their early 20s by a third. Protecting and Expanding Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care As governor, I will protect and expand access to sexual and reproductive health care. We cannot allow ideological extremists in DC to deny evidence and undermine public health successes by infringing upon a women’s right to choose in Colorado. If the federal constitutional guarantee that has been settled law for decades is overturned, it will be up to the states to protect that right. As governor, I will protect the right of all Coloradans to access the medical care they need — regardless of income — to make their own decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. I will oppose any legislation that attempts to restrict women’s access to reproductive health care or abortion services. I will also fight to protect and improve Coloradans’ access to contraception. Protecting and Expanding Coloradans’ Access to Contraception Having the ability to choose to start a family when one is ready has social, economic, educational and health benefits for women and their families. Having access to contraception increases access to financial stability, higher education and career opportunities. The Affordable Care Act included access to all forms of birth control as part of basic preventative health care, and without a copay. This allowed more women to choose what type of birth control works best for them. If Donald Trump succeeds in rolling the Affordable Care Act and its protections for women back, I will support legislation that protects this access in Colorado. Even before the Affordable Care Act, Colorado passed legislation that prevents insurers from charging women more for the health coverage, and required insurers to cover contraception and maternity care. Women with private insurance are also now able to pick up a year of birth control at once. We can increase access by ensuring that all women have this opportunity, regardless of what type of insurance they have. We must fight back. That is why I support policies that make sense, will help more people, and support access to sexual and reproductive health care for everyone. Education As governor, I will make education Colorado’s top priority. It isn’t acceptable that our economy ranks at the top and our investment in education, K-12 and higher education, ranks at the bottom. We have been cutting our state’s education budget in Colorado for nearly three decades ever since the TABOR amendment passed. The result is that today half of Colorado’s school districts have cut back to a four-day school week and we pay our teachers among the lowest salaries in the country. It’s no surprise that Colorado faces a teacher shortage. Teachers cannot afford to live here. Every day good teachers are leaving the state or leaving the profession. We can do so much better. I grew up with three brothers and sisters who joined my family through the foster care system, so I know what it means when children don’t get the opportunities they need to succeed. I am concerned that our education system is focused too much on high stakes testing, narrowing curriculums and blaming teachers. Colorado can and should have one of the best education systems in the country — one that matches our state’s great progress. We need to support our schools and educators so they can give every student in Colorado the opportunity to succeed. This will be my top priority as Colorado’s governor. A Great Teacher for Every Classroom “Colorado teacher shortage declared a crisis” – Fox31 News, July 28, 2017 Every kid in Colorado needs a great teacher in every classroom. But here in Colorado we are losing good teachers to other states because our salaries cannot compete. Studies show Colorado is one of the ten least attractive states to work as a teacher because of low salaries, lack of support and insufficient professional development. With one of the best economies in the country, we can do so much better. Students living in poverty or in rural parts of our state are most affected by this growing crisis. Paying Teachers as Professionals We know that good teachers are the single most important factor in a student’s academic success. Colorado needs to pay its teachers better. Teachers should be able to afford to live in the community where they work, without having to take a second job or go on public assistance. Colorado should attract and retain the best and brightest in teaching, and support the great teachers we have working today in our classrooms. The average starting salary in Colorado for teachers is $32,126 and is even lower in rural areas of our state. In some rural counties, teachers make 24% less than the average cost of living for the area where they teach. More than 20% of mid- to late-career teachers in our state hold down second jobs. This is the sixth highest percentage in the country. Mid-career Colorado teachers who head families of four or more qualify for seven public benefit programs, the highest number of any state. Colorado’s teachers make 26% less than professionals with comparable levels of education. This is the second worst teacher pay penalty in the country. The lack of investment in our teachers is compromising public education in Colorado. Every day we lose great teachers and lose the potential to give our kids the great education that we want for them. We need to pay teachers a competitive, professional salary that allows them to live in the communities where they teach. Higher pay will promote a larger supply of potential teachers making jobs more competitive and increasing the quality of teachers. My goal as governor is to raise teacher pay in Colorado at least to the national average and close the teacher pay penalty, which is the difference between what a teacher earns and other professionals with the same education. This will help guarantee that every Colorado student, by the age of 19, regardless of where they live and how much their family makes, is ready for higher education, a career, or both. Protecting Retirement My experience as State Treasurer and CFO of Denver makes me uniquely qualified to provide the leadership needed to keep the Public Employee’s Retirement Association (PERA) of Colorado on sound financial footing. Over 10% of Colorado’s population rely on PERA instead of Social Security, and as with Social Security, a pension is a promise. It is essential we protect the retirement savings of so many Coloradans. Especially when those retirement saving equate to $3.8 Billion annually to the 98,332 Colorado residents helping to sustain over 32,807 jobs and $6.1 billion in economic output across Colorado. While I was State Treasurer, I helped lead efforts to strengthen PERA by improving the status of PERA by over $9 billion — the largest improvement in its history. As Governor, I will continue to provide this leadership to ensure we maintain our commitment to public employees and keep our state on sound financial footing. Expanding the Teacher Talent Pipeline and Developing a More Diverse Teaching Workforce Colorado needs to expand its talent pipeline for great teachers and expand opportunities for people who want to pursue a career in teaching. Research has shown significant benefits for students served by teachers who better represent the demographic makeup of their student populations. Scholarships for Future Teachers: As Governor, I will start a scholarship fund using state dollars — matched with private dollars from the foundation and business communities — for students at public higher education institutions who will commit to teaching in hard-to-serve, hard-to-staff schools. Teacher Apprenticeship Programs: My administration will expand teacher apprenticeship programs so that districts can support teachers in their first few years on the job, improving student performance and decreasing turnover rates among young teachers. We can build on existing programs and create public-private partnerships to help fund these programs. With our growing economy, the business community has an incentive to invest in Colorado’s talent pipeline. We will provide mentoring, professional development, and support for new teachers. Concurrent Enrollment for High School Students Interested in Education: Colorado will expand opportunities for high school students to take education classes and graduate with education certificates that expose them to the teaching profession and train them to work as paraprofessionals in classrooms. Increasing scholarships, apprenticeships, and concurrent enrollment will help Colorado recruit top talent into teaching, increase teachers of color and empower teachers to serve in their own communities. Empowering Teachers to Be Leaders Teachers are leaders. We need to support teachers and equip them to better prepare Colorado’s students for the workforce and higher education. Expand the Role Teachers Play in Evaluation Systems: Our current evaluation system does not utilize the expertise of teachers, nor help them improve as professionals. We need a system that puts the student first and focuses on helping every teacher improve student learning. I support giving teachers’ perspectives and expertise more weight in student, teacher and school evaluations. Increase Opportunities for Teachers’ Professional Advancement: I will support school districts in developing programs that allow experienced, high-quality teachers to provide leadership for more junior teachers, help design evaluation systems, and participate in collaborative teaching models. We need to provide our teachers with opportunities to advance in their profession while continuing to directly serve students in the classroom. I will protect the rights of teachers and school staff to collectively bargain. That is the best process to ensure their expertise and perspective is given equal weight in decision’s that affect the success of schools and students. Engaging the Community and Making Our Schools More Equitable We are leaving some of Colorado’s kids behind, especially the ones that need us most. Colorado currently has the second largest achievement gap in the country; our students of color are performing well below their white classmates. I want all of our kids, regardless of background, to get the skills and education they need to succeed. What happens outside of the classroom impacts the performance of our students and contributes to the inequities in Colorado’s schools. Making sure every Colorado student is ready for higher education, a career, or both includes solutions beyond the classroom. Empower Families to Engage in Their Child’s Education: I will help support school districts’ efforts to expand programs that involve families and support their engagement in our schools. Offer two-generation learning opportunities for parents through after-school classes, including ESL, GED, personal finance, and technology classes. Expand district-wide family development programs that teach parents how to work with teachers, what the academic standards mean, and how to support their children in their school work. Universal Access to Quality Preschool and Full Day Kindergarten: Across Colorado, only about half of all young children are enrolled in preschool, or full-day kindergarten. Quality early education is essential for students to succeed and must be available to all young children in our state. Make Access to Technology More Equitable: I will support school districts in providing more opportunities for students to access technology needed for school work. Ensure every student has access to a computer or tablet. Train teachers and school leaders to better utilize educational technology. Ensure all students have access to broadband services. Teachers need support from other professionals: We need to make sure that every district can support nurses, counselors and all of the staff that help students grow and succeed. Support Students: Each student comes to school with a diverse and unique set of challenges and strengths. From food insecurity to social-emotional health, Colorado students face a number of barriers. We need to support our school districts in ensuring families and kids in their community can access the wraparound services they need. Providing access to services that address out of classroom factors will help students and teachers focus on learning. Additional support services are especially important for our students with special needs. We need to provide the services necessary to allow all students to learn and grow with their classmates at their neighborhood school. Replicate the Principles of Community Schools: Community Schools empower teachers and recognize a community’s important role in the education of its kids. We should give districts the support the need to embrace these principles in schools across Colorado. Making Education Colorado’s Top Priority For Colorado to continue its growing prosperity we must make education our top priority. Great public schools are the only way to ensure that our state’s progress reaches everyone. I’ve helped lead some of the largest economic development projects in our state, which have brought global companies and jobs here. But, I see too many Colorado companies go out of state to fill their high-paying jobs because we aren’t preparing our kids. I want all of our kids, regardless of background, to get the skills and education they need so they can get the great jobs our state is creating. I will make public education Colorado’s top priority. Planning for Growth Here are my Guidelines for Growth — a plan that outlines how, as Governor, I will protect our state and plan for the future. 1. Make Colorado Affordable Part of ensuring that our progress reaches everyone is ensuring working Coloradans everywhere can afford to live here. Many people in Colorado can’t afford to live where they work. 2. Protect the Colorado We Love We need to be a leader in protecting open space, water and air so that our children and their children inherit the Colorado we love. 3. Plan, Prepare and Build for the Future Colorado’s gone too long without preparing for growth. We must make forward-looking investments in transportation, housing, water conservation, clean renewable energy and broadband so in the future, Colorado works for everyone. 4. Stand up for Middle-Class Families Colorado has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and many Colorado businesses are partners in our success — they pay their employees a living wage, protect our environment, and are committed to giving back to our community. We should demand that as we grow, businesses moving here are partners in our success. I have released a number of policies that will help us protect the Colorado we love in the face of growth. Housing – Ensuring People Can Live Where They Work In communities across Colorado, from metro areas to rural resort towns, the cost of housing is skyrocketing, leaving limited options to address our state’s massive housing shortage. Today, one in four Coloradans spends more than 50% of their income on housing and 40% of renters in our state spend more than a third of their income on rent. Because of these barriers, along with wage and income stagnation, many Coloradans are not participating in the great economic progress our state is experiencing. People can’t afford to live where they work or stay in the communities where they grew up. Part of expanding prosperity to include everyone is ensuring that Coloradans everywhere can live where they work. Read my full Affordable Housing Plan here. Open Space & Water – Protecting the Colorado We Love For Westerners, our love is the land. We are stewards of this treasured place, now and for the generations to come. Colorado must be a leader in protecting our open space and our water so our children and their children inherit the Colorado we love. Our lands, clean air and rivers also give us a competitive advantage. Businesses want to be here, where we value public lands, our environment, and quality of life. My goal as governor is for Coloradans to work together to conserve 1 million acres of land and 400,000 acre-feet of water by 2050, even as our State’s population grows. I love nothing more than spending time outside in Colorado with my family – hiking, camping, and skiing. I will fight every day to keep Colorado the place we love. I will ensure Colorado’s public lands and treasured waterways are protected and accessible so future generations can enjoy and benefit from them as we do today. All of this becomes more important in the face of rapid growth. Read my full Open Space and Water Plan here. Infrastructure – Plan, Prepare and Build for the Future Colorado has always been a forward-looking and innovative place. But deteriorating roads, inadequate transit systems, and lack of broadband hold our state back, costing us time and money, and leaving many of our communities behind. We can build a more equitable and prosperous Colorado by modernizing our infrastructure. Our growing population is creating an urgency to meet this challenge, but also an opportunity to think big. I am ready to act now to improve Colorado’s infrastructure. I have the experience to protect what we love about Colorado — and a proven track record of success. As Colorado State Treasurer and as the CFO for the City of Denver, I financed hundreds of projects around our state including road and bridge repairs, transit oriented development, community recreation centers, cultural venues and schools. It’s time for us to modernize our state’s transportation and broadband systems to expand prosperity in our state and ensure our progress reaches everyone. Seniors The population of those 65 and older in Colorado is expected to double to 1.2 million by 2030. We need to ensure our seniors are able to live dignified, independent lives and remain in their home if they choose. As CFO of Denver, I helped double Denver’s property tax rebate for seniors and disabled citizens to help keep housing affordable through the 2A ballot measure. As governor, I will ensure that our seniors have access to the housing, health care, transportation and support services they need. PERA My experience as State Treasurer and CFO of Denver makes me uniquely qualified to provide the leadership needed to keep the Public Employee’s Retirement Association of Colorado on sound financial footing. Over 10% of Colorado’s population rely on PERA instead of Social Security, and as with Social Security, a pension is a promise. It is essential we protect the retirement savings of so many Coloradans. Especially when those retirement saving equate to $3.8 Billion annually to the 98,332 Colorado residents helping to sustain over 32,807 jobs and $6.1 billion in economic output across Colorado. While I was State Treasurer, I helped lead efforts to strengthen PERA by improving the status of PERA by over $9 billion — the largest improvement in its history. As Governor, I will continue to provide this leadership to ensure we maintain our commitment to public employees and keep our state on sound financial footing. Mobility To help our growing senior population stay in their homes and in their communities, especially those that live in rural areas, we need to invest in mobility services. More than half of seniors and adults with disabilities depend on families, friends, or volunteers for transportation. As governor, I will partner with regional and local Councils for Aging and Transportation in order to improve senior access to public and specialized transit options. Increased transit options will help all Coloradans live healthy, independent lives. Read my full Infrastructure Plan here. Paid Family Leave Coloradans need the ability to care for their family members as they age. Eighty-eight percent of Coloradans do not have paid leave to care for a seriously ill relative, welcome a new baby to their family, or recover from a personal illness. 43% of Coloradans do not have any paid sick at all.The United States is the only advanced economy in the world that does not offer paid family leave. With Republicans in Washington still unwilling to fund the Child Health Insurance Program, it is clear that states will have to lead to improve working conditions for families. As governor, I will work to create a paid family leave program so that all Coloradans have the ability to care for a loved one. During my time as CFO and Deputy Mayor of Denver I pushed a proposal to provide paid leave for city employees. As governor, I will support legislation that creates a family and medical leave insurance program to provide partial wage-replacement benefits for people who need to care for a new child, care for a sick or aging family member, or recover from an illness themselves. Energy & Environment Colorado’s environment — our land, water and air — is our most important asset and we are stewards of this treasured place for generations to come. I believe protecting Colorado’s environment is a moral responsibility and that climate change is the greatest threat to humanity. My goal as Governor is for Colorado to have the cleanest air and the cleanest water in the country, and to be a model for the nation in using clean, renewable sources of energy. Colorado will be a leader in the fight against global climate change so that we can protect our state, and our world, for the generations to come. Energy How we power our homes, cars and businesses is critical to the quality of our air, the success of our state’s economy and our collective efforts to fight climate change. Colorado has the opportunity to be a strong leader in the clean energy economy and on climate change. We are blessed with an abundant supply of wind and sun, and our labs and businesses are developing technologies that will transform how we produce energy — not just here in Colorado, but around the world. While setting big goals for decades down the road sounds good, we need to take decisive action now to meet and exceed the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. We can implement ambitious carbon pollution reduction targets, and move quickly and efficiently to put in place policies to achieve those targets, by allowing flexible action and innovation in the most cost-effective way. In order to reduce our state’s pollution and combat climate change, we can change how we generate power and make cars, homes and businesses cleaner and more efficient. As Governor, I will double the Renewable Energy standard, guarantee Colorado homes and businesses a 100% renewable energy option, and make CO the best state in the country to buy and drive an electric vehicle. These actions will drive a clean energy boom across the state, particularly in rural Colorado, creating thousands of high-paying jobs, and leaving a legacy of a healthy future for our children and their children. Open Space and Public Lands Colorado’s public lands are our most treasured asset. Our rugged mountains, rivers, grasslands, mesas, and open spaces make Colorado one of the most spectacular natural settings in the world. Public lands also drive many of our local communities’ economies. From tourism and recreation, to cattle grazing and solar power, we have come together across this state to find ways to benefit from these lands while protecting their heritage, natural glory, wildlife, and fragile ecosystems. We must protect our public lands and outdoors; they’re why we love Colorado. I love nothing more than spending time outside in Colorado with my family – hiking, camping, and skiing. I will fight every day to keep Colorado the place we love. I will ensure Colorado’s public lands are protected and accessible so future generations can enjoy and benefit from them as we do today. All of this becomes more important in the face of rapid growth. My goal as governor is for Coloradans to work together to conserve 1 million acres of land by 2050, even as our state’s population grows. Water Water is the foundation for our economy and our heritage. We must protect Colorado’s treasured water for the future, especially in the face of rapid growth, so that Colorado’s families have clean drinking water and Colorado’s rivers stay healthy. We cannot continue to take more from our rivers, drain our aquifers, and dry up farmland to supply water to a growing urban population. Instead, we must take action and implement innovative and forward-thinking solutions to use water more efficiently. Each watershed in Colorado is unique, and we need to support local communities to finance and implement the state water plan. My goal as governor is for Coloradans to work together to conserve 400,000 acre-feet of water by 2050, even as our State’s population grows. Jobs & Economy I have served as a part of Colorado’s leadership team for over 10 years, both as your State Treasurer and the CFO & Deputy Mayor of Denver. I am proud of the progress our state has made recovering from the Great Recession to become the top economy in the country. We are a hub for innovation, collaboration and advanced science and manufacturing. Colorado is building a modern knowledge economy and our future prosperity and job growth will depend on education, research and the exchange of ideas and development of talent. But not everyone in Colorado is benefiting. I am running for governor to build on the great progress we are making and to ensure our progress reaches everyone. TABOR I am the only statewide elected official who has called for permanent TABOR reform since the beginning of my career and helped lead two successful statewide ballot measures that avoided deep cuts in education that TABOR otherwise would have required (Amendment 23 in 2000 and Referendum C in 2005). The spending caps in TABOR have forced Colorado to cut our investment in schools for decades, and prevented our state from modernizing our infrastructure to keep up with growth. Colorado has one of the strongest economies in the country. However, TABOR is outdated and has locked us into fiscal and economic policy that prevents our state from meeting the demands of a growing economy. We can maintain protections for taxpayers, and have responsible fiscal policy for our state by allowing tax revenue to keep up with Colorado’s economic growth. Paid Family Leave Eighty-eight percent of Coloradans do not have paid leave to care for a seriously ill relative, welcome a new baby to their family, or recover from a personal illness. Forty-three percent of Coloradans do not have any paid sick at all.The United States is the only advanced economy in the world that does not offer paid family leave. With Republicans in Washington still unwilling to fund the Child Health Insurance Program, it is clear that states will have to lead to improve working conditions for families. As governor, I will work to create a paid family leave program so that all Coloradans have the ability to care for a loved one and welcome a new child to the family. During my time as CFO and Deputy Mayor of Denver I pushed a proposal to provide paid leave for city employees. As governor, I will support legislation that creates a family and medical leave insurance program to provide partial wage-replacement benefits for people who need to care for a new child, care for a sick family member, or recover from an illness themselves. Equal Pay In Colorado, women are paid 81 cents for every dollar men earn. The wage gap is even larger for women of color. Black women are paid 64 cents, Latinas are paid 54 cents, and Asian women are paid 70 cents for every dollar paid to white men. This inequity is found all across the state and has been growing wider for women of color. It is unacceptable. As the CFO of Denver, I conducted a review of the staff who reported to me to ensure that we were paying people fairly for their work. When I found inequalities, I adjusted salaries to be equal. As governor, I plan to do the same. I will begin my term by conducting a review of equal pay conditions at the state and make adjustments as necessary. In addition to advocating for family friendly legislation like paid family leave, I will support legislation addressing the pay equity gap. Colorado should: Reinstitute something similar to the Colorado Pay Equity Commission to study the problem and support employers and employees in understanding the pay equity gap. Ensure that all state contractors are in compliance with equal pay standards. Ensure that women are not discriminated against in the job application process by preventing employers from seeking salary history information unless the employer had provided a salary range for the open position. This prevents discriminatory payments from following a women throughout her career. Local Preemption of Minimum Wage Colorado voters overwhelmingly took a huge step forward with the passage of Amendment 70 which will raise the minimum wage to $12 and hour by 2020. However, we know that cost of living varies dramatically in different parts of the state. Local communities should be allowed to vote to raise the minimum wage in their towns and cities. As governor, I will push for legislation that overturns the prohibition of local governments enacting minimum wage laws. A majority of minimum wage workers in Colorado are women. This is an issue of local control and economic justice. We must allow Colorado voters and communities the freedom to raise their minimum wage. Collective Bargaining I stand with working families and believe that unions play a critical role in building and protecting the middle class in America. Unions help hardworking people access good paying jobs, health care benefits and have workplace protections. These values make our economy stronger. This is especially important as we are witnessing the largest income gap in our country’s history. When unions are strong, entire communities enjoy better wages and greater social and economic mobility. I believe in collective bargaining, and as governor, I will never let right-to-work laws take hold in our state. Employees, unions and employers all stand to benefit from working together, and workers deserve a seat at the negotiating table. Infrastructure – Plan, Prepare and Build for the Future Colorado has always been a forward-looking and innovative place. But deteriorating roads, inadequate transit systems, and lack of broadband hold our state back, costing us time and money, and leaving many of our communities behind. We can build a more equitable and prosperous Colorado by modernizing our infrastructure. Our growing population is creating an urgency to meet this challenge, but also an opportunity to think big. I am ready to act now to improve Colorado’s infrastructure. I have the experience to protect what we love about Colorado — and a proven track record of success. As Colorado State Treasurer and as the CFO for the City of Denver, I financed hundreds of projects around our state including road and bridge repairs, transit oriented development, community recreation centers, cultural venues and schools. It’s time for us to modernize our state’s transportation and broadband systems to expand prosperity in our state and ensure our progress reaches everyone. PERA My experience as State Treasurer and CFO of Denver makes me uniquely qualified to provide the leadership needed to keep the Public Employee’s Retirement Association of Colorado on sound financial footing. Over 10% of Colorado’s population rely on PERA instead of Social Security, and as with Social Security, a pension is a promise. It is essential we protect the retirement savings of so many Coloradans. Especially when those retirement saving equate to $3.8 Billion annually to the 98,332 Colorado residents helping to sustain over 32,807 jobs and $6.1 billion in economic output across Colorado. While I was State Treasurer, I helped lead efforts to strengthen PERA by improving the status of PERA by over $9 billion — the largest improvement in its history. As Governor, I will continue to provide this leadership to ensure we maintain our commitment to public employees and keep our state on sound financial footing. Rural Colorado’s rural communities are a foundation of our state’s identity, heritage, and economy. But all too often these communities are left behind or left out of economic development, infrastructure, and important public debates. As a state leader for nearly two decades I have worked in rural communities throughout our state. I have helped them rebuild schools, ensured rural children have access to health care and repaired aging highways and bridges. As Governor, I will listen to rural Colorado and and form creative partnerships with our rural communities to provide the support they need to develop their unique strengths and opportunities. Agriculture Our agricultural industry is at the core of Colorado’s economy, identity, and history. Colorado’s diverse agriculture and food industry leads the world in innovation and sustainable management practices. As Governor, I will lead to ensure Colorado’s agricultural industry is a global leader. I support research and innovations that make our agricultural industry dynamic, sustainable and adaptable to climate change. I will prioritize agricultural energy efficiency programs that reduce production costs for farmers and ranchers. As CFO of Denver, I helped develop the financing and represented farmers and ranchers for the National Western Center proposal, which includes a state of the art center for agriculture and climate science. Colorado should lead the nation to strengthen and advance agriculture; promote a safe, high quality and sustainable food supply; and protect consumers and the environment. Economic Development Colorado is building one of the strongest economies in the world. We are determined not just to grow our economy, but to grow in ways that ensure that more people can benefit from our success and protect our beautiful state. Colorado is a model for the nation in developing new ways of doing things. As governor, I will continue my track record of bringing innovative solutions to ensure Colorado’s progress reaches everyone. I will follow the lead of local communities as we partner to bring economic development to all parts of the state. Whether it’s expanding access to broadband, supporting our outdoor recreation economy, investing in infrastructure, or connecting workers with ongoing education or re-training programs, the state should be a partner in ensuring all four corners of our state succeed for generations to come. Broadband Broadband is as essential in our communities now as electricity was a century ago. Colorado’s communities need abundant, redundant, and affordable broadband. Nearly one in four Coloradans in rural areas does not have access to broadband and of those that do, many only have access to expensive, unreliable, and/or slow options. This inequitable access to broadband hurts our rural areas and is a major driver behind the unequal growth across the state. I hear too often from local business owners in rural towns about how they lose internet on important holiday shopping days and cannot process a credit card! Social Justice I have three siblings who joined our family through the foster care program, and one sibling who joined my family through her church. As a child, I saw firsthand how inequity and a lack of opportunities had impacted my siblings’ lives. I recognize that I do not face the same racial, economic and social barriers that many Coloradans face. However, I have devoted my career to tearing down those barriers in pursuit of a more equitable and just society. Racial Justice The racial biases entrenched in the United States do not exclude Colorado. From our criminal justice system, to our economy and public schools, Coloradans of color do not have a fair shot. In 2015, Black Coloradans were nearly three times as likely to be unemployed as white Coloradans. Latino students were more than three times less likely to receive a college degree than white students. American Indians in Colorado are nearly three times more likely to live in poverty than white Coloradans. I have not had to overcome the racial barriers facing many Coloradans. However, I have spent my career trying to dismantle these barriers by writing and implementing policies that support Coloradans who have been denied opportunities to succeed. As Governor, I will fight against racism and racial injustice and I hope all Coloradans will join me in the fight for a more just and equitable Colorado. Immigration My husband immigrated to Colorado from India when he was seven years old. My husband’s family moved here so he could have a better life and it is my commitment as governor to ensure all immigrants in Colorado have the same opportunity. As Governor, I will make sure all Colorado families feel safe and welcome in schools, courthouses, and other public places. That includes standing up to the Trump administration’s racist efforts to scapegoat and persecute our immigrant families. I stand behind all of Colorado’s families and support DACA fully and unequivocally. I call on Congress to demonstrate real leadership and pass comprehensive immigration reform for so many that contribute to our country. Death Penalty I personally do not support the death penalty, and do not believe the state should take a life. I am also concerned that death penalty sentences are disproportionately applied to Coloradans based on race. Extensive research has found racial bias in sentencing and in the application of the death penalty. It is unfair and immoral to continue the practice when we know this bias exists. The death penalty results in slow and uncertain justice for families of victims, an extensive financial burden to families and taxpayers, and is not an effective deterrent of crime. As governor, I will sign legislation that outlaws the death penalty in Colorado. Until then, it is the law in Colorado and the governor is not above the law. I will enforce Colorado law which allows for a direct appeal to the governor to consider all of the facts and circumstances in a case. Before making any decisions as Governor, I will meet with all parties involved in any death penalty case including victim family members. LGBTQ I am proud that Colorado is a leader in protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people from discrimination. While we celebrate the brave activism and progress achieved by LGBTQ Coloradans and their allies, we can do more. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly, equally, and with respect no matter who they are — or who they love. It is long past time for Colorado to ban the harmful and discredited practice of conversion therapy on young people. Transgender Coloradans should be able to have identity documents like driver’s licenses and birth certificates that match who they are. And we need to protect Colorado’s laws from attempts to allow businesses or individuals to pick and choose which laws to follow. Laws in other states that allow businesses to discriminate against people have been detrimental to local economies. Colorado is open for business to everyone, and should stay that way. No one should suffer the sting of discrimination — not in the workplace, not in the marketplace, and not in the classroom — not anywhere. As Governor, I will fight for equality for LGBTQ Coloradans and their families, and I will fight the regressive and hateful policies of the Trump Administration against LGBTQ Americans. Criminal Justice Over the past 35 years, Colorado’s state prison budget has increased by almost 13 times. In 2015 we incarcerated nearly eight times as many people as we did in 1980. This era of mass incarceration in our state has had a devastating impact on individuals, families, communities, and the state’s budget. Reforming our state’s criminal justice system will require a nuanced and thorough set of reforms. As Governor, I will advance an agenda that prioritizes prevention and ensures that jails are not a replacement for important mental health services. We must confront the severe racial biases present in our criminal justice system and we need to demand solutions to bring down the rate of recidivism in our prisons and jails. Gun Violence Prevention We lose too many lives to senseless shootings. We are no stranger to mass shooting tragedies here in Colorado. We need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill, which is why I support common sense restrictions on guns like universal background checks. We also need to keep military-style weapons out of our communities including bump stocks, silencers, and other military style devices that are designed to kill large numbers of people in a small amount of time. Preventing Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Assault Everyone deserves a life free from sexual and gender violence and discrimination. One in five women has been the victim of attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. Nearly 1 in 2 women have experienced sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime. One in six men experiences abusive sexual experiences before age 18. Half of transgender people are sexually abused or assaulted at some point in their lives. As Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement has made very clear – our current cultural norms and existing anti-harassment policies do not prevent widespread sexual harassment. Ending sexual harassment and exploitation requires shining a light, not only on abusers when they do harm, but also on the conditions that tolerate, or even encourage, abuse. As Governor, I will support policies that follow these two principles: Changing the cultural norms that tolerate abuse Supporting survivors of harassment and abuse when they come forward, respect their choice on how to report, and protect their confidentiality. Changing the Culture of Harassment at the Capitol: Having a woman in the governor’s office means we won’t tolerate discrimination, sexual harassment or assault. As governor I will guarantee: Confidential reporting, A thorough investigation of all complaints, If there is wrongdoing, I will take strong action including publicly calling for the person to resign if necessary or if appropriate, terminating their employment. As governor, I will conduct a survey of the conditions of sexual harassment and assault across all branches of state government. This information will help us update sexual harassment policies and enact a culture shift to prevent this behavior from continuing. We also need a nonpartisan, third party process that empowers legislators, employees across the three branches of government, interns and the general public access to safe reporting and thorough investigations. Making College Campuses Safer: One in five women experiences sexual assault while in college. The Trump Administration has rolled back important Title IX guidances issued to universities under the Obama administration. This action by the Trump Administration favors the accused by opening up opportunities for victim-shaming, allowing for investigations to drag on with no conclusion, and rescinding a victim’s right to appeal a decision. As governor, I will push for legislation that codifies the Obama-era guidance so we prevent the Trump administration from taking our state backwards and putting Colorado’s college students at risk. Clean Campaign Pledge We can all agree that the bitter tone and excess of political money in Washington, DC has no place here in Colorado. We’ve shown the country time and again how Colorado leads on so many forward thinking ideas. It’s time for our state to lead again, so I challenge my Democratic primary election opponents to join me in pledging to: Run Clean Primary Campaigns: I promise to run a positive campaign. This is not the time or place for Democrats to run negative campaigns against each other. Democratic primary election voters - Democrat and Unaffiliated alike - want honesty from their candidates and they deserve that. Let’s agree to keep derogatory mentions of each other’s names out of our campaign commercials, mail pieces, phone calls, tweets, etc. Voters want to hear where we stand on the issues - they don’t want to hear personal attacks. Let’s honor Colorado voters and give them what they want. Spend Responsibly: An obscene amount of money gets spent on our elections these days, and people are tired of it. Let’s agree to scale back campaign spending in the Democratic primary. We want to be a strong, united front going into the general election in November. I am asking all Democratic candidates to pledge to cap primary election spending at $3 million -- plenty of funding to get our names on the ballot and effectively communicate with primary voters. This is far more than any Democratic gubernatorial candidate has spent before in the primary, so this should not be a hardship for any of us. Reject Corporate Influence: Corporations have too much influence in our politics today. I propose we all pledge to not take -- and if necessary, return any -- corporate PAC contributions, or donations from corporate lobbyists, to eliminate this influence in our campaigns and in our state government. And for any of us who have already accepted corporate donations, we should agree to return those contributions. When corporations lobby at the capitol it's because they have a profit motive. Send a Message to Outside Groups: Obviously, we can’t coordinate with any outside group that might be supportive of our campaigns, so we can’t tell them what to do. As candidates, we need to send a message about what kind of politics we feel is appropriate in Colorado. If we keep our campaigns positive, they may follow suit. If we can all work together toward improving our elections, maybe Colorado voters will feel more respected and get more engaged. If we show voters in the spring that Democrats are responsible leaders seriously focused on the issues and putting Coloradans first, whichever candidate wins the primary then will then have a strong start in winning the trust of voters in the fall. Gun Violence Prevention Last spring there was a shooting outside my daughter’s high school. Thankfully no students were hurt but like every parent, I’ve watched in horror as children were gunned down at Parkland, Newtown, Las Vegas, Aurora, Bailey and Columbine. No child or parent should have to live with this fear. I shouldn’t be afraid to send my kids to school or to the movies. The gun laws, the gun lobby and our leaders have failed us. Following the Aurora theater shooting, Colorado showed the courage to enact some common sense reforms to keep our kids and communities safer by limiting magazine capacity, requiring background checks for every firearm sale, and preventing domestic abusers from purchasing firearms. We need to ensure that these laws are properly enforced and defended. And we must do more. The survivors of the Parkland shooting are bravely showing that our country will no longer tolerate senseless and unnecessary loss of life due to gun violence. Below are the three steps we must take: Ban military style assault weapons designed to quickly kill large numbers of people. Keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others. Fight the NRA and the gun lobby. My heart is broken for the victims, parents and loved ones of the victims of mass shootings that have terrorized our country. It is time to turn our grief and fear into action. We can and will do more to prevent gun violence in Colorado. Affordable Housing Ensuring People Can Live Where They Work In communities across Colorado, from metro areas to rural resort towns, the cost of housing is skyrocketing, leaving limited options to address our state’s massive housing shortage. Today, one in four Coloradans spends more than 50% of their income on housing and 40% of renters in our state spend more than a third of their income on rent. Because of these barriers, along with wage and income stagnation, many Coloradans are not participating in the great economic progress our state is experiencing. People can’t afford to live where they work or stay in the communities where they grew up. Part of expanding prosperity to include everyone is ensuring that Coloradans everywhere can live where they work. Create a Statewide Affordable Housing Fund Coloradans across the income spectrum are feeling the squeeze of the cost of housing. As governor, I will establish a dedicated affordable housing fund that will support local communities as they find innovative and effective solutions for their unique affordable housing challenges. This new fund will increase the supply of affordable housing across the state. And, like the Building Excellent Schools Today program, this fund will recognize that Colorado’s local communities know what is best for their area and support localized solutions to each community’s unique needs. A Colorado Affordable Housing Fund will: Invest in a variety of affordable housing opportunities by financing the construction, maintenance, and preservation of the affordable housing supply in communities across the state. Invest in mixed-income housing opportunities that maintain diverse and inclusive communities across the state. Preserve affordable property so that it can be used for affordable development, not just more out-of-reach development. Support programs that provide rental/down payment assistance, address homelessness, increase homeownership, and help Coloradans attain affordable housing. Typically, an affordable housing developer can find 60-80% of the funds needed to construct new housing from private and local/federal government sources. A statewide Colorado fund would provide funding to fill the remaining gap to make sure projects get underway. In 2015, more than 100,000 people moved into Colorado while builders added only 25,000 homes to the housing stock. Right now, hardly any state dollars are dedicated to housing. This new, innovative fund will be housed within the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and financed by a $50 million seed loan from the Colorado Unclaimed Property Fund. According to 2016 estimates, the Unclaimed Property fund is nearly 70%, or $82.7 million, over its required reserves. The state of Colorado will always pay all unclaimed property claims, no matter what. In order to sustain the fund, I will pursue legislation that will generate additional revenue from a small increase in real estate transaction fees, similar to that proposed in House Bill 1309 (“Documentary Fee to Fund Affordable Housing”). Help Colorado Families Own Homes Throughout my career, I have utilized innovative public financing to increase home ownership for Coloradans. During my time as Deputy Mayor and CFO of Denver, I started the Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus program which provides down payment assistance for low to moderate income families who are attempting to buy a home. Along with the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, the program has helped more than 1,400 Denver and metro area families buy a home. Over $300 million in mortgages has been generated through these programs. I also helped launch the Housing to Health Initiative, which has housed nearly 200 hundred formerly, chronically homeless people in Denver. This program uses Pay for Success financing, which is an innovative public financing model that leverages private capital and public savings generated from successful outcomes by participants in the program. In the Denver Housing to Health Initiative, wraparound services are funded through the savings the city realizes from the participants not needing as many emergency services like detox and emergency room visits and from participants spending fewer nights in jail. This program recognizes the importance of housing and helping people avoid the criminal justice system. As governor, I will bring this expertise in public finance and history of finding innovative solutions to helping more families buy and stay in their homes. We can expand assistance for down payments and closing costs. And we can expand programs that defer increased property tax payments to more people. This program is available now for seniors and active military personnel who are on a fixed income. For residents in areas where property values are increasing rapidly, the increased tax burden can prevent long-time residents from being able to stay in their home. Expanding this program to more people will help more people stay in their homes. Protect Colorado’s Tenants Colorado lags behind the rest of the country in protecting the rights of renters. Many renters have very few rights when applying for housing, and we see even fewer protections when renters are evicted. Following an eviction, low-income families spend thousands of dollars on application fees only to be turned down because they have housing vouchers. This further drives families into poverty. Colorado can do a few things to help end this cycle for families, and to make sure our state’s economic progress is inclusive. Increase Landlord Transparency: All too often, honest working families in Colorado are denied housing. Before accepting an Application Fee, a landlord should provide: Tenant’s rights and landlord responsibilities for maintaining a safe and habitable home; Whether or not they make application decisions based on criminal background checks and how far into an applicant’s past those background checks extend; If they make application decisions based on if the tenant has previous history of eviction. End Income Discrimination in Housing: It should be illegal for landlords to deny applications based on the source of income. People who qualify for vouchers should not be denied solely for that reason. Expand Legal Aide for Evicted Tenants: Colorado should raise the eviction filing fee that landlords pay to evict families and use those funds for legal assistance for tenants being evicted. This will both discourage landlords from using evictions and help protect the rights of Coloradans at risk of being evicted. Evictions are a leading cause of family homelessness, can often trigger job loss and declines in physical and mental health, drive up local poverty and crime rates, and are more frequent in communities of color and rapidly gentrifying areas. Making sure hard working Coloradans can find and keep housing without facing exorbitant costs will help our economic progress reach everyone. Increase Opportunities for Skills Training in the Construction Trades One reason for our diminishing supply of affordable housing is a lack of skilled workers to build new houses. Experts predict that this will only get worse. The shortage is nationwide but particularly distressing in Colorado, a state with the lowest unemployment rate in the country, 2.3 percent, coupled with one of the highest growth rates. Colorado State University’s department of construction management estimates that by 2025 there will be 96,000 vacancies in the construction trades in Colorado, a 38% increase from today. By working with labor unions, community colleges, and construction companies to increase the number of available training and apprenticeship programs for Coloradans interested in the building trades we can take a step toward solving this problem. Veterans Colorado is home to almost half a million American heroes who faithfully served our country in uniform. It is our responsibility to ensure that we stand by these brave men and women. Our country made a promise to them in return for these sacrifices and as governor I will fight to make sure these sacrifices and commitments are not forgotten and that our veterans receive the honor and services they have earned. Most services for our veterans are provided by the federal government so I will work hand in hand with our Congressional delegation to hold Washington accountable to deliver what our veterans need and are entitled to. But there are also additional steps the state can and should take to support our veterans. These include: Expand the state income tax deduction on veterans’ pensions: I support allowing all military retirees regardless of age to benefit from the state income tax deduction. Increase the number of Veterans Trauma Courts throughout the state: We need to provide support to veterans who encounter legal trouble that is related to PTSD or other issues resulting from their military service. Often these individuals are suffering mental and emotional trauma after enduring experiences on the battlefield that most of us could never imagine. Veterans courts help by enlisting troubled veterans into a program that includes counseling and mental health treatment. The program holds veterans accountable for their actions, but understands the traumas they have suffered. There are currently six veterans courts operating in different jurisdictions across Colorado. As governor, I will work with judicial districts throughout the state to find ways to expand this program so that we can get all Colorado veterans the support they need. Install a dedicated officer in the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to oversee programs related to Women and LGBTQ vetarans: There are 46,000 female veterans living in Colorado and many LGBTQ veterans. These warriors served honorably alongside their male and heterosexual colleagues yet they face additional challenges. Women and LGBTQ veterans face unique challenges upon returning home and throughout their lives. There are higher rates of sexual trauma for women in the military, and returning home to a society unaccustomed to women veterans can be challenging. While the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was a major step forward for our LGBTQ service members, traditional veteran services may not address the needs or provide welcoming spaces for LGBTQ veterans. A dedicated officer in Colorado’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs can address these needs and ensure that our women and LGBTQ warriors receive equal support and respect.	”
—Cary Kennedy for Governor

See also

• Governor of Colorado
• Colorado gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Mike Coffman (R)	Colorado Treasurer 2007–2011	Succeeded by Walker Stapleton (R)