(Promoted by Colorado Pols)
Representative Leroy Garcia, currently a representative in District 46 of Pueblo County, has announced that he will run for election to Senate District 3 in 2014. Senator Angela Giron was recalled from that office September 10, 2013, and has let her close associates know that she is not running for the SD3 seat in 2014.
Representative Garcia's voting record is mostly very progressive: for in state tuition for undocumented immigrants, for driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants, for civil unions, for sales taxes and regulating the marijuana industry, and many other key bills. There isn't much daylight between Garcia and Giron on any of the above issues. Then we get to the gun laws, and Garcia looks much closer to the current occupant of the SD3 seat, George Rivera. Rivera has vowed that repealing all of the gun legislation will be a top priority for him in 2014.
Garcia voted for background checks, (HB1229) but against the buyer having to pay for the check. (HB1228) He also voted against limiting magazine capacity (HB1224), and against prohibiting concealed carry on campuses (HB1226). He voted yes on SB197, prohibiting domestic violence offenders from having guns, and for various other bills limiting access to firearms.
His voting record will undoubtedly endear Garcia to the vocal "gun rights" proponents in Pueblo, while possibly alienating him from some of the more vocal gun control advocates. My own take on it is that Garcia is a veteran and a hunter – I've never met a veteran who didn't cherish his guns. So I'm prepared to allow Garcia his personal convictions about the gun laws.
Many Pueblo Dems, however, have not forgiven Garcia for not publicly supporting Angela Giron in the recall elections. This debate in all its unkempt glory was on the Pueblo Dems forum on Facebook. The moderator chose to make this a closed forum, now called Democrat Chat, and you will have to email him if you wish to join the forum.
I am personally prepared to support Leroy Garcia for Senate District 3. He is certainly much better than George Rivera on a multitude of issues I care about. I want to know if Representative Garcia, or a future Senator Garcia, will vote to repeal gun legislation. There will be intense pressure to do so as soon as the 2014 legislative session opens. I will update this blog as soon as I hear from Representative Garcia on this issue.
Garcia is undoubtedly a very savvy politician, adept at walking a fine line in a very volatile race. Those skills will be put to the test as he runs for election to Senate District 3. At some point, he will need to take a stand.
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This is great news. George Rivera is an extremist and he needs to be voted out,
Recall Rivera before he even has a chance to cast a vote.
How many signatures would be needed to get a recall on the ballot?
On another thread, Gray noted that to recall a candidate, "They must be in office 6 mos prior. By the time signatures were gathered and election held the session would be over "
Since the 2014 session starts Jan 2013, Rivera could be in office 6 months , but then you have a 90 day recall signature gathering period, which would put sigs due at the end of September at the earliest, and frankly, I've had it with these wasteful "Let's spend $150 grand of the taxpayer dollars to have a totally unnecessary recall election two months before the regular election".
Just keep calm and have a regular election, people.
Actually, recall proceedings can begin against a member of the general assembly after the fifth day after the organization of the general assembly. [C.R.S. 1-12-102] So January 14. For all other offices it is six months.
But I agree with you–focus on the general election.
Saw that coming. If I lived in Pueblo, I certainly would prefer Garcia to Rivera. I just can't see past the footprints he left on Giron's back.
Leroy Garcia has a mixed record on firearms bills.
As noted, Rep. Garcia voted YES on Universal Background Checks (HB1229). He also voted YES on Defining firearm as deadly weapon (HB1043, now law). He voted YES on the bill to require Domestic Violence Abusers to relinquish guns (SB197 – now law), He voted YES on HB1306 (Mental Health Task Force, which failed in Senate committee). He also voted YES on SB195 to prohibit on-line training for CCW permits. With just a few exceptions, all Republicans voted against all of these.
The NRA gave Garcia a rating of B (before 2012 election). Probably will drop now because of his vote for Background Checks.
Only super strong pro-gun Democrat in the house is Ed Vigil.
I see now where he did vote "Yea" on SB197. That makes me feel better about supporting him. Thanks for your input, doremi.
Not crazy about his views on guns, but people need to remember, that a democrat who is pro-gun is much better than a republican who is pro-gun.