Senate President Fenberg Statement on Senator Kevin Priola Joining Democratic Caucus
BOULDER, CO – Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, released a statement today following news that Senator Kevin Priola, D-Henderson, is joining the Senate Democratic Caucus:
"Today, Senator Kevin Priola chose his constituents and Colorado’s future over partisan politics. Senator Priola has made it clear that the people of Colorado deserve leaders who will boldly take action against the most serious threats facing our country today. Instead of bowing to the pressure of corporate, special interests and right-wing conspiracies, we must continue to take aggressive action to protect the democracy of our nation and combat the climate crisis facing our planet.
Over the past four years, Senate Democrats have taken bold, meaningful action to curb emissions, prepare for climate related disasters, - including wildfires - and invest in renewable energy. And despite consistent fierce opposition from his Republican colleagues, Senator Priola has been a tremendously valuable partner of ours almost every step of the way.
Additionally, Senator Priola has been outspoken about the danger of the Republican Party’s embrace of conspiracy theories about the 2020 Election. This past session, Senator Priola teamed up with me to run SB22-153, which strengthened the security and integrity of our election system. At the same time, the Colorado Republican Party was largely silent about the election crimes Tina Peters had been accused of and not a single one of his Republican colleagues, in either Chamber, supported SB22-153.
It is unfortunate that the Colorado Republicans have become so extreme that moderate voices aren’t welcome. Though we don’t see eye to eye on every issue, the Senate Democrats are excited to embrace Senator Priola’s leadership and diversity of thought into our caucus. Countless members of our caucus, including myself, have worked alongside Senator Priola to champion legislation to make health care more affordable, improve our air quality, investing in teachers and workers, and making Colorado a safer, more affordable place to live.
Make no mistake: just as Senator Priola’s views haven’t changed, our caucus’s principles haven’t either. Senate Democrats, with the leadership of Senator Gonzales’s Reproductive Health Equity Act, secured and protected a woman’s right to reproductive health care this year. We will continue to fight to ensure that a woman’s right to choose is uninhibited in Colorado. Senate Democrats also led one of the most important expansions of workers' rights in Colorado’s history this year through legislation granting county workers the right to unionize. We appreciate the tremendous contributions and sacrifices that working people have made over the past several years, and will continue to stand up for their rights. Where we’ve had disagreements with Senator Priola in the past, we have always maintained a respectful dialogue. That conversation will continue, only now we will be engaging him as a member of the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party has always been a broad tent. Especially in Colorado, we have consistently centered dialogue, and a commitment to finding solutions, in the policy making process–not political ideology. On behalf of the Senate Democratic Caucus, I welcome Senator Priola’s presence in our caucus and value his partnership in continuing to do good work for the people of Colorado."