At least nine candidates have announced their bids to fill the vacant Senate District 17 seat, which includes Longmont, Lafayette and Erie, according to a tally by the Boulder County Democrats.
The seat opened earlier this month after Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, resigned amid an ethics probe into her treatment of legislative aides and staffers. Jaquez Lewis said she was stepping down for an opportunity to work for a nonprofit.
The candidates vying for the seat include a mix of current and former elected officials, policy advocates and community organizers:
- Andrew Barton – program manager with Colorado Common Cause, a government watchdog group
- Justin Brooks – former mayor of the Town of Erie
- Kathy Hagen – state legislative lead for Moms Demand Action, a group pushing for stricter gun laws
- Julie Marshall – public relations director for the Center for a Humane Economy, an animal welfare group, and former opinion editor for the Boulder Daily Camera
- Peter Salas – Chicano community activist and former vice chair of the Boulder County Democrats
- Katie Wallace – former vice chair of the Boulder County Democrats and former policy team member for U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse
- Martha Wilson – licensed counselor, former child welfare caseworker, and policy advisor for the Boulder Police Department who previously served on Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel
- Shiquita Yarbrough – Longmont city councilmember
- Michael Rayl – Longmont resident
A Democratic vacancy committee will select Jaquez Lewis’ replacement in a virtual meeting scheduled for March 18 at 6 p.m. Additional candidates may enter the race before then.