Rob Woodward of Loveland looks to retain Senate District 15 position

Deborah Swearingen, Colorado Daily, Boulder
·2 min read

Aug. 11—Incumbent Rob Woodward is looking to retain his seat representing Colorado's Senate District 15, which was recently redistricted to included part of Boulder County.

For Woodward, a Republican who was elected to the Colorado Senate in 2018, the decision to run for elected office always goes back to his children.

"I want my kids and grandkids to be able to afford to live in the state of Colorado and live safely and go to school and thrive and make sure that they have the opportunities that we've had in Colorado for a long time," he said.

If reelected, Woodward, a Loveland resident who has lived in Colorado for 35 years since attending Colorado State University, said he'd maintain a focus on public safety, affordability and kids.

"Our kids paid a pretty heavy price during COVID as they were forced basically to stay home and do their learning on a computer," he said, adding that this led to negative impacts on children's mental health and test scores.

As such, Woodward, a former restaurant owner, intends to prioritize initiatives supporting educators and mental health.

In his first term, he sponsored two successful bills related to geothermal energy, or heat produced within the earth. One bill introduced the concept as a renewable energy and the second provided grant funding for homeowners, schools and others looking to use the energy source. If Woodward retains his seat, he intends to continue this effort.

The new Senate District 15, which includes Larimer and Boulder counties, is a diverse one with almost half of its voters registered as unaffiliated. Woodward said this hasn't affected his general campaign, aside from noting "the chance to get the people up in the mountains above Boulder has been fantastic." He is running against Loveland Democrat Janice Marchman for the seat.

Woodward will host an event on geothermal energy at 3:30 p.m. Monday at Sweetheart Winery, 5500 W. U.S. 34 in Loveland. Learn more about the candidate at woodwardforcolorado.com.