Dominick Moreno Explained

Dom Moreno
Office:Majority Leader of the Colorado Senate
Term Start:February 23, 2022
Term End:September 1, 2023
Predecessor:Steve Fenberg
Successor:Robert Rodriguez
State Senate1:Colorado
District1:21st
Term Start1:January 11, 2017
Term End1:September 1, 2023
Predecessor1:Jessie Ulibarri
Successor1:Dafna Michaelson Jenet
State House2:Colorado
District2:32nd
Term Start2:January 2013
Term End2:January 11, 2017
Predecessor2:Ed Casso
Successor2:Adrienne Benavidez
Birth Date:7 February 1985
Birth Place:Commerce City, Colorado, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Education:Georgetown University (BA)

Dominick Moreno (born February 7, 1985) is an American politician who served as a state legislator in Colorado. A Democrat, Moreno represented the 21st district of the Colorado Senate from January 11, 2017 until he resigned on September 1, 2023 to serve as deputy chief of staff to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston.[1] [2] Before his election to the senate, he represented the 32nd district in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016.[3]

Biography

Early life and education

Moreno was born and raised in Commerce City, Colorado, and earned a B.A. in American Government from Georgetown University. Coming from a working-class family, Moreno was able to afford tuition at the institution as a consequence of generous scholarships he received.[4] [5] Moreno returned to Colorado to work in retail and the service industry throughout his time at Georgetown. He spent breaks abroad teaching English in northern Mexico in the village of Palmitas. After graduation, Moreno moved back to Colorado and served for two years on the city council of Commerce City.[4] In 2017, Moreno completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.

Legislative career

Prior to his election to the state legislature, Moreno worked as a legislative aide to Ed Casso, his predecessor as the district's representative.[6] He is openly gay, and became one of four LGBT members of the House of Representatives alongside Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino, Representative Joann Ginal, Representative Paul Rosenthal and Representative Sue Schafer.

2012 election

In the 2012 general election, Moreno faced Republican challenger Paul Reimer. Moreno was elected by a wide margin of 67% to 28%.[7] [8]

School board service

In July 2018, Moreno was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Adams County School District 14 school board, filling out the term of a board member who resigned. Moreno is a graduate of schools in the district and continued to serve in the General Assembly.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: Goodland . Marianne . September 1, 2023 . Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet picked to succeed Dominick Moreno in Colorado Senate . live . Colorado Politics . https://web.archive.org/web/20230901190355/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/legislature/dafna-michaelson-jenet-succeeds-dominick-moreno-colorado-senate/article_b6a985c4-4840-11ee-b3c1-37a6319509ce.html. September 1, 2023 . September 1, 2023.
  2. News: Birkeland . Bente . August 4, 2023 . A top state Senate leader is stepping down for a job in Denver mayor's administration . live . CPR News . https://web.archive.org/web/20230805030034/https://www.cpr.org/2023/08/04/dominick-moreno-mike-johnston-job/ . August 5, 2023. September 1, 2023 .
  3. http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_21956613 "Colorado House Democrats pick Ferrandino for speaker, historic first for gays"
  4. Web site: About Dominick – Candidate Information Page . 2012-11-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130227053802/http://www.dominickmoreno.com/about-dominick/ . 2013-02-27 . dead .
  5. Web site: Dominick Moreno – Legislator Information page – Ballotpedia.
  6. http://outfrontonline.com/focus/news/second-gay-man-announces-bid-for-colorado-general-assembly/ "Second gay man announces bid for Colorado General Assembly"
  7. Web site: CO – Election Results – Colorado Secretary of State . 2012-11-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170314203900/http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/43032/111283/en/summary.html . 2017-03-14 . dead .
  8. Web site: State House 2012 Election Results – Denver Post . 2012-11-10 . 2014-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140708040426/http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-senate/2012/ . dead .
  9. News: Robles. Yesenia . 2018-07-09 . Adams 14 votes to appoint Sen. Dominick Moreno to fill board vacancy . . 2018-07-10 .