Longmont's Karen McCormick running for re-election as state representative

Jan. 20—For Karen McCormick, two years serving as a state representative in Colorado's 11th State House District will not be long enough.

With her term set to end in early 2023, McCormick, D-Longmont, announced late last year that she was launching her re-election campaign.

"I still feel that I've just begun my service in this capacity and so decided that running for re-election would allow me the time to build on the experience of these first two sessions and to carry forward some of the policy priorities that we are working on," McCormick wrote in an email Tuesday.

In the 2020 election, McCormick defeated electrical engineer Mark Milliman for the state representative role. McCormick said her policy priorities haven't changed since she ran for office. She said she has and will continue to focus on addressing and mitigating the effects of climate change, working to lower the cost and increase access to health care, and raising up Colorado's public education system to better fund educators and schools "so that all Coloradans have a top-notch education no matter their zip code."

During her first year in the Colorado State House, McCormick sponsored seven pieces of legislation that were signed by the governor, according to a news release on her re-election announcement. The release said this included legislation to expand access to the internet for students and faculty, to create a soil health program that promotes environmental sustainability in agriculture, and to lower the price of medication by expanding access to safe, imported prescription pharmaceuticals.

McCormick lives in Longmont and is a retired small business owner and veterinarian. She serves as the chair of the House Agriculture, Livestock and Water Committee.

McCormick's first venture into politics was in 2018, when she ran for Congress in Colorado's 4th Congressional District. While she defeated Democratic contender Chase Kohne in the primary, she lost the election to Republican incumbent Ken Buck.

"After the experience of running for Congress, in which we were able to move that district a full 10 points from the previous election, I decided that the newly open seat at the state level would be a much better fit for me," McCormick wrote. "At the state level things get done faster and the impact felt closer to home."

In an effort to take precautions against the spread of the coronavirus, McCormick will not host an in-person kickoff to her campaign. McCormick said in the news release that she looks forward to meeting in small gatherings through town halls and other meetings with constituents through the legislative session.

"I have always had the attitude that I am here only to be truly helpful," McCormick wrote. "Being a veterinarian allowed me to do that, and so does being a state representative. I would love the support of my community to be able to continue to serve in this position as it is my honor."