Dear Voters,

My husband, Mark and I have known Phil Weiser for more than 20 years. We first got to know him during the Obama transition, when Mark and Phil shared a tiny office. Over those years, we've seen firsthand Phil's intelligence, integrity, and genuine care for other people—qualities that define him even when no one is watching and no campaign is underway.

One of the things I've always appreciated about Phil is that he genuinely enjoys getting out into Colorado's communities and listening. I think the first time he and his family joined ours at the Fourth of July parade in Nederland was in 2011, when he was dean of the University of Colorado Law School. I love introducing friends to our mountain town, but Phil didn't need much of an introduction. He already knew Nederland well—and, equally importantly, he knew Colorado.

That connection to communities across the state has only deepened during his eight years as Attorney General. He has crisscrossed Colorado, building relationships and working with local leaders on challenges ranging from the fentanyl crisis to regional water conservation. When he helped secure nearly $1 billion from Purdue Pharma and other companies for the damage caused by opioids, he made sure local communities—not just Denver—had a voice in deciding how those funds would be used.

He has also worked to make housing easier to build, challenged landlords who coordinate rent increases, protected food assistance for Coloradans, and stopped the proposed Kroger-Safeway merger that would have driven up grocery costs. Throughout, he has shown a commitment to ensuring that communities like Nederland are not treated as an afterthought when important decisions are made.

I wish Michael Bennet had chosen to focus on completing the final two years of the Senate term that Coloradans elected him to serve rather than throwing his hat into the governor's race. He has been a strong senator for Colorado, and his experience and seniority in Washington will continue to matter there.

But as I look at the race for governor, I believe Phil Weiser's years of hands-on experience in state government have prepared him best for the challenges ahead. He understands how the state government works, knows communities across Colorado, and is ready to get to work on day one.

Keeping a strong advocate for Colorado in the Senate while electing an engaged, experienced leader like Phil Weiser as governor is a win-win for Nederland and for Colorado.

Laurie Wingate’s family first came to Nederland in 1915 during the tungsten boom. Someone ran up a debt to her great grandfather at his hardware store and paid it off with a small piece of land and a platform for a tent on what is now Peak to Peak Highway. Over the years, that tent grew to be a cabin where the extended family regularly gathers. Every August, the Carousel offers free rides for a day on Mary Wingate Day, honoring Laurie’s mother who was a fixture in the town.

Laurie Wingate

Nederland