Kerry Donovan Explained

Kerry Donovan
Office:President pro tempore of the Colorado Senate
Term Start:January 13, 2021
Term End:January 9, 2023
Predecessor:Nancy Todd
Successor:James Coleman
State Senate1:Colorado
District1:5th
Term Start1:January 7, 2015
Term End1:January 9, 2023
Predecessor1:Gail Schwartz
Successor1:Bob Rankin (redistricted)
Birth Place:Vail, Colorado, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Shad Murib
Education:Northeastern Junior College
University of Notre Dame (BA)
Signature:Kerry Donovan signature.jpg

Kerry Elizabeth Donovan (born 1978/1979) is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate from the 5th district. She also served as president pro tempore of the Colorado Senate from 2021-2023. Prior to entering the state legislature, she was active in local politics in Vail, Colorado.

Donovan was born in Vail and educated at the University of Notre Dame. She entered politics with her election to the town council in Vail. She won election to the state senate to succeed term-limited Gail Schwartz. During her tenure in the state senate, she was selected to serve as Majority Whip and President pro tempore.

Early life and education

Kerry Donovan was born to John and Diana Donovan in Vail, Colorado. Her grandfather served in the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology.[1] [2] She is married to Shad Murib.[3] Donovan served one term on the town council in Vail.[4]

Career

Colorado Senate

Elections

Senator Gail Schwartz was unable to seek reelection in the 2014 election due to term limits. Donovan won the Democratic nomination to succeed Schwartz and defeated Republican nominee Don Suppes, who served as mayor of Orchard, Colorado, and Libertarian nominee Lee Mulcahy.[5] [6] During the campaign she had raised around $150,000 against Suppes' $107,000 and Mulcahy's $2,750.[7] She won reelection after defeating Republican nominee Olen Lund in the 2018 election.[8] During the campaign she raised around $228,000 to Lund's $21,000.[9]

Tenure

During Donovan's tenure she served as chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee and as a member of the Transportation and Energy, and Legislative Council committees. Donovan was selected to serve as Majority Whip in 2018.[10] [11] She was selected to replace Senator Nancy Todd, who was term-limited, as president pro tempore of the state senate in 2020.[12]

Donovan was one of the people Jared Polis considered for selection as his lieutenant gubernatorial running mate during the 2018 Colorado gubernatorial election, but Polis selected Dianne Primavera instead.[13] During the 2020 presidential election she endorsed Senator Elizabeth Warren for the Democratic presidential nomination.[14]

Congressional campaigns

In 2017, Donovan declined to run for the Democratic nomination in Colorado's 2nd congressional district after Representative Polis announced that he would run for governor.[15] In 2020, Donovan considered a run for the United States Senate, but ended up declining and endorsed then, Former Governor John Hickenlooper.[16] Donovan filed to run for the Democratic nomination in Colorado's 3rd congressional district for the 2022 election on February 3, 2021, becoming the third person to enter the primary.[17] [18] Donovan suspended her campaign's fundraising after Colorado's congressional redistricting commission approved a map.[19] She ended her campaign on November 5, due to her being drawn out of the 3rd congressional district by redistricting and instead placed into the 2nd congressional district represented by Joe Neguse, a member of the Democratic Party.[20]

Political positions

Donovan introduced legislation with Senator Owen Hill to allow voters to take photos of their ballots as under the current law voters face up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine for taking a photo of their ballot.[21]

Donovan introduced legislation that created Public Lands Day as a state holiday in Colorado to recognize the twenty-four million acres of public land in Colorado and its importance in the life and economy of Colorado. The legislation was passed in the state senate by a vote of twenty-eight to seven and in the state house by a vote of thirty-nine to twenty-six.[22]

Donovan sponsored legislation in the state senate which would create a paid family leave system which would be paid for by having employees pay 0.99% of their salary.[23] She and Representatives Marc Catlin and Dylan Roberts introduced legislation which called for the Regulatory Agencies and Health Care Policy and Financing departments to create a public healthcare option that would add to Connect for Health Colorado, Colorado's medical care exchange.[24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: April 16, 2021 . Introducing Kerry Donovan . . live . https://archive.today/20210604015824/https://www.telluridenews.com/news/article_29f7f462-9f0f-11eb-a2bd-0b00ec45fd51.html . June 4, 2021.
  2. News: October 10, 2018 . Colorado Senate District 5 candidate Q&A . . live . https://archive.today/20210604025945/https://www.denverpost.com/2018/10/10/colorado-senate-district-5-candidate-questionnaire/ . June 4, 2021.
  3. News: February 4, 2021. Lauren Boebert already faces three Democratic challengers in 2022, including state Sen. Kerry Donovan . Greeley Tribune . live . https://archive.today/20210604030425/https://www.greeleytribune.com/2021/02/04/kerry-donovan-lauren-boebert-congress/ . June 4, 2021.
  4. News: May 22, 2014 . State Senate balance hangs on five seats . 3 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604030847/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78906503/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: 2014 Abstract of Votes Cast . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210304083428/https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/2000-2099/2014AbstractBook.pdf . March 4, 2021.
  6. News: November 9, 2014 . Senate: Republicans could have momentum for overturning two recent gun control laws . 7 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604031136/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78907972/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: November 2, 2014 . PACs contribute generously to GOP candidates . 2 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604031534/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78908037/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: 2018 Abstract of Votes Cast . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201019164910/https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2018/2018Abstract.pdf . October 19, 2020.
  9. News: October 31, 2018 . In race to win Senate, Dems far outraise GOP . 2 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604051212/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913635/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  10. News: SEN. KERRY DONOVAN . . live . https://archive.today/20210604031806/https://www.senatedems.co/kerry-donovan . June 4, 2021.
  11. News: November 9, 2018 . Lawmakers choose new leaders . 3 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604051547/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913723/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  12. News: November 6, 2020 . Legislators elect their new leaders for 2021 session . 2 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604054151/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78914299/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  13. News: July 3, 2018 . Polis picks Primavera as running mate . 3 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604050852/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913528/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  14. News: September 23, 2019 . Key Colorado state senator backs Elizabeth Warren, not Michael Bennet . Colorado Politics . live . https://archive.today/20210604033556/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/key-colorado-state-senator-backs-elizabeth-warren-not-michael-bennet/article_b35a1600-de1c-11e9-ad3f-2fbbe07c2e64.html . June 4, 2021.
  15. News: June 23, 2017 . Kerry Donovan will stay on the ranch and in the Capitol, because Congress can wait . Colorado Politics . live . https://archive.today/20210604032200/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/kerry-donovan-will-stay-on-the-ranch-and-in-the-capitol-because-congress-can-wait/article_cc5fb4f1-14a0-5d66-9bfe-28f85bd67d57.html . June 4, 2021.
  16. Web site: Burness . Alex . 2019-02-21 . Colorado Women Are Conquering The Statehouse. Is A U.S. Senate Seat Next? . 2022-04-20 . The Colorado Independent . en-US.
  17. News: February 3, 2021 . Democrat Kerry Donovan launches campaign to unseat Lauren Boebert . . live . https://archive.today/20210604032946/https://coloradosun.com/2021/02/03/kerry-donovan-launched-campaign-against-lauren-boebert/ . June 4, 2021.
  18. News: February 3, 2021 . State Sen. Kerry Donovan jumps into CD3 race to challenge Boebert in 2022 . Colorado Politics . live . https://archive.today/20210604033251/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/legislature/state-sen-kerry-donovan-jumps-into-cd3-race-to-challenge-boebert-in-2022/article_acd157d2-665e-11eb-97b3-1f9a052c5fdf.html . June 4, 2021.
  19. News: October 6, 2021 . Boebert Challenger Suspends Fundraising, Cites Redistricting . . live . https://archive.today/20211122144349/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado/articles/2021-10-06/boebert-challenger-suspends-fundraising-cites-redistricting . November 22, 2021.
  20. News: November 5, 2021 . Democrat Kerry Donovan ends her campaign to unseat Lauren Boebert after redistricting . . live . https://archive.today/20211122143740/https://coloradosun.com/2021/11/05/kerry-donovan-suspends-congressional-campaigns/ . November 22, 2021.
  21. News: March 3, 2017 . Bill headed to governor will allow ballot selfies . 3 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604034539/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78910593/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  22. News: May 17, 2017 . Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day . 4 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604035723/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78911006/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  23. News: February 4, 2019 . Dems plan family leave proposal . 1 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604052231/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913866/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  24. News: May 18, 2019 . Guv signs health care bills . 3 . . live . https://archive.today/20210604052827/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78914029/the-daily-sentinel/ . June 4, 2021 . Newspapers.com.

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