A Record Number Of Latinos Join State Legislature

WELD COUNTY – By John Herrick for The Colorado Independent. On Wednesday afternoon, about 24 hours after the polls closed, Rochelle Galindo was at her mother’s house in Greeley watching the votes trickle in on her computer. The 28-year-old whose family has both Mexican and Native American heritage was locked in a dead heat race for a state House seat in Greeley. The next day, her advantage swelled, and her victory made Colorado history.

Nine Latinos were elected to the state legislature this year, helping to chip away at longstanding ethnic under-representation at the state Capitol in Denver.

When the 2019 legislative session gavels in on Jan. 4, Galindo and at least eight others will join five incumbents to total at least 14 Latino lawmakers in all. Incumbent Dave Williams of Colorado Springs will be the only Republican among them.

A close race between Democrat Bri Buentello, a special ed teacher from Pueblo, and Republican Don Bendell, an author from Florence, for House District 47 is yet to be decided. If Buentello wins, the number of Latino lawmakers next year would be 15.

Galindo will represent a Weld County district where nearly half the population is Latino. As a former member of the Greeley City Council, she worked to publish a monthly newsletter in both English and Spanish. One reason Latino representation matters, she says, is that it helps break down barriers to participate in politics.

“I think it’s important that people have access to their local city government and access to their city council members,” Galindo told The Colorado Independent.

READ MORE in The Colorado Independent

Image: Rochelle Galindo will represent House District 50. (Photo courtesy Galindo)