Boesenecker vies for reelection in District 53 against five-time GOP hopeful Walter

Voters in Fort Collins’ House District 53, which now covers the north part of the city, will have their choice in representatives between Democratic incumbent Rep. Andrew Boesenecker and his Republican challenger, Donna Walter.

In 2021, Boesenekcer was seated by a vacancy committee to replace then-Rep. Jeni Arndt, who left office after being elected mayor of Fort Collins.

Walter herself isn’t new to the Fort Collins election scene and previously ran for the District 52 house seat in each election since 2014, running against both Rep. Cathy Kipp and Rep. Joann Ginal. Walter is now running in District 53 after redistricting changed Districts 52 and 53 from representing east and west Fort Collins to representing north and south Fort Collins.

District 53 represents north Fort Collins starting at County Road 38E and continuing north to Vine Drive on the west side of town, and starting at Mulberry Road up to East Douglas Road on the east side.

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Boesenecker’s priorities lean local, Walter speaks broadly of addressing party failures

In a recent interview, Boesenecker told the Coloradoan his priorities, if reelected, would be affordable housing, clean air, land and water, and public education, all of which he felt align well with the concerns of District 53 residents.

“The bills that I bring to the state legislature come from concerns in our community, so that's the work that's really ongoing, and the work that I hope to continue,” he told the Coloradoan. “I think the obligation is to take those concerns, whatever they might be … and then you put those in conversation with other concerns and considerations throughout the state.”

Last session, Boesenecker served on the State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs committee and the Transportation and Local Government committee. He sponsored six bills that became law in the 2022 session ranging from a bill to support a person’s privacy to one allowing school boards to spend more time in executive session when hiring a superintendent.

He said he’s already begun work on his first bills for the next session so he’s prepared to jump back in if reelected, and that they address the areas of health care and gun violence prevention.

But Boesenecker said he also hopes to be involved in conversations around wildfire prevention, which he called “critical” for Fort Collins and Larimer County.

“After the Marshall Fire, we looked at those things differently,” he said, adding that legislators may be considering new burning regulations around red flag days. “I think we're just one tragic accident away from (a fire causing) loss of property and, God forbid, loss of life.”

Walter declined to speak with the Coloradoan despite multiple calls and emails requesting an interview, so information on her campaign was taken from online campaign materials and social media accounts tied to the campaign.

Online, she presents herself as a Republican who “will listen, set priorities, and solve problems” if sent to the Capitol. She says she has “29 years of experience working at the capitol, helping to draft legislation, fighting for legislation and fighting for our rights against overpowerful special interests at the Capitol.” Walter has called herself a citizen advocate who has spent time working on issues discussed by the state legislature, but she has not held elected office in Colorado.

Walter’s campaign materials claim Colorado’s Democratic politicians “have abandoned traditional progressive” values, like good government, transparency and accountability, and that the state is facing big issues surrounding poverty, homelessness, addiction and suicide.

If elected, Walter’s priorities focus on reopening the economy, rebuilding the economy and protecting small businesses and renewing “the promise of freedom and opportunity,” according to her site. These are the same platforms that she ran on in her failed 2020 bid for the House District 52 seat.

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On key political issues, candidates stay true to their parties

When you look at national issues that impact Coloradans and get discussed at the state level, the two candidates stand aligned with their parties.

Boesenecker advocates strongly for reproductive rights, saying “I do not believe the government has a role in terms of inserting itself in a conversation that should live between a person who is seeking services — abortion care or reproductive health care — and their medical provider.”

He also supports improved funding to address impacts of climate change and stronger gun control laws, like mandatory age limits and raising the age requirement for gun ownership.

Though Walter didn’t answer any of the Coloradoan’s questions on national issues, her website says she hopes to fix the “failed leadership” she said Colorado has experienced under current Democratic leaders, which is common rhetoric among the Republican Party.

She also said she hopes to avoid “Bidenism,” which she recently said on Twitter is destroying the economy and will lead to a second civil war.

Walter’s site supports transparency and choice in public education, “common sense environmental policy based on reason, not panic,” and “common sense energy policy.” Her website does not provide further detail on what such policies would entail.

Want to know more about the candidates?

Boesenecker has fundraised $36,438.26, according to campaign finance data as of the Sept. 19 filing date; Walter had raised $0.

Boesenecker's largest donors are the Colorado American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations Nonpartisan Small Donor Committee ($2,500), Colorado Medical Society Small Donor Committee ($2,500) and the Realtor Small Donor Committee ($1,500).

To learn more about Boesenecker’s campaign, visit https://andrewforcolorado.com/.

To learn more about Walter’s campaign, visit https://www.donnawalter.com/.

Molly Bohannon covers city government for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter @molboha or contact her at mbohannon@coloradoan.com. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Meet Colo. House District 53 election candidates Boesenecker, Walter