The education advocacy group Stand for Children-Colorado has announced its endorsements in 18 races on the November ballot. The list is primarily Democratic, but the group did endorse three Republican legislative candidates.
The group endorsed 17 legislative candidates and a candidate in one State Board of Education race. No statewide or federal candidates were endorsed.
Ten of the endorsed candidates also have received financial contributions from the Public Education Committee, a group associated with the Colorado Education Association. Stand and CEA sometimes are at odds on policy issues.
The group endorsed four candidates in open seats where no incumbents are on the ballot. In Senate District 5 Stand endorsed rancher Kerry Donovan. The House candidates include legislative staff member Susan Lontine in District 1, former Democratic Party official Alex Garrett in District 2 and lawyer Jon Keyser in District 25.
Stand didn’t endorse any candidates who are running against incumbents, but it did endorse two legislators who are running unopposed. Endorsements were made based on a variety of information, including questionnaires, interviews and review of voting records, according to the group. Candidates were judged based their alignment with Stand priorities, including “high academic expectations and quality instruction, quality and transparent investments, effective teachers and principals, and effective oversight of low-performing schools.”
Senate races of interest to education where Stand didn’t endorse include District 11, where retired teacher and former representative Mike Merrifield is the Democratic candidate; District 24, where Democratic former representative Judy Solano is seeking an open seat, and District 30, where Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker, is seeking to switch chambers. He’s been a member of the House Education Committee.
Stand also didn’t endorse in three races involving other incumbent members of House Education, Republicans Justin Everett of Littleton and Jim Wilson of Salida and Democrat Dave Young of Greeley.
No endorsements were made either in SBE races in District 1, where Democrat Val Flores is the only candidate, and in District 3, where incumbent Republican Marcia Neal faces Democrat Henry Roman of Pueblo.
Stand endorsed three losing candidates in the June primary – Flores’ Democratic opponent Taggart Hansen; Republican Loren Bauman, who unsuccessfully challenged Everett, and Republican Michael Fields in a suburban House district. The group endorsed Democratic winner Alex Garrett in House District 2 during the primary and has endorsed him again in the general election.
See the chart below for the full list of endorsements and other information about the races. Members of the House and Senate education committees are noted in dark letters. “CEA donation” notes campaign contributions by the Public Education Committee. Races with Libertarian Party candidates are noted because Libertarians generally are considered to divert some votes from GOP candidates.
