Monica Irasema Duran (born January 8, 1960) is an American politician who is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives representing the 23rd district, which includes the communities of Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Applewood, Mountain View, and East Pleasant View, in Jefferson County.[1] Prior to reapportionment, Duran represented the 24th district in Jefferson County.
Monica Duran | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Majority Leader of the Colorado House of Representatives | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Daneya Esgar |
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 23rd district | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 24th district | |
| In office January 4, 2019 – January 9, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jessie Danielson |
| Succeeded by | Redistricted |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 8, 1960 |
| Political party | Democratic |
Biography
editBefore getting involved in politics, Duran worked in the dental industry for more than 30 years.[2]
Political career
editDuran was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 63 percent of the vote over 37 percent of Republican candidate Arthur Erwin.[3] She was previously a member of the City Council for Wheat Ridge, Colorado.[4] She was re-elected in 2020.[2]
From 2020 to 2022, Duran served as majority co-whip for the House. She is a member of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, the Children's Caucus, and the Colorado Legislative Animal Welfare Caucus. Duran also co-chairs the General Assembly's Democratic Women's Caucus.[2]
During her tenure, Duran has sponsored bills that included creating minimum standards of care for animal shelters and rescues, creating a office to improve work on missing or murder cases involving indigenous people and a bill aimed at protecting domestic abuse victims by preventing abusers from possessing firearms.[2]
In November 2022, Duran was selected to become the majority leader of the Colorado House of Representatives for the 2023 legislative session.[5][2] She was re-elected in 2024.[6]
References
edit- ^ Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission (March 18, 2022). "Colorado House District 23 (2021)" (PDF). State of Colorado. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Metzger, Hannah (November 11, 2022). "Meet Monica Duran, Colorado House majority leader". Colorado Politics. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado Election Results - Election Results 2018 - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- ^ Njegomir, Dan (May 30, 2018). "Wheat Ridge council's Monica Duran to seek Colorado state House seat". coloradopolitics.com. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
- ^ Birkeland, Bente (November 12, 2022). "Colorado's new Democratic leaders are more diverse than ever, most are women". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ Glassman, Suzie (November 6, 2024). "Monica Duran clinches Colorado House District 23 seat". Jeffco Transcript. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
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