Angela Williams Suspends Senate Campaign

Editor’s Note: Angela Williams suspended her Senate campaign on November 27, 2019.

Resume: Current member of the Colorado State Senate, representing District 33, which includes much of Northeastern Denver; former majority caucus chair of the Colorado House of Representatives; former principal owner of an insurance agency.

Party: Democrat

Give me your 30-second elevator pitch: Why are you running?
Angela Williams: I’ve served three years in the [Colorado] Senate, six in the House; I represent two of the most diverse districts in the state. I’m running because I want to take this seat back for the people of Colorado. For me, politics is personal. I grew up in Oklahoma where my mother and father raised cattle and fresh vegetables. My dad worked in a manufacturing plant, and what they taught us was the value of standing up for others. Those are the values I’ve brought to my decade of public service in Colorado, and those are the values I bring to this race also. I have a proven track record of bringing coalitions together to solve issues for the people of Colorado.

What sets you apart from the other Democratic Party candidates?
When I look at the field of candidates—well, number one, I’m the only sitting legislator—I’m someone who articulates a strong message about supporting working families and small businesses. And that’s important to constituents and what I’ve historically represented, and it lines up with the values of people in our state.

What is your top policy priority?
Number one is climate change. It’s real. We have approximately 12 years to save our communities by protecting our health; we need to address racial and economic injustices that are caused by climate change. And it’s unfortunately impacting low-income communities. I’ve had the opportunity to propose aggressive pieces of legislation this year that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the 21st century. So, I have a record on that very recently.

How would you ensure Colorado’s interests are met in Washington, D.C.?
I would do what I’ve done over the last nine years in the Colorado legislature. I will be accessible to the people of Colorado. Showing up is 90 percent of this game—listening to your constituents on what’s important to them, having conversations about how we can bring solutions to the people of Colorado, and bringing those coalitions together and not being apologetic about it. I would go to Washington and stand up for the rights and the interests of the people of Colorado. What’s important is that I want to represent the values of Colorado, which I feel are not being represented now.

How would you work with an increasingly divided Senate?
I am concerned, and that’s one of the reasons I’m running. The divide is becoming wider, more polarized. And we’re seeing gas thrown on the fire with Trump’s divisive tactics. He should be ashamed of himself. In my decade of public service, I’ve been able to bring coalitions together, bringing business and labor together, to work across the aisle where we can, and I want to be able to roll up my sleeves and spend that time moving policies forward versus the divisive politics that currently exist today.

What is something voters might not know about you?
I grew up in rural Oklahoma. My dad had 80 acres, and I grew up with six brothers and sisters. They put all seven of us through college, but that wasn’t easy. I think people don’t realize that I grew up in a rural environment.

Now for the lightning round….Pick one: 

Broncos or Rockies? 
Broncos

I-25 or I-70? 
I-70

National Western Stock Show or a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre? 
Stock Show

Coors Banquet Beer or a Colorado craft brew? 
Colorado craft brew

Hike a fourteener or raft the Arkansas River? 
Raft the Arkansas

Fall foliage or wildflower season? 
Fall foliage

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve or Rocky Mountain National Park? 
Sand Dunes

Wyoming or Utah? 
Wyoming

Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.