Kathleen Curry
Kathleen Curry | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 61st district | |
| In office 2005–2011 | |
| Preceded by | Gregg Rippy |
| Succeeded by | Roger Wilson |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic Independent |
| Education | University of Massachusetts Amherst (BS) Colorado State University |
Kathleen Curry is an American politician who served in the Colorado House of Representatives from the 61st district from 2005 to 2011, as a member of the Democratic and independent. She was appointed to serve as Speaker Pro-tempore by Speaker Terrance Carroll before leaving the Democratic Party in 2009.
Early life and education
[edit]Kathleen Curry graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and natural resource economics and a master's degree in water resources planning and management from the Colorado State University.[1]
Colorado House of Representatives
[edit]Elections
[edit]Representative Gregg Rippy, a Republican, did not seek reelection to the Colorado House of Representatives and instead ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives.[2] Curry ran for a seat in the state house from the 61st district with the Democratic nomination and defeated Republican nominee Becky Rippy and Libertarian nominee Dale F. Reed in the 2004 election.[3] She faced no opposition in the 2006 and 2008 elections.[4][5]
Curry left the Democratic Party on December 28, 2009, to become an independent stating that it would be misleading to voters to run as a member of the Democratic Party when she was not aligned with the party's ideology due to her fiscally conservative stances.[6][7] She submitted petitions to run as an independent for reelection in the 2010 election, but under Colorado law she had to run as a write-in candidate as she had been a member of a qualified party in the preceding year. Legislation by Curry to get rid of the restriction was passed, but did not take effect until 2011.[8][9] During the campaign her write-in candidacy was endorsed by The Denver Post.[10] Curry lost in the general election to Democratic nominee Roger Wilson, but placed ahead of Republican nominee Luke Korkowski.[11] She won a lawsuit in which the court ruled that write-in votes where the voter forgot to fill in the oval next to the write-in line would still count.[12]
She ran in the 2012 election as an independent and appeared on the ballot, but placed third out of five candidates and behind Democratic nominee Millie Hamner and Republican nominee Debra Irvine.[9][13] Had Curry won she would have been the first independent elected to the state house since 1900.[14]
Representative Marc Catlin, a Republican from the 58th district, was term-limited in the 2024 election. In June 2023, Curry returned to the Democratic Party and announced her campaign on August 16.[15] In the Democratic primary election held June 25, 2024, she ran unopposed.[16] In the general election held November 5, 2024, Republican opponent Larry Don Suckla defeated Curry, winning 54.59% of the vote to Curry's 45.41%.[17]
Tenure
[edit]Curry served as chair of the Agriculture committee in the state house. Speaker Terrance Carroll appointed Curry as Speaker Pro-tempore, the second highest ranking position in the state house, in an attempt to keep her in the Democratic Party.[18][19] During her tenure in the state house over 90% of her legislation was passed.[20] She lost her position as chair of the Agriculture committee and as Speaker Pro-tempore after leaving the Democratic Party with Representative Randy Fischer replacing her as chair and Representative Buffie McFadyen replacing her as Speaker Pro-tempore.[21]
Later life
[edit]Curry endorsed former Speaker Andrew Romanoff for the Democratic nomination for United States Senate during the 2020 election.[22]
Electoral history
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Curry | 2,642 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 2,642 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Curry | 20,398 | 60.76% | ||
| Republican | Becky Rippy | 12,320 | 36.70% | ||
| Libertarian | Dale F. Reed | 851 | 2.54% | ||
| Total votes | 27,942 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Curry | 487 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 487 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Curry | 20,733 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 20,733 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Curry | 1,031 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 1,031 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathleen Curry | 28,012 | 100.00% | ||
| Total votes | 28,012 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Roger Wilson | 9,657 | 34.56% | ||
| Independent | Kathleen Curry (incumbent) (write-in) | 9,298 | 33.28% | ||
| Republican | Luke Korkowski | 8,987 | 32.16% | ||
| Total votes | 27,942 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Millie Hamner (incumbent) | 19,621 | 47.40% | ||
| Republican | Debra Irvine | 14,124 | 34.12% | ||
| Independent | Kathleen Curry | 5,732 | 13.85% | ||
| Libertarian | Ellen Temby | 1,132 | 2.73% | ||
| American Constitution | Robert E. Petrowsky | 783 | 1.89% | ||
| Total votes | 41,392 | 100.00% | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "Q&A with Kathleen Curry An independent voice amid the partisan divide". Colorado Politics. May 9, 2019. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Another Rippy runs?". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. January 31, 2004. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "2004 election results" (PDF). Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 18, 2021.
- ^ a b c "2006 election results" (PDF). Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c "2008 election results" (PDF). Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 10, 2021.
- ^ "Unaffiliated Curry says party change was welcomed". Aspen Daily News. January 5, 2010. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "State Rep. Kathleen Curry switches party affiliation". The Colorado Independent. December 30, 2009. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Kathleen Curry, Colorado's Only Independent Legislator, Opens Campaign Office and Submits Petition". Ballot Access News. June 13, 2010. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "Kathleen Curry, Former Colorado Legislator Who Switched to Independent and was Barred from the Ballot, Will Try Again". Ballot Access News. June 7, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Denver Post Endorses Kathleen Curry, Write-in Independent Legislator, for Re-Election". Ballot Access News. October 18, 2010. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "2010 election results" (PDF). Secretary of State of Colorado. p. 131. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Kathleen Curry Wins Lawsuit Over Counting Write-in Votes". Ballot Access News. November 6, 2010. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "2012 General Election Results". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Kathleen Curry May Become First Person to be Elected to Colorado Legislator, without a Major Party Nomination, since 1900". Ballot Access News. June 19, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Kathleen Curry runs for state House, returns to Democratic fold". Colorado Politics. August 16, 2023. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "June 25, 2024 primary election: State Representative District 58 Democratic Primary". Colorado Secretary of State. October 15, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "November 5, 2024 general election State Representative District 58". Colorado Secretary of State. November 22, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Why Kathleen Curry Dropped Colorado's Democratic Party". 5280. December 30, 2009. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
- ^ "Curry named House speaker pro tem". Fort Collins Coloradoan. November 12, 2008. p. 4. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "W. Slope legislators advance agendas". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. June 5, 2007. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Glenwood audience receptive to Curry move". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. January 6, 2010. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hundreds of current, former elected officials endorse Andrew Romanoff in U.S. Senate primary". Colorado Politics. May 28, 2019. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.