Janice Marchman running against incumbent in Senate District 15 race

Jul. 29—Loveland resident Janice Marchman is running against incumbent Rob Woodward as a candidate for the newly redistricted Senate District 15, which now includes part of Boulder County.

Marchman, a former systems engineer who is currently a math teacher at Lucile Erwin Middle School, said working as a teacher — something she came to later in life — is a big part of what compelled her to run for office. Working and retired families are struggling, and Marchman hopes to do something about it.

Given that her district now covers areas impacted by the recent Marshall Fire and the 2020 Cameron Peak and Calwood fires, the 49-year-old Democratic nominee is making wildfire safety and preparation a big priority.

If elected, she said she intends to work with officials and insurance providers to find a legislative solution that ensures people have access to homeowners' insurance that offers better wildfire protection.

Marchman, who served for three years on the Thompson School District Board of Education, also plans to emphasize public education and wants to center children in the conversation.

"I would like to see us fund our students in the way that our constitution has laid out," she said. "We continue to not be able to fund school districts the way that the voters in Colorado agreed that they wanted to fund them."

The new Senate District 15, which includes Larimer and Boulder counties, is a diverse one with nearly half of its voters registered as unaffiliated. This makes it a "winnable, flippable district," Marchman noted.

However, as Marchman campaigns, she's realized Boulder and Larimer counties are facing many of the same issues: climate change, cost of living, affordable housing, health care.

A meet and greet event in the unincorporated community of Sugarloaf will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday. RSVP online at actblue.com/donate/marchmansgl to receive the address for the event.