Colorado House: Winter, Luck, Mauro and Martinez poised for victory in Pueblo County races

Democrats and Republicans split the four Colorado House of Representatives races representing Pueblo County during Tuesday's election. Here's a look at each race:

Democrat Tisha Mauro defeats Republican Jonathan Ambler in Colorado House District 46 race

With 55.51% of the vote, Mauro has tallied 16,655 votes compared to Ambler's 13,351 as of about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Mauro said she plans to continue the work of her predecessor, Rep. Daneya Esgar. Esgar, a Democrat from Pueblo, has represented House District 46 since 2015. The current House Majority Leader, Esgar will finish her fourth and final term in the Colorado House of Representatives on Jan. 11.

"I am incredibly honored to be representing Pueblo," Mauro said. "I had a fantastic team that helped me— obviously, you can't do that by yourself. I am really excited to get to work for Pueblo and hit the ground running."

Mauro has a background in the automotive industry as a finance and sales manager. She is a lifelong Pueblo County resident and a graduate of the University of Southern Colorado. Ambler, a Colorado City resident, is a former educator who previously ran in the 2018 and 2020 House District 46 races. He was defeated by Esgar both times.

House District 46 includes several neighborhoods in the city of Pueblo, the St. Charles Mesa, Vineland, Avondale Beulah, Rye and Colorado City.

House District 46Jonathan Ambler, Tisha Mauro look to succeed Rep. Esgar in Colorado House District 46 race

Republican Ty Winter wins largely rural House District 47 over Democrat Dean Ormiston

Ty Winter defeated Edwin "Dean" Ormiston in the Colorado House District 47 race. As of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Winter held 63.99% of the vote, leading Ormiston 20,079 votes to 11,301

"I put 25,000 miles on traveling this district, listening to voters and what they wanted," Winter said. "What I campaigned on, there was a clear mandate by the voters that those are the issues that they want me to take to the state Capitol ... defending rural Colorado agriculture, heritage, way of life, working to lower crime and inflation, making sure kids get a good education, protecting constitutional rights and personal freedoms."

House District 47 includes eastern Pueblo West, Boone, North Avondale, Lamar, La Junta, Las Animas, Trinidad and Walsenburg. Winter will succeed Stephanie Luck, a Republican from Penrose, as House District 47's representative. Winter was the Las Animas County Republican Party Chairman from 2019 to 2022 and House District 64 Chairman from 2021 to 2022.

Ormiston, a Baca County resident, described himself as a "conservative Democrat," during his campaign. He has experience as a Baca County commissioner and educator.

House District 47Dean Ormiston, Ty Winter look to court rural voters in Colorado House District 47 race

Republican Stephanie Luck defeats Democrat Kathryn Green in House District 60

With 67.45% of the vote, Stephanie Luck has defeated Kathryn Green. Luck amassed 24,124 votes compared to Green's 11,642 votes in the House District 60 race as of 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

House District 60 includes Custer County, Fremont County, Teller County and small portion of western Pueblo West. A former charter school educator, Luck is the current representative of House District 47, but her hometown of Penrose was redistricted into House District 60 in 2020. Green is a Florence resident with a law background that included providing services to senior citizens and low-income individuals.

Martinez leads Riggenbach in House District 62 race to represent Bessemer, East Side and the Grove

In a Colorado House District 62 showdown between two Monte Vista residents, Democrat Matthew Martinez is poised for victory over Republican Carol Riggenbach as of Wednesday afternoon. Martinez has 55.02% of the vote — 15,619 votes have been counted for Martinez and 12,768 votes have been counted for Riggenbach.

"I want to make sure that I am delivering for Pueblo, the San Luis Valley and Huerfano... I want to thank Carol for running a good race. Something that I have said throughout the whole campaign is that I want to work across the aisle. I want to really represent Southern Colorado and make sure we have an advocate and a fighter in Denver, making sure that our values and our way of life are at the forefront of legislation."

House District 62 includes Pueblo's Bessemer, East Side, Eilers, Grove, Minnequa Heights, parts of the South Side and several counties in the San Luis Valley.

Martinez is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the director of Adams State University's Prison College program. He also cofounded the the Adams State Veterans Club and Center and served on Monte Vista's city council.

Riggenbach works as a nursing home health administrator. She has experience in farming, land development and non-profits.

House District 62Matthew Martinez, Carol Riggenbach seek to represent east Pueblo and Bessemer in House District 62

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Colorado Election Day: Winners emerging in House districts 47, 60, 62