On Friday, November, 11, House Democrats elected Julie McCluskie, D – Dillion, the next Speaker of the Colorado House.
State Rep. Julie McCluskie represents House District 13, which includes Lake, Chaffee, Park, Summit, Grand, and Jackson counties
“It is an enormous privilege to serve the great state of Colorado, and I’m honored to lead one of the largest and most diverse Democratic majorities in our state’s history,” said McCluskie. “The diversity of this body is our strength. As public servants, we are called upon to answer the expectations and needs of the people in our districts and to govern responsibly on behalf of every person in our state–those who voted for us and those who did not.”
House Democrats will have 46 seats in the 74th General Assembly. The caucus is one of the largest and most diverse ever elected in Colorado. Nearly 75 percent of the incoming Democratic lawmakers are women, nearly 40 percent are people of color, and 13 percent are LGBTQ+.
Speaker-elect McCluskie was first elected to the General Assembly in 2018 and now represents House District 13, which includes Lake, Chaffee, Park, Summit, Grand, and Jackson counties.
State representative Julie McCluskie was part of the Democrat party “Get Out the Vote” stop in Salida prior to the midterm elections. Photo by Jan Wondra.
“Congratulations to the new members of legislative leadership. We have worked closely with Democratic and Republican members of the General Assembly to pass a number of measures to save people money, improve public safety, provide free full-day kindergarten and preschool, the biggest property tax cut in recent memory, and lower the cost of prescription drugs,” said Governor Jared Polis.
“I am grateful for the work of our term-limited and outgoing members and I look forward to working with anyone who can help deliver real results for Coloradans on the pressing issues we face today like lowering costs on everyday items, housing, health care, and more in the months ahead,” added Polis.
“We have made bold progress to lower health care costs, make housing more affordable, protect our freedoms and invest in our schools, but Coloradans are still struggling in the aftermath of a deadly pandemic, global inflation and the worst wildfires in our state’s history,” said McCluskie. “Even with these challenges, I know that our brightest days are still to come. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do what’s best for our state, move Colorado forward and help Coloradans thrive. ”
She currently chairs the Joint Budget Committee and has authored landmark legislation to save people money on health insurance, make housing more affordable, and increase funding for public schools, higher education, and wildfire mitigation efforts. Last year McCluskie spearheaded efforts to direct federal recovery dollars toward innovative strategies that will grow Colorado’s workforce and save Coloradans money as they pursue new skills needed to enter growing industries.
Born and raised in Colorado, she and her husband Jamie have spent most of their married years in the Rocky Mountains. The parents of two children, Ian and Cait, they enjoy spending family time in Colorado’s great outdoors. McCluskie spent more than a dozen years working in the Summit School District before serving in the General Assembly.
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