Gay father announces candidacy for Colorado Senate

Less than a week after one gay man dropped out of the 2012 General Assembly race another one enters.

Jessie Ulibarri emailed supporters today announcing he’s formally entering the state Senate District 21 race Friday, Nov. 18.

“I’m running for office to help create an economy that works for everyone,” Ulibarri wrote. “As a third generation Adams County resident and as a working dad raising two kids, I’m intimately aware of the economic struggles everyday people face throughout our district.  So many of us are worried about skyrocketing health care costs, the foreclosure crisis in our neighborhoods, and the continual budget cuts facing our schools.”

Ulibarri is currently the public policy director for Colorado chapter of the ACLU. He will resign from his position at the end of the week, he told Out Front Colorado.

Senate District 21 is a new district in Adams County drawn to reflect population shifts. The Colorado Supreme Court heard arguments for new state Senate and House boundaries last week. A ruling on those boundaries drawn by a bipartisan committee is expected soon.

Ulibarri will be one of seven out gay or lesbian candidates running in the 2012 state election. He would have been a nationwide record-breaking eighth, however, Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Brian Carroll dropped out of the race after taking being appointed as interm-chair on veteran affairs for the Colorado Democratic party.

Also running in 2012 are all four of Colorado’s current out lawmakers: Denver Democratic Sens. Pat Steadman and Lucia Guzman, Denver Democrat Rep. Mark Ferrandino and Democrat Rep. Sue Schafer of Lakewood.

Earlier this year Denver teacher Paul Rosenthal and Commerce City Councilman Dominick Moreno also announced they’d be running for House seats. Both are Democrats.

If elected, Ulibarri will be the first gay lawmaker in Colorado to also be a parent. He is raising two children with his partner  of nearly four years Louis Trujillo.