2018 Elections Report PROTECTING COLORADO’S ENVIRONMENT 2018 ELECTIONS REPORT Conservation Colorado 1 A MESSAGE FROM THE Executive Director A PRO-CONSERVATION GOVERNOR For Colorado Dear friend of Polis ran — and won — on a pro-conservation Colorado, vision for Colorado’s future: addressing climate We did it! Conservation change, growing our clean energy economy, Colorado invested and protecting our public lands. more money, time, and effort in this year’s elections than we ever have before, and it paid off. With your support, we helped pro-conservation candidates win their races for governor, attorney general, and majorities in the state House and Senate, meaning we are set up to pass bold policies to protect our air, land, water, and communities. This year’s election marks progress for many reasons. More than 100 women were elected to the U.S. House for the first time in history, including the OUR STAFF WITH JARED POLIS IN GRAND JUNCTION POLIS ADDRESSING VOLUNTEER CANVASSERS first-ever Native American and Muslim women. To help elect Jared Polis, and Senate. We need these pro- Governor-elect Polis and We made some history here in Conservation Colorado and conservation leaders to act with countless state legislators ran Colorado, too. Joe Neguse will be its affiliated Political Action urgency to address the greatest on a commitment to clean our state’s first African American Committees (PACs) spent more threat we’re facing: climate energy. That’s because they representative in Congress, and than $2.6 million and knocked change. know Colorado has always Jared Polis is the first openly gay more than 500,000 doors. And been at the forefront of the man elected as governor in any state. we did it because we believe A recent report from United country in the shift to clean Coloradans also elected the most Polis is the leader we need to Nations scientists paints a energy. In 2004, we passed the women ever to serve in the state move Colorado forward. His disastrous picture of our future: first voter-approved renewable legislature, and Brianna Titone as the decisive victory reaffirms that if we continue to pollute our air energy standard in the nation. In state’s first transgender representative. Colorado voters want leaders as much as we have been, we’re 2010, our legislators approved in helping Senators Jessie Danielson, Kerry Donovan, Brittany going to feel the devastating Additionally, Democrats won all four Pettersen, Tammy Story, and Faith Winter win to secure a pro- who will protect our air, land, bipartisan legislation to close statewide constitutional offices — water, and people. effects of a warming climate polluting coal plants. In 2017, conservation majority in Colorado’s Senate. We also helped win a — intensified natural disasters, governor, treasurer, attorney general, 41-seat majority in the state House. Governor John Hickenlooper and secretary of state — for the first Polis has always been a rampant drought, rising sea committed the state to reducing time in 70 years. Jared Polis won Of course, the most important outcomes of election night are still conservation champion. From levels, and increased poverty — carbon pollution to meet the governor’s race with a platform ahead of us. The reason we do this work is to pass policies that his leadership in Congress, as soon as 2040, much sooner ambitious worldwide goals. centered around climate and clean protect our air, land, water, and people for generations to come. We where he’s introduced bills to than expected. energy. Phil Weiser as attorney don’t have any time to waste, and in this political climate, it’s up to protect public lands and clean Now, with Polis at the helm, we states to take the lead. air, to his service on our board Our leaders must take this threat have the chance to lead again. general will help Colorado stand up seriously and build on the vision to the Trump administration, protect Now that we have the right champions in office, let’s make of directors many years ago — Colorado voters are ready for Polis has never shied away from they laid out during the election. bold action to address climate communities from big polluters, and the most of it and keep fighting for the future! Polis ran — and won — on work with state agencies to safeguard these issues. change, from moving to 100% a pro-conservation vision for clean energy to limiting carbon our environment. Onward, In addition to electing Polis as Colorado’s future: addressing pollution. We look forward to Five women who ran in key state governor, Colorado voters are climate change, growing our working with our lawmakers to Senate battleground seats won sending a pro-conservation clean energy economy, and enact nationally leading climate victories for the conservation Kelly Nordini majority to both the state House protecting our public lands. policy here in Colorado. movement. We invested deeply EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CONSERVATION COLORADO 2 Conservation Colorado 2018 ELECTIONS REPORT 2018 ELECTIONS REPORT Conservation Colorado 3 Key Races ACROSS COLORADO Statewide Races: 2 out of 2 endorsed candidates won My election as Colorado’s Attorney General would not have ELECTED! State Senate: 8 out of 9 endorsed candidates won happened without the tremendous support of Conservation State House: 36 out of 36 endorsed candidates won Colorado. The incredible network of engaged citizens and the Local Races: 7 out of 8 endorsed candidates won powerful explanation of the importance of electing a ‘People’s Lawyer’ who would protect our land, air, and water was critical to Phil my success. I look forward to our continued work together. Weiser ATTORNEY GENERAL - PHIL WEISER, ATTORNEY GENERAL I look forward to working with Conservation ELECTED! Colorado’s 40,000 members to defend our public lands, grow our outdoor recreation economy, create good-paying renewable energy jobs that can never be outsourced, and make sure we can Jared continue to enjoy our Colorado way of life. Winning elections takes a lot of hard work and Polis ELECTED! GOVERNOR - JARED POLIS, GOVERNOR support and Conservation Colorado was there with me every step of the way. They provided critical support and were there for me when I needed it. Tony - TONY EXUM, HOUSE DISTRICT 17, EL PASO COUNTY Exum HOUSE DISTRICT 17 The endorsement and support from Conservation ELECTED! Colorado was invaluable to competitively running in the Conservation Colorado proved to be a great partner from number one legislative race in the country. Their early ELECTED! their initial endorsement through providing important endorsement of me showed other state and national field support in my race. I am excited to work with them partners the importance of this election, and brought in as we pass legislation to protect our air, communities, Faith critical donors and volunteers to the campaign. Winter and the health of our children. SENATE DISTRICT 24 - FAITH WINTER, SENATE DISTRICT 24, ADAMS COUNTY Dr. Yadira - DR. YADIRA CARAVEO, HOUSE DISTRICT 31, ADAMS COUNTY Caraveo HOUSE DISTRICT 31 I would not have been elected to state Senate my first time Conservation Colorado has been an invaluable ally. Not ELECTED! ELECTED! without Conservation Colorado’s help, and I would not have only did they expand my network of support, but they gotten back in again without their help. I cannot wait to work also provided critical advice and feedback that kept my on the issues we’ve been championing and thinking about for campaign on the right path. I’m lucky to count on their the past four years. Thank you Conservation Colorado! team as partners in moving our state forward. Kerry Tammy - KERRY DONOVAN, SENATE DISTRICT 5, CHAFFEE, DELTA, EAGLE, - TAMMY STORY, SENATE DISTRICT 16, JEFFERSON, GILPIN, Donovan GUNNISON, HINSDALE, LAKE AND PITKIN COUNTIES Story DENVER, AND BOULDER COUNTIES SENATE DISTRICT 5 SENATE DISTRICT 16 4 Conservation Colorado 2018 ELECTIONS REPORT 2018 ELECTIONS REPORT Conservation Colorado 5 Conservation TAKES CENTER STAGE IN KEY RACES Democracy FOR ALL Protecting Our Public Lands Every election cycle, millions of people who are eligible to vote don’t participate. People who don’t vote tend to be younger, more racially and Colorado voters know our public lands are vital to our way of life. And as the outdoor recreation industry continues to boom, public lands are also more and more critical to our economy. ethnically diverse, less affluent, and have less formal education. That means Voters in Senate District 16 were weighing these values in the race between incumbent these communities, who have been marginalized and disenfranchised Senator Tim Neville and pro-conservation candidate Tammy Story. Our research showed that public lands were one of the most important issues to voters in this Jefferson County throughout history, have less of a voice in shaping our future. district, and Neville’s terrible voting record came back to haunt him. We knocked on more than 55,000 doors We are committed to changing with the political process, but by “If the same people come and invested over $350,000 in digital ads, mail pieces, this reality. That’s why this year, working to register voters, Jason out and vote every time, we’ll and canvassers to mobilize voters to support Tammy Conservation Colorado Education says he’s become “aware of what never see a change,” Wanda Story. Voters sent Neville packing, in no small part Fund and Protégete registered individually I can do to cause a continued. “It’s good to have because of his record on public lands, and they elected 10,360 new voters in Denver and change in society.” And now he’s different people voting so we Story by a staggering 13 points in this swing district. Pueblo counties — 75 percent of making others aware, too.