Democrats currently have a nine-seat lead in the State House. However, because every single seat is up for election every two years, things can change very quickly. If our crushing defeat in the 2016 election taught us nothing else, it’s that there are absolutely no guarantees. The State Representatives elected in 2018 will be responsible for redistricting in 2020, which makes keeping the House crucial to protecting our state from Republican gerrymandering.
HOUSE DISTRICT 50
Why it matters
Race overview
This seat is currently held by Democrat Dave Young, a lifelong Coloradan and former junior high math teacher. Sen. Young is term-limited and will not be running for re-election, which means an open race for HD-50 in 2018.
Rep. Young won his last election with 55% of the vote. This race will be targeted by well-funded Republican attacks in 2018. A well-organized campaign with strong support from grassroots volunteers and donors will be crucial to help progressives defend this seat.
District overview
Population:
75,316
Registered voters:
Democrat: 12,865 | Republican: 10,951 | Unaffiliated: 17,554
Key areas:
Greely, Evans. Includes the eastern half of Greely and most of Evans.
Counties:
Weld
District map (click for interactive)
Despite a notable lack of media coverage, many of the policies that most directly affect people’s lives are actually made at the state level. With a fully progressive state government, we can go beyond merely resisting Trump’s destructive agenda and begin advancing policies that actually improve people’s lives.
To truly understand what’s at stake in state politics, just look at what each party in Colorado has prioritized (but not always being successful at) in recent years:
Colorado Democrats:
Creating free all-day kindergarten for families throughout the state
Easing TABOR restrictions to end the unnecessary, self-imposed funding crisis facing our schools, roads, and hospitals
Making Colorado a leader in renewable energy by requiring at least 30% of energy from renewables by 2020
Making it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity
Joining the National Popular Vote Compact to end the Electoral College as we know it
Fighting to defend women’s rights and reproductive freedoms — especially the constitutionally protected right to choose
Colorado Republicans:
Reducing funding for k-12 education and higher education by thousands of dollars per student
Supporting and defending TABOR, the most restrictive conservative tax policy in the country — making it effectively impossible for the state to build a surplus or fund basic services
Blocking efforts to ban oil and gas drilling withing 1000ft of schools and neighborhoods
Blocking efforts ban the tortourous, cruel practice of “gay conversion therapy” from being performed on minors
Defunding the Colorado health care exchange and cutting rural hospital funding for medicaid patients
Making all forms of abortion illegal, even in cases of rape or incest, by criminalizing abortion as a class 1 felony — the same category as first-degree murder and actual treason
How to help
This early in the race, one of the most helpful things you can do is raise money to take on the Republican fundraising machine. We’ve established a “District Fund” to create a pot of money, raised in advance, for the eventual Democratic nominee in the 2018 House District 50 race.
The Colorado Resistance Manual maps out several easy ways for activisits to organize grassroots fundraisers for candidates (p42). Simply click on the button below to view or download the Manual.
Colorado Resistance does not make endorsements in primaries, and pledges to support the eventual Democratic nominee. However, that doesn’t mean you have to sit the primaries out.
We’ve linked the candidates’ websites below so you can do your research and make an informed choice in the Democratic primary (date TBD). If a particular candidate catches your eye, consider volunteering for or donating directly to their campaign!
