More Good News from Across Colorado!
(Cross-Posted to DemNotes at www.DemNotes.com)
Since yesterday’s post about Tuesday’s elections, I’ve received a number of e-mails from folks talking about electoral success for progressive Democrats across Colorado. So I thought I’d let you all know of several more key successes.
Cal Johnson, former county chair in Jefferson County, writes of a key win in Golden:
I want to inform you that an active Jeffco Democrat, Jacob Smith, was elected the new mayor of Golden in a huge upset while defeating the Republican incumbent mayor.
Golden seems to be part of a trend — just look up in the mountains, where a similar victory occured in Salida, according to Mark Emmer:
In Salida, progressive Dem Chuck Rose beat incumbent Republican Mayor Danny Knight and former councilman Bill McCormick:
Chuck Rose 1,048 - 55.16%
Danny Knight 690 - 36.32%
Bill McCormick 162 - 8.53%Chuck walked door-to-door, got attractive yard signs out early, and put together a great campaign team of youngsters (folks under 45) who were new to politics but not to working hard.
In Emmer’s comment to yesterday’s post, he also notes of a victory of a “progressive Republican,” Scott Damman. I didn’t even know the Colorado Republican Party allowed progressives in anymore! A censure is sure to follow….
Lind Iungerich, who has been a fixture in the Democratic Party in Morgan County and northeast Colorado for years (sorry I couldn’t make it to your party a few months ago, Linda!), writes of victories in Fort Morgan:
Dan, You are so right our school boards are technically non-partisan, but it was sure great to have two Democrats elected to our RE3 school board. We are very proud of Roger Segura and Rob Carruth. They not only were elected but top vote getters.
I also heard from Sandy Briggs, who is the dynamic county chair in Summit County:
Four seats on Summit School District Board of Education were filled in Tuesday’s election by two Democrats and two progressive independents, including a 21-year-old 2003 Summit High School graduate.
We believe this must be the first time in our history a Republican will be not be serving on the school board.
We also passed, with the help of party activists, measure 3A, a small property tax increase to support full-day kindergarten, security upgrades, growing transportation costs and deferred maintenance items by a 53-47% margin.
The rabid opposition, as revealed in frantic letters to the local paper, consisted mostly of rich retired Republicans (The Triple Rs) and multi-millionaire second/third homeowners, who object to paying $3 more a year on each $100, 000 of their assessed valuation.
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Summit Democrats openly endorsed the mill levy as a needed investment in middle class families headed by two working parents.
What the Republicans ultimately gained was a deserved reputation for mean-spiritedness and twisted logic.
The Republicans in Colorado never seem to learn, do they?
Finally, Kim Phillips, who is our DNC Field Organizer for Northwest Colorado, gave me a great rundown on victories out in the part of the state where the water flows a little differently. Here is some of her report. From Glenwood Springs:
Progressives swept the city council races last night, winning all 4 seats up for election.
The candidates ran on platforms reflecting the important business of the community, being affordable housing and growth management as well as involving the community more in the business of the city.
Of the 7 seats on council, 3 were not up for election. Progressives hold 2 of these seats.
With the 4 wins last night joining the 2 seats held, a 6 to 1 progressive majority is now in place toeffectively with the serious issues facing our western slope communities.
The party line breakdown is 2 Dems, 3 Unaffiliated, 2 Rs.
The Us here are all Democrat-voting and reflect our values, as does the newly elected Republican.
And in Roaring Fork School District 1 (Glenwood / Carbondale / Basalt):
I would like to share a positive story on a school board candidate who won last night on a solutions, responsiveness, and integration platform that included a message of community cultural integration, specifically addressing the Latino student population.
The candidate is Bill Lamont, who won the District C seat of the RE-1 School District, who is from Carbondale, Garfield County. Bill is a Democrat who has retired from city planning, and has been very involved with the Garfield County Library District, volunteers in the local schools, created “ACE” or Advocates for Carbondale Education, spearheaded the effort to conduct annual teacher and parent surveys, involved with school bond issues as well as city planning committees and strategic planning for our communities.
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Bill Lamont represents true, progressive leadership here in the Roaring Fork Valley.
In addition to Lamont, another progressive, Deb Bruell, also won in the same school district. Kim also reports that there continues to be a progressive majority on the Steamboat Springs city council after Tuesday’s elections, by a 4D, 2R, 1U margin.
Continue to send me reports of our success in Colorado. Winning in these communities — and controlling these critical municipal seats — is a very important part of the long-term health of the Democratic Party in Colorado. Thanks to all of those who ran, and to all of those who got out and volunteered to help with these great races!