Democrat Katie Wallace will represent Senate District 17 in the Colorado Senate. (Photo Courtesy Katie Wallace)
Katie Wallace will replace former Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis in the Colorado Senate, a vacancy committee made of Democratic voters decided Tuesday night.
Wallace won on the first round of voting with about 60% of the vote. She will represent Senate District 17, which encompasses Erie, Lafayette and Longmont, until 2026, when she would need to run for reelection.
She beat seven other candidates: Andrew Barton, Julie Marshall, Peter Salas, Martha Wilson, Shiquita Yarbrough, Justin Brooks and Kathy Hagen.
“We have to fight for everyone in our communities and for our democracy. I’m ready to lead that fight from Day One. For me, this campaign is not about seeking a title. It’s about getting things done for our community, for this place where I grew up and that I’m so proud to still call home,” Wallace said before the vote.
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She said her priorities in the Senate will be pushing environmental protections, supporting affordable housing and preserving funding for education and Medicaid as the Legislature considers the upcoming budget bill.
Wallace has been involved in politics and government since 2012, according to her LinkedIn, when she worked as a field organizer in Colorado for former President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. She has experience working on multiple Democratic campaigns and in the congressional offices of U.S. Rep Joe Neguse of Lafayette and former U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo.
Jaquez Lewis resigned from the Senate in February amid an ethics investigation over her alleged treatment of her legislative aides. It was found that at least one letter of support the former lawmaker submitted in her response to the investigation was fabricated, according to state investigators.
Vacancy committees that comprise voters from the outgoing lawmaker’s party decide on replacements. About 100 people participated on Tuesday night. This is the fifth vacancy election this year, following the selections of Republican Sen. John Carson, Democratic Sen. Matt Ball, Democratic Sen. Iman Jodeh and Democratic Rep. Jamie Jackson.
With Wallace, Democrats will have a 23-12 majority in the Senate. The legislative session ends in early May.
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