Esgar: Our rights are on the ballot this Tuesday
Fighting for Pueblo has been the honor of my life these last eight years in our state legislature. I'm proud of all I've accomplished in that time, delivering actual results for working people. During my tenure, we passed collective bargaining rights for the entire state because, as Democrats, we know that unions protect workers' rights, pay, and safety. We eliminated surprise medical billing and lowered the cost of healthcare because no one should have to declare bankruptcy simply because they got sick. While the Trump administration and his allies systemically stripped voting rights, we fought back in this state with automatic voter registration.
I could accomplish all of this in part because of reliable allies like grassroots organizations like the Southern Colorado Labor Council, issue advocacy organizations like Cobalt, a strong majority in the House, and my fellow Democrats in the state senate. Democrats held 41 of the 65 seats in the state house. I’m confident our House candidates, Tisha Mauro and Matthew Martinez will be strong voices for Pueblo as our new State Representatives.
However, our state senate has only 35 seats, so our margins are much tighter; it's even more critical and vital that we have strong Democrats at that table. And Senator Nick Hinrichsen understood that on his first day in office.
Perhaps the most critical legislation I passed during my tenure was the Reproductive Health Equity Act. The ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Healthcare Organization was imminent; I believed it was only a matter of time before Roe fell, and nationwide, there were already more than a dozen trigger laws in place that would effectively ban abortion when the Supreme Court made this ruling. We were already living this reality as hundreds of Texas women and girls flooded Colorado clinics, thanks to Texas Senate Bill 08, which outlawed abortion.
It was Hinrichsen's first week in office, and he didn't hesitate to sign up as a co-sponsor for this critical bill. He knew the fight would be tough; his critics would be loud, and the marathon filibusters would be long. However, Hinrichsen understood that this bill was about more than just politics — that lives were at stake. Simply stated, we believe the government has no place in doctors' offices telling women what they can/can't do. He held the line, and in large part of his sense of right and duty, this bill was voted through the Senate and ended up on the governor's desk intact.
Presently, Denver and Texas are pouring millions of dollars into Pueblo County to prop up Hinrichsen's opponent. Republicans believe that if they lie loudly and often enough about Hinrichsen and his record that they can effectively buy this seat and steal our voice in the Senate. They can't win the senate majority without Senate District 3. Make no mistake about it; if Hinrichsen's opponent wins, he'll work hard for special interests like big pharma, oil and gas companies, and big business because they're the guys that put him there. He's changed parties 17 times and is now running as a Republican after losing two bids for office as a Democrat. He’s also been noticeably silent on the issues; and flatly refusing to talk about his stance on abortion — because he knows his beliefs aren't popular.
It's all on the line in the next few days — our voice, our seat at the table, our representation. So let's show those Texans and Denver money what we're all about here in Steel City. Here, right matters; we say what we mean and mean what we say — and we trust women. Please join me in voting for Democratic candidates Tisha Mauro and Matthew Martinez for the State House, and Senator Nick Hinrichsen, and turn in your ballot by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8.
Daneya Esgar represents District 46 in the Colorado House of Representatives. She is also the Majority Leader of the Colorado House.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Esgar: Our rights are on the ballot this Tuesday
