October 28, 2014
CODPAC Endorses Key State Legislators for the Nov. 2014 Election
The deadline for submitting your 2014 ballot is right around the corner on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Ballots have been mailed, and now is the time to cast your vote. The 2014 ballot asks your input on the election of both federal and local officials, as well as several possible changes to the state constitution and laws.
The 2014 election is critical for dentistry, as you will be electing the state senators and representatives who will decide key issues for dentistry in the upcoming years, including important insurance reform, Medicaid and access to dental care (like the non-dentist “mid-level” provider) issues in Colorado. Please take time to educate yourself on candidate positions and vote in the important election on Nov. 4!
Given the critical nature of the 2014 election, CODPAC spent extensive time educating state legislative candidates on key dental issues. CODPAC support was given only to legislators who participated in the CODPAC process and were well aligned with dentistry’s positions on key dental issues.** Below is a list of legislators endorsed by CODPAC for the 2014 election.
* Rep. Daniel Kagan (DEM-HD 3, Denver)
* Rep. Crisanta Duran (DEM-HD 5, Denver)
* Rep. Angela Williams (DEM-HD 7, Denver)
* Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (DEM-HD 10, Niwot) *
* Rep. KC Becker (DEM-HD 13, Boulder)
* Rep. Pete Lee (DEM-HD 18, Manitou Springs)
* Rep. Lois Landgraf (REP-HD 21, Colorado Springs) *
* Rep. Max Tyler (DEM-HD 23, Lakewood)
* Jon Keyser (REP-HD 25, Morrison) *
* Rep. Libby Szabo (REP-HD 27, Arvada) *
* Rep. Brittany Pettersen (DEM-HD 28, Littleton)
* Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (DEM-HD 29, Arvada)
* Rep. Jenise May (DEM-HD 30, Aurora) *
* Rep. Dianne Primavera (DEM-HD 33, Broomfield)
* Faith Winter (DEM-HD 35, Westminster)
* Rep. Su Ryden (DEM-HD 36, Aurora)
* Rep. Clarice Navarro (REP-HD 47, Pueblo)
* Rep. Dave Young (DEM-HD 50, Greeley)
* Rep. Joann Ginal (DEM-HD 52, Fort Collins) *
* Jeni Arndt (DEM-HD 53, Fort Collins)
* Former Rep. J Paul Brown (REP-HD 59, Ignacio)
* Rep. Leroy Garcia (DEM-SD 03, Pueblo) *
* Sen. Jeanne Nicholson (DEM-SD 16, Black Hawk) *
* Sen. Cheri Jahn (DEM-Wheat Ridge, SD 20)
For a full list of candidates who received monetary support from CODPAC this year as well as additional information on CODPAC’s process and legislator positions, please login to the CODPAC page of the CDA Website, linked here.
Information on statewide ballot measures and contact information for local election offices can be accessed by clicking here. Click on an individual ballot initiative for additional detail, which may include text of the initiative as well as rationales for the supporters and opponents. In 2014, the statewide ballot measures address personhood, education funding, school boards and food labeling. None of the ballot measures this year have direct impact on dentistry.
*Denotes legislators who received contributions from CDSDC, the dental small donor committee.
**In 2014, all candidates running for seats in the state legislature asked to participate in a CODPAC questionnaire and interview process as a prerequisite to receiving a CODPAC contribution. This questionnaire and interview process helps to educate candidates on dental issues, and ensure that CODPAC supports candidates who are well aligned with dentistry on key issues. The process also helps make CODPAC’s funding decisions as objective as possible. If a candidate chose not to participate in the interview/questionnaire process, they were not considered for an endorsement or contribution. Endorsements were given only to dentistry’s best legislative supporters. An endorsement includes a contribution of maximum CODPAC dollars ($400), publication of the candidate’s name to the CDA membership and engagement of the action team leader network in the district to get local dentists involved in fundraising and volunteer efforts for the candidate.