Republican Melody Peotter is going up against Faith Winter, a Democrat, in the Colorado Senate District 25 race.
District 25 includes Broomfield, Westminster, Northglenn and most of Denver’s north metro area in Adams County.
Winter is running for re-election to the senate — her current term, representing District 24, ends in early January.
The Broomfield Leader asked the candidates questions about their campaigns — here are Winter’s responses.
Campaign website: faithwinter.com
What do you think is the biggest issue that your district faces, and how do you plan to address it?
The present climate disaster is my number one priority as every day we see more evidence of how it is wreaking havoc in our state. We have droughts in our state unlike we've ever seen that threaten our water supply, our food supply and even our ability to generate clean energy. We have natural disasters on an unprecedented scale, with tragedies like the Marshall fire affecting even suburban neighborhoods like ours. I have led on nearly every piece of climate legislations we've passed during my time, and we must keep up the work because our children will inherit the world we give to them and we must make it sustainable and healthy.
What are the other top issues that represent your campaign platform?
Affordable housing is a crucial issue facing the people in my community. Our district is filled with neighborhoods that have traditionally been home to working class families, but now paying the rent or the mortgage seems further and further out of reach. We need more housing that is innovative, energy efficient, and affordable. I represent an amazing place to live, we just need to make sure people can afford it.
Transportation is an incredibly important issue that links together our approach to climate, housing and many other areas. I am the chair of the transportation committee and authored the most important piece of transportation legislation in decades that put us on a sustainable path for funding for the next generation of mobility. That work isn't done. Transportation is one of the hardest of areas to reach consensus, but I've done it before and we need to do it again.
Finally, the rights of women to control their own body and health is sadly part of the political process now. I voted to make sure Colorado law put a woman's decision about abortion care in her own hands, but since then that right has come under attack from many sides, from the Supreme Court on down. Women are not second-class citizens in this state, and as long as I'm a Senator, they won't be.
What experience would you bring to the seat, if elected?
I learned about how to represent people when I started my career in organizing. The best way to understand people is to ask them questions and listen to their answers. Those person-to-person interactions led me to become a city council member in Westminster where I could put those peoples' hopes into action. I saw the impact I could make on people's lives there, but realized I could do more. I have served in the state house and state senate and have sponsored some of the most historic pieces of legislation that have passed during that time.
Broomfield is one of the fastest-growing communities in Colorado, and a lot of its resources and infrastructure have been outgrown. How do you think this should be strategically dealt with, to minimize impact on residents?
Broomfield has been a leader in a great many ways in dealing with growth. Before the explosion in growth happened, Broomfield made a commitment to protect open space. Even though the Paul Derda Recreation Center was new, Broomfield reinvigorated the Community Center knowing the demand would be there while also providing special attention to communities like Anthem so they are included and not ignored. The biggest question left is our transition from a growing community to a mature one, and the conversations around our civic center are a huge part of that. We have a lot of first generation Broomfielders right now, and together we're going to build a community that the fourth generation Broomfielders will love growing up in.
What are the central differences between you and the other candidate seeking this seat?
I don't know my opponent well, so I can't speak to her vision for Colorado's future. I'm proud of my record delivering transportation funding, paid family and medical leave and climate emergency response for the people in our community. That work isn't done, and I'm looking forward to delivering more results for the families in our district.
