Ben Pope

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Ben Pope

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Miami University

Personal

Birthplace

Cincinnati, Ohio

Profession

Manager

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Ben Pope (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Colorado House of Representatives to represent District 7. He lost as a write-in in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Pope completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ben Pope was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He earned a bachelor's degree from Miami University. His career experience includes working as a manager. He has been affiliated with the Park Service, Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance, and Alpha Sigma Phi.

Elections

2024

See also: Colorado House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for Colorado House of Representatives District 7

Incumbent Jennifer Bacon defeated Tom Swift, Raymon Doane, and Ben Pope in the general election for Colorado House of Representatives District 7 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jennifer Bacon (D)	73.1	22,078
		Tom Swift (R)	23.9	7,206
		Raymon Doane (L)	3.0	907
		Ben Pope (D) (Write-in)	0.0	9

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,200
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 7

Incumbent Jennifer Bacon advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 7 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jennifer Bacon	100.0	5,337

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,337
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 7

Tom Swift advanced from the Republican primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 7 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tom Swift	100.0	821

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 821
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Pope received the following endorsements.

• Gun Sense Voter

2022

See also: Colorado State Board of Regents election, 2022

General election

General election for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1

Wanda James defeated Amy Naes and Ben Pope in the general election for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wanda James (D)	78.6	213,030
	Submit photo	Amy Naes (R)	21.4	57,953
		Ben Pope (D) (Write-in)	0.0	51

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 271,034
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1

Wanda James defeated Johnnie Nguyen in the Democratic primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wanda James	51.3	45,617
		Johnnie Nguyen	48.7	43,334

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 88,951
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Scott Mangino (D)
• Jason Robinson (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1

Amy Naes advanced from the Republican primary for University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Amy Naes	100.0	19,386

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 19,386
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ben Pope completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pope's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ben Pope is a dedicated citizen aimed at bringing change to the District and the State of Colorado. A Conservationist by trade, he holds a BA from Miami University in Ohio, and is currently pursuing his MA in Conservation Biology. He resides in the Denver Community of Montbello.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I listen.
• I Act.
• I Represent.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The environment, education, grassroot efforts, EPA Superfund site regulation.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

The Great John Lewis. He was well respected, reached across the aisle frequently, and stood for justice, all at the same time.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity. Transparency. Empathy. Commitment.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

With great potential for economic growth within the state, there will also be challenges ensuring that every family has a home and food to eat, and gainful employment where they can afford to live in and enjoy the beauty that this state has to offer.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be beneficial for experience and navigation through what the office entails. But fresh approaches are welcome, and that is how experience is built to assume leadership in the future.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

The Great John Lewis. He was well respected, reached across the aisle frequently, and stood for justice, all at the same time.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Perhaps

What committees interest you?

Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee, as well as the Energy & Environment House Committee of Reference

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency is a must. Too often, money is at the root of corruption. All civil servants in this country have a fiduciary duty to keep sacred our delicate country and government and what it stands for. Politicians and people holding high office are no exception.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Pope submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on July 1, 2024.

Show past responsesHide past responses

June 28 submission

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ben Pope is a dedicated citizen aimed to bringing change to the District and the State of Colorado. A conservationist by trade, he holds a BA from Miami University in Ohio, and is currently pursuing his MA in Conservation Biology. He resides in the Denver community of Montbello.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I listen. I react. I represent.
• I Am Community Focused
• I Am Conservation Focused

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The environment, education, grassroot efforts. EPA Superfund site regulation.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I actually look up to my younger Sister, Gladys. She was a local town council President. She was passionate about the care and progress of her community. She listened to the residents and made things happen. She is now a community developer for the entire City that she lives in and it all happened because the community was behind her 100%

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Oxford Handbook of Political Theory

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity. Transparency. Empathy. Commitment.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The main job is to be a State Representative to and of your constituents. This means keeping your promises and being above reproach, and be humble if you fall short.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Mt. St Helen's eruption. I was about 4 or 5. Then 6 years later, the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was as a paperboy. From ages 8-12. I strapped a milk crate to my bicycle handle bars, like Elliot from E.T., put rolled up newspapers in there, and delivered the evening edition of The Cincinnati Post. I then sold the route to a younger kid from my neighborhood for a hit fudge sundae, my first business arrangement.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Financial transparency is a must. Too often, money is at the root of corruption. All civil servants in this country have a fiduciary duty to keep sacred our delicate country and government and what it stands for. Politicians and persons holding high office are no exception.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

With potential for economic growth within the state, there will also be challenges ensuring that every family has a home and food to eat, and gainful employment where they can afford to live in and enjoy the beauty that this state has to offer.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be beneficial for experience and navigate what the office entails. But fresh approaches are welcome, and that is how experience is built to assume leadership in the future.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Whether it's reaching across the aisle or learning from a colleague, we're all in this together and it really does take a village, to get things done

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

The Great John Lewis. He was well respected, reached across the aisle frequently, and stood for justice, all at the same time.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Perhaps

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Several families in my district were residents who lived near an EPA Superfund Site for decades and many members of the district developed terminal illnesses as a result. I'm trying not to have anything happen like that in the future, and will protect and represent my constituents.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

In some situations, it may be appropriate.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

I would introduce a bill to ensure that all citizens in the state have access to clean air and water, and revise certain existing bills for the current times and issues today.

What committees interest you?

Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee, as well as the Energy & Environment House Committee of Reference

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Integrity. Transparency. Empathy. Commitment. Accountability

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Pope submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on June 28, 2024.

June 22 submission

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Ben Pope is a dedicated citizen aimed to bringing change to the District and the state. A conservationist by trade, he holds a BA from Miami University in Ohio, and is currently pursuing his MA in Conservation Biology. He resides in the Denver community of Montbello.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Change is inevitable
• Environment Focused
• Outreach education is key

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The environment, education, grassroot efforts

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

To Kill a Mockingbird.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity. Transparency. Empathy. Commitment.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The main job is to be a representative to and of to your constituents. This means keeping your promises and being above reproach, and humble if you fall short.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Mt. St Helen's eruption. I was about 4 or 5. Then a few years later the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My 1st job was as a paperboy. From ages 8-12. I strapped a milk crate to my handle bars, put rolled up newspapers in there, and rode off into the sunset.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

A Mutual Union working together to get things done, for the good of the State of Colorado and its citizens.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

With potential for economic growth, there will also be challenges ensuring that every family has a home and food to eat, and gainful employment where they can afford to live in and enjoy the beauty that this state has to offer

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It can be beneficial for experience and navigate what the office entails. But fresh approaches are welcome, and that is how experience is built.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Whether it's reaching across the aisle or learning from a colleague, we're all in this together and it really does take a village, to get things done

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Perhaps

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Several families in my district were residents who lived near the Rocky Mountain Arsenal for decades and many members developed cancer as a result. I'm trying not to have anything happen like that in the future.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

In some situations, it may be appropriate

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

A bill that would reduce medical costs, and a bill to handle the homeless situation.

What committees interest you?

Water Resources and Agriculture Review Committee, as well as the Energy & Environment House Committee of Reference.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Financial transparency is a must. Too often, money is at the root of corruption. All civil servants in this country have a fiduciary duty to keep sacred our delicate country and government and what it stands for. Politicians and people holding high office are no exception.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Note: Pope submitted the above survey responses to Ballotpedia on June 22, 2024.

2022

Ben Pope did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Ben Pope campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Colorado House of Representatives District 7	Lost general	$0	$0
2022	University of Colorado Board of Regents District 1	Lost general	$0	$0
Grand total			$0	$0
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

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Newsletters

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External links

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Candidate

Colorado House of Representatives District 7

Website

Facebook

Personal

LinkedIn

Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Colorado House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Julie McCluskie

Majority Leader:Monica Duran

Representatives

District 1

Javier Mabrey (D)

District 2

Steven Woodrow (D)

District 3

Meg Froelich (D)

District 4

Cecelia Espenoza (D)

District 5

Alex Valdez (D)

District 6

Sean Camacho (D)

District 7

Jennifer Bacon (D)

District 8

Lindsay Gilchrist (D)

District 9

Emily Sirota (D)

District 10

Junie Joseph (D)

District 11

Karen McCormick (D)

District 12

Kyle Brown (D)

District 13

Julie McCluskie (D)

District 14

Ava Flanell (R)

District 15

Scott Bottoms (R)

District 16

Rebecca Keltie (R)

District 17

Regina English (D)

District 18

Amy Paschal (D)

District 19

Dan Woog (R)

District 20

Jarvis Caldwell (R)

District 21

Mary Bradfield (R)

District 22

Kenneth DeGraaf (R)

District 23

Monica Duran (D)

District 24

Lisa Feret (D)

District 25

Tammy Story (D)

District 26

Meghan Lukens (D)

District 27

Brianna Titone (D)

District 28

Sheila Lieder (D)

District 29

Shannon Bird (D)

District 30

Rebekah Stewart (D)

District 31

Jacque Phillips (D)

District 32

Manny Rutinel (D)

District 33

William Lindstedt (D)

District 34

Jenny Willford (D)

District 35

Lorena Garcia (D)

District 36

Michael Carter (D)

District 37

Chad Clifford (D)

District 38

Gretchen Rydin (D)

District 39

Brandi Bradley (R)

District 40

Naquetta Ricks (D)

District 41

Jamie Jackson (D)

District 42

Mandy Lindsay (D)

District 43

Robert Marshall (D)

District 44

Anthony Hartsook (R)

District 45

Max Brooks (R)

District 46

Tisha Mauro (D)

District 47

Ty Winter (R)

District 48

Carlos Barron (R)

District 49

Lesley Smith (D)

District 50

Ryan Gonzalez (R)

District 51

Ron Weinberg (R)

District 52

Yara Zokaie (D)

District 53

Andrew Boesenecker (D)

District 54

Matt Soper (R)

District 55

Rick Taggart (R)

District 56

Chris Richardson (R)

District 57

Elizabeth Velasco (D)

District 58

Larry Suckla (R)

District 59

Katie Stewart (D)

District 60

Stephanie Luck (R)

District 61

Eliza Hamrick (D)

District 62

Matthew Martinez (D)

District 63

Dusty Johnson (R)

District 64

Scott Slaugh (R)

District 65

Lori Sander (R)

Democratic Party (43)

Republican Party (22)