Six months from Sunday is the 2024 Presidential Election. We have six months to make a difference. Startling I know, but we have six months now to save our Democracy, to restore reproductive rights, and to make climate change the issue it must be.
We need people of passion, and compassion. Democrats are people of empathy, who feel deeply for the needs of others, the planet, and not just what’s in it for me. Democrats are people who know the value of everything and understand there is a cost but are willing to pay it to make a better world for their children, grandchildren and all living things.
Democrats believe that government, politicians or clergy should not dictate medical decisions for women or tell anyone who they can be or who they can love. Democrats are science people, and believe in climate science and that without immediate change, our planet is at risk. Democrats believe that the only answer to organized greed is organized labor. Democrats believe that no one who works forty hours a week should live in poverty or be denied housing, and that a living wage is economic justice. No one should have to go bankrupt to pay for life- sustaining healthcare. Democrats believe that diversity is our great strength as a country and that all people, no matter their race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity, or religion, deserve kindness and respect, civil rights, and equality. Democrats believe that voting is a right and a responsibility. Voter suppression of any kind, including gerrymandering, will not be tolerated. Freedom from, is just as important as freedom of… We have the right to have freedom from fear that when we to go to school, the mall, concerts and houses of worship that gun violence will not destroy our right to life, liberty and happiness. All of these and many more make up our platform. To see all of the Colorado Democratic Party platform, you can go to the Colorado Democratic Party website.
I would like to thank all of the HD and SD district officers, that are involved with Weld County, for all of their hard work in running the District Assemblies. Your dedication is so encouraging that we are in the best hands to get Dems elected. Congratulations to Mary Young, Jennifer Parenti, and Sonya Jaquez Lewis, incumbents for House District 50 and 19, and SD17. Congratulations also to CD8 State Board of Education incumbent, Rhonda Solis, and to Krista Holtzmann new for CD4. We also have two strong candidates who made the ballot for CU Regent: Elliott Hood and CJ Johnson. A big thank you to Mark Mathews for stepping up to run for HD 64, Will Walters for HD 65, and Charles Alvarado for HD 63. Also a big thank you to Matt Johnston for running for SD13. All of these State House candidates will need your help in every possible way to be elected. Please be generous with your time, money and patience. We are also excited that our Congressional Districts of two, and eight have strong, experienced candidates, Joe Neguse and Yadira Caraveo, as incumbents. They too will have hard district fights to maintain their positions. We are very excited to see that three excellent Democratic candidates will be on the primary ballot this June for CD4; Trisha Calvarese, John Padora and Ike McCorkle. Trisha Calvarese will also be the candidate running against Republican Greg Lopez, on the 4th Congressional District special election ballot to fill the final six months of the term vacated by GOP Representative Ken Buck. These are all coming up soon, so please extend your help and generosity to these candidates.
This last six-month sprint to election time will be filled with opportunities to get our message out and we need volunteers to help in many ways. Here is a list of upcoming events, and links to check out the events that you can help us with. Please visit our webpage, weldcountydems.org to sign up, or call our office with your interest in becoming a volunteer.
First is the Erie Town Fair on May 18th, 10-6 pm. We have a booth in conjunction with the Boulder County Democrats and need volunteers to help staff our share of the booth. The following is a list of other events needing your participation.
Starting in June:
6-1 Berthoud Day Parade
6-1 Johnstown BBQ Day
6-7 Longmont Pride
6-8 Greeley Pride
6-22 Frederick Balloon Fest
Starting in July
7-4 Greeley Stampede
7-4 4th at Firestone
7-4 Loveland July 4th Festival
7-4 Longmont Fourth of July
August Events
8-3 Dacono Music Festival
08-10 Milliken Beef ‘n Bean Day 8-31 to 9-2 Windsor Harvest Festival and Parade
Also in August: TBA Weld County Democratic Party Roosevelt Dinner and Silent Auction Fundraiser
September
9-21 Frederick Miners Day
9-27 Mead Community Day
We also are planning to be involved with many canvassing events, postcard writing and texting events. Bucks and bodies are the needs of the day. We can make a difference but it will take the hard work of everyone. In addition to these opportunities, we also now have an opening for a party officer. our secretary has resigned, and we are looking for interested parties to step up and volunteer for appointment for this important position.
We are very excited that initiative 89 did gather 232,000 signatures to get the initiative on the ballot which will ask voters to put the right to abortion access into our constitution and eliminate the state’s ban on public funding for abortion and allow public employees to receive the same healthcare rights as others. Thank you to all the signature gatherers, and those who donated to the cause. ( Thanks, Rocky and Judy). To pass, the initiative must receive 55% of the vote.
“Never underestimate the power of a small group of dedicated individuals to change the world…for indeed, that is all that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Bev Wallace – Chair