Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2012
 Colorado's 2012 elections: • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • Ballot measures |
Colorado House of Representatives will be held in Colorado on November 6, 2012. All 65 seats will be up for election.
The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was April 2, 2012. The primary election day will be June 26, 2012.
Incumbents retiring
A total of 23 incumbents are not running for re-election in 2012. Those incumbents are:
| Name: | Party: | Current office: |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Kerr |  Democratic
| Colorado State Senate District 22 |
| B.J. Nikkel |  Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 49 |
| David Balmer | Republican
| Colorado State Senate District 27 |
| Donald Beezley | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 33 |
| Edward Casso | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 32 |
| Glenn Vaad | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 48 |
| James Kerr | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 28 |
| Joe Miklosi | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 9 |
| John Kefalas | Democratic
| Colorado State Senate District 14 |
| John Soper | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 34 |
| Jon Becker | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 63 |
| Judith Anne Solano | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 31 |
| Keith Swerdfeger | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 47 |
| Kenneth Summers | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 22 |
| Larry Liston | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 16 |
| Laura Bradford | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 55 |
| Matt Jones | Democratic
| Colorado State Senate District 17 |
| Nancy Todd | Democratic
| Colorado State Senate District 28 |
| Randy Baumgardner | Republican
| Colorado State Senate District 8 |
| Roger Wilson | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 61 |
| Sal Pace | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 46 |
| Thomas Massey | Republican
| Colorado House of Representatives District 60 |
| Wesley McKinley | Democratic
| Colorado House of Representatives District 64 |
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 6 election, the Republican Party holds the majority in the Colorado House of Representatives:
| Colorado House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2012 | After the 2012 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 32 | 37 | |
| Republican Party | 33 | 28 | |
| Total | 65 | 65 | |
Game-changers
- Incumbent Republicans Marsha Looper and Amy Stephens will face-off in a primary battle for District 19.[1]
Campaign contributions
This chart shows how many candidates ran for state house in Colorado in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state house races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.[2]
| Year | Number of candidates | Total contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 140 | $5,062,910 |
| 2008 | 143 | $5,814,014 |
| 2006 | 136 | $5,204,618 |
| 2004 | 147 | $3,743,809 |
| 2002 | 169 | $5,389,097 |
In 2010, the candidates running for the house raised a total of $5,062,910 in campaign funds. Their top 10 contributors were: [3]
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Kellogg, Lisa | $144,566 |
| Colorado Professional Fire Fighters | $100,500 |
| House Majority Project State Democratic Campaign Fund | $97,509 |
| Colorado Education Association | $85,025 |
| Copic Insurance Small Donor Committee | $63,440 |
| Colorado State Conference of Electrical Workers Small Donor Committee (CSCEW) | $58,775 |
| Colorado Association of Realtors Small Donor Committee | $57,700 |
| Service Employees International Local 105 | $50,075 |
| Colorado Medical Society | $43,800 |
| American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees | $38,900 |
Qualifications
Article 5, Section 4 of the Colorado Constitution states: No person shall be a representative or senator who shall not have attained the age of twentyfive years, who shall not be a citizen of the United States, who shall not for at least twelve months next preceding his election, have resided within the territory included in the limits of the county or district in which he shall be chosen; provided, that any person who at the time of the adoption of this constitution, was a qualified elector under the territorial laws, shall be eligible to the first general assembly.
Term limits
The Colorado House of Representatives has been a term-limited state house since Colorado voters approved Issue 5 in 1990. The affirmative vote by Colorado's electorate in Issue 5 altered Section 3 of Article V on the Colorado Constitution to say that Colorado State Representatives could serve no more than four 2-year terms in office.
There are 65 representatives in the Colorado house. 9 of them, or 13.8%, can't run in 2012 because of term limits. Of these 9, 5 are Democratic and 4 are Republican
In addition to the 9 Colorado state representatives who are leaving office because of term limits, 6 Colorado state senators are also termed-out.
Colorado state representatives whose seats are up for election in 2012 but who are unable to run because of the state's term limits are:
Democrats (5):
Republicans (4):
Impact of redistricting
- See also: Redistricting in Colorado
The Colorado Reapportionment Commission is responsible for reapportioning state legislative districts. It is made up of 11 members chosen by the three branches of government as follows: 4 by the Colorado General Assembly, 3 by the Governor and 4 by the Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice. Colorado's population grew by 17% between 2000 and 2010, with Hispanics being a major driver. The new population total put the ideal House district population at 77,372.
After reviewing maps proposed by Republicans and Democrats, Commission Chairman Mario Carrera, the only unaffiliated member, announced he would submit his own, consolidating concerns from both parties while focusing on competitiveness. The commission voted to pass his maps on September 19, but the Colorado Supreme Court rejected the new maps by a vote of 4-2, stating they were not "sufficiently attentive to county boundaries."[1]
Send back to the Commission, they voted to pass Democratic-drawn proposals. Republicans criticized the new proposals for forcing a number of GOP incumbents into the same districts, while Democrats said it was an unfortunate outcome of trying to minimize county splits. The new House map, which was then approved by the Court, included 24 seats considered to be competitive.[2]
List of candidates
District 1
June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Jeanne Labuda Incumbent Labuda first assumed office in 2007.
- Corrie Houck
June 26 GOP primary candidates:
June 26 Libertarian primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 2
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Mark Ferrandino Incumbent Ferrandino first assumed office in 2007.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 3
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Daniel Kagan Incumbent Kagan first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 4
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Dan Pabon Incumbent Pabon first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 5
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Crisanta Duran Incumbent Duran first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Ronnie Nelson
- Matthew Zielinski (Write-in)
November 6 General election candidates:
District 6
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Lois Court Incumbent Court first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 7
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Angela Williams Incumbent Williams first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 8
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Beth McCann Incumbent McCann first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 9
Note: Incumbent Joe Miklosi (D) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
Note: Robert J. Lane filed to run for election but does not appear on the official candidate list.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 10
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Dickey Hullinghorst Incumbent Hullinghorst first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 11
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Jonathan Singer Incumbent Singer first assumed office in 2012.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 12
Note: Incumbent Matt Jones (D) is running for election to District 17 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 13
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Claire Levy Incumbent Levy first assumed office in 2007.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 14
Note: Incumbent Janak Joshi (R) is running for re-election to District 16 due to redistricting.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
Note: Ryan Dyer initially filed but did not appear on the official primary candidate list.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 15
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Mark Waller Incumbent Waller first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 16
Note: Incumbent Larry Liston (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits and is instead running for election to District 10 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Janak Joshi District 14 incumbent Joshi first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 17
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Mark H. Barker Incumbent Barker first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 18
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Pete Lee Incumbent Lee first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 19
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Marsha Looper Incumbent Looper first assumed office in 2007.
- Amy Stephens District 20 incumbent Stephens first assumed office in 2007.
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 20
Note: Incumbent Amy Stephens (R) is running for re-election in District 19 due to redistricting.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Bob Gardner District 21 incumbent Gardner first assumed office in 2007.
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 21
Note: Incumbent Bob Gardner (R) is running for re-election in District 20 due to redistricting.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 22
Note: Incumbent Kenneth Summers (R) is running for election to District 22 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 23
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Max Tyler Incumbent Tyler first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 24
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Sue Schafer Incumbent Schafer first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 25
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Cheri Gerou Incumbent Gerou first assumed office in 2009.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 26
Note: Incumbent Andrew Kerr (D) is running for election to District 22 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 27
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Libbi Szabo Incumbent Szabo first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 Libertarian primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 28
Note: Incumbent James Kerr (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 29
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Robert Ramirez Incumbent Ramirez first assumed office in 2011.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 30
Note: Incumbent Kevin Priola (R) is running for re-election in District 56 due to redistricting.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 31
Note: Incumbent Judith Anne Solano (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 32
Note: Incumbent Edward Casso (D) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 33
Note: Incumbent Donald Beezley (R) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 34
Note: Incumbent John Soper (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 35
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Cherylin Peniston Incumbent Peniston first assumed office in 2007.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 36
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Su Ryden Incumbent Ryden first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
Note: Robert Martinez initially filed but does not appear on the official list of primary candidates.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 37
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Spencer Swalm Incumbent Swalm first assumed office in 2007.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 38
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Kathleen Conti Incumbent Conti first assumed office in 2011.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 39
Note: Incumbent David Balmer (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits and is instead running for election to District 27 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 40
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Cindy Acree Incumbent Acree first assumed office in 2009.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 41
Note: Incumbent Nancy Todd (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits and is instead running for election to District 28 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 42
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Rhonda Fields Incumbent Fields first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 43
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Frank McNulty Incumbent McNulty first assumed office in 2007.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 44
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Chris Holbert Incumbent Holbert first assumed office in 2011.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 45
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Carole Murray Incumbent Murray first assumed office in 2009.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 46
Note: Incumbent Sal Pace (D) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 47
Note: Incumbent Keith Swerdfeger (R) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
Note: Raymond Watts initially filed but does not appear on the official primary candidate list.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 48
Note: Incumbent Glenn Vaad (R) is running for election to District 23 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 49
Note: Incumbent B.J. Nikkel (R) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 50
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Dave Young Incumbent Young first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 51
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Brian DelGrosso Incumbent DelGrosso first assumed office in 2009.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 52
Note: Incumbent John Kefalas (D) is running for election to District 14 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 53
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Randy Fischer Incumbent Fischer first assumed office in 2007.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 54
Note: Incumbent Ray Scott (R) is running for re-election in District 55 due to redistricting.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
Note: District 55 incumbent Laura Bradford initially filed but does not appear on the official primary candidate list.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 55
Note: Incumbent Laura Bradford (R) is not seeking re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Ray Scott District 54 incumbent Scott first assumed office in 2011.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 56
Note: Incumbent Millie Hamner (D) is running for re-election in District 61 due to redistricting.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Kevin Priola District 30 incumbent Priola first assumed office in 2009.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 57
Note: Incumbent Randy Baumgardner (R) is running for election to District 8 of the Colorado State Senate in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
Note: Ronald Roesener initially filed but does not appear on the official primary candidate list.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 58
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Don Coram Incumbent Coram first assumed office in 2011.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 59
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Note: Patrick Swonger initially filed but does not appear on the official primary candidate list.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- J. Paul Brown Incumbent Brown first assumed office in 2011.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 60
Note: Incumbent Thomas Massey (R) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
Note: Steven Kent Barton initially filed but does not appear on the primary ballot.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 61
Note: Incumbent Roger Wilson (D) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Millie Hamner District 56 incumbent Hamner first assumed office in 2011.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- June 26 American Constitution Party primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 62
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- Edward Vigil Incumbent Vigil first assumed office in 2009.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
November 6 General election candidates:
District 63
Note: Incumbent Jon Becker (R) is not running for re-election in 2012.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Lori Saine
- Mike Mazzocco (Write-in)
November 6 General election candidates:
District 64
Note: Incumbent Wesley McKinley (D) was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Note: William Frangis and Jeffrey Thornton initially filed but do not appear on the primary ballot.
November 6 General election candidates:
District 65
- June 26 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed.
- June 26 GOP primary candidates:
- Jerry Sonnenberg Incumbent Sonnenberg first assumed office in 2007.
November 6 General election candidates:
See also
External links
References
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