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Colorado Animal-Protection Group Announces Candidate Endorsements

Denver, Colo. -- Animals have a voice in Colorado politics, thanks to Colorado Voters for Animals, a nonpartisan nonprofit that works to protect pets, farm animals and wildlife through effective legislation.

The all-volunteer organization today announced its endorsements of candidates running in the Nov. 4 election. The group has for years published scorecards to help voters make choices that align with their values. It makes its picks by quizzing candidates on issues and reviewing incumbents’ voting records.

Gov. John Hickenlooper is endorsed for re-election. Over the past two years, the governor has established shelter dogs and cats as official state pets, approved a law to protect family dogs from being shot by police, banned live greyhound racing, authorized a reintroduction of black-footed ferrets, approved pet emergency care by first responders, and kept in place a critical law that requires pet facilities to be licensed and inspected.

Mark Udall is endorsed for re-election to the U. S. Senate. In 2013 and 2014, Sen. Udall voted favorably on animal-protection legislation 40 percent of the time, while his opponent, Rep. Cory Gardner, received a 19-percent score.

For the U. S. House of Representatives, Diana DeGette (District 1), Jared Polis (District 2), Abel Tapia (District 3), Andrew Romanoff (District 6) and Ed Perlmutter (District 7) scored high in the group's voting-record analysis.

Pro-animal picks for the Colorado General Assembly are:

Senate candidates

Leroy Garcia, District 3

Ellen Roberts, District 6

Michael Merrifield, District 11

Jeanne Nicholson, District 16

Rachel Zenzinger, District 19

Cheri Jahn, District 20

Andy Kerr, District 22

Judy Solano, District 24

Irene Aguilar, District 32

Lucia Guzman, District 34

House candidates

Alec Garnett, District 2

Daniel Kagan, District 3

Dan Pabon, District 4

Crisanta Duran, District 5

Lois Court, District 6

Angela Williams, District 7

Beth McCann, District 8

Paul Rosenthal, District 9

Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, District 10

Jonathan Singer, District 11

Mike Foote, District 12

KC Becker, District 13

Thomas "Tony" Exum Sr., District 17

Pete Lee, District 18

Max Tyler, District 23

Diane Mitsch Bush, District 26

Brittany Pettersen, District 28

Tracy Kraft-Tharp, District 29

Jenise May, District 30

Joseph A. Salazar, District 31

Dominick Moreno, District 32

Dianne Primavera, District 33

Steve Lebsock, District 34

Su Ryden, District 36

Nancy Cronk, District 37

John Buckner, District 40

Jovan Melton, District 41

Rhonda Fields, District 42

Daneya Esgar, District 46

Dave Young, District 50

Joann Ginal, District 52

Mike McLachlan, District 59

Millie Hamner, District 61

Edward Vigil, District 62

Colorado Voters for Animals is an independent, Colorado-based, 501 (c) (4) organization. It relies on donations, not funding from any national animal welfare groups. For more information, visit covotersforanimals.org.

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