BY FREDA MIKLIN
GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER
According to the Secretary of State’s website, on April 4, eight candidates have submitted petitions to run for Colorado’s congressional seats that have been deemed sufficient to get them on their party’s primary ballot. In the case of a race with no primary contest, that candidate will also appear on the general election ballot on November 8. Candidates for Congress who receive at least 30% of the vote at congressional district assemblies for both parties, taking place in the week leading up to the April 9th state party assemblies, will also appear on their party’s June 28th primary ballot.
In Congressional District Three (CD3), Democrats Alex Walker and Adam Frisch have submitted sufficient signatures to be on the June primary ballot. The incumbent is first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert. In CD5, Republicans (Incumbent) Doug Lamborn and Rebecca Keltie are set to appear on the primary ballot. In CD7, an open seat (U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter is retiring) only one candidate, Republican Tim Reichert has been deemed to have submitted sufficient valid signatures to get on the primary ballot so far. In CD8, Colorado’s new congressional district, three Republicans have qualified for the primary via petitions, Jan Kulmann, Tyler Allcorn and Barbara Kirkmeyer.
In statewide races, Republican Pam Anderson was certified to run for Secretary of State on April 4th when the current holder of that officer issued a notice of sufficiency, having determined that Anderson had submitted in excess of the required 1,000 valid signatures on her petitions from each of the state’s eight congressional districts.
Locally, the big news following the Arapahoe County Assembly is that John C. Lamb, the only candidate for Arapahoe County Clerk, who was chosen by acclamation, declined to run during the week between when he gave a speech to the delegates on March 19 announcing his candidacy and March 26, when the paperwork confirming it was due. A vacancy committee of Arapahoe County Republicans will choose a new candidate for county clerk to run against incumbent Democrat Joan Lopez on April 6.
Other local candidates in Arapahoe County confirmed to run include Republican Tom Kim in Senate District 27 (SD27). JulieMarie Shepherd Macklin has also turned in petitions to run in the SD27 Republican primary but the Secretary of State has not yet issued a determination of sufficiency on them. Whoever wins that primary is expected to face Democrat Tom Sullivan in November, who is trying to move from the House to the Senate.
In House District 37 (HD37), an open seat formerly held by Sullivan, it appears Republican Paul Archer will face Democrat Ruby Dickson. In HD38, Republican Jaylen Mosqueira will likely face incumbent Democrat David Ortiz in November. In HD40, Lehi Sellers was the only Republican out of five who sought the nomination to get at least 30% of the vote at the county assembly. Sellers is expected to face incumbent Democrat Naquetta Ricks in November. Republican Stephanie Hancock, who wowed the assembly delegates, will face incumbent Aurora Democrat Iman Jodeh in Aurora HD41. Also in Aurora, Republican Cory Parella will face either (Incumbent) Democrat Mandy Lindsay or Democratic challenger Gail Pough. In southeast Aurora HD61, an open seat, Republicans Caroline Cornell and Dave Woolever will face off in the June 28th primary. The winner will likely run against Democrat Eliza Hamrick.
In nearby Douglas County, four candidates for Douglas County Sheriff have all qualified for the Republican primary ballot, so they will face off on June 28. The candidates are John Anderson, Holly Kluth, Lora Thomas and Darren Weekly. There will also be a competitive race for the Republican nomination for Douglas County Clerk and Recorder between Robin Webb and Kurt Huffman. According to the Secretary of State, voter registration in Douglas County is 44% unaffiliated, 36% Republican and 19% Democratic.
Stay tuned.
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