2024 General Election
EL PASO COUNTY
STATE REPRESENTATIVE HD14 CANDIDATES
EPC HD14 General Election Candidates
Listed in Ballot Order
THE TOPICS
& QUESTIONS
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Candidate Information
House District:
Campaign Website URL:
Email Address:
Occupation/Vocation:
Military Background (if any):
Years Resident of El Paso County/District Represented:
Your Experience, Priorities, and Vision
What experience (personal, professional, other), priorities, and vision do you have for the elected office that you seek that will benefit your constituency?
Ethics and Accountability
1st Amendment
2nd Amendment
What is your position on gun legislation regarding topics such as mandatory gun insurance, an increased minimum age to purchase a gun, so-called “assault weapons” bans, and creating various new “sensitive spaces” (additional “gun-free zones”)?
Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism
Over the past year there has been a sharp rise in the expression of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism both across our nation and in Colorado, especially among youth. What do you view as the cause(s) of these sociopolitical issues, and what if anything should be done to address them?
The Economy and Resources
As an elected official, what initiatives would you champion to improve the local economy, and what are your priorities for addressing policies on water, energy, and other resources?
Education
If elected, what would you do to help improve the educational outcomes for students in our area? What is your position on parental authority in K-12 education, including school choice, parental notifications, etc.?
Protecting the Vulnerable
If elected, how will you seek to protect the lives of the most vulnerable in our community, including the unborn, victims of trafficking and abuse, senior citizens, and those experiencing mental illness?
Crime
What are your thoughts about crime in Colorado and our community? If elected, how will you work to reduce the impact of crime on your constituents?
Immigration
Do you believe that illegal entries into the U.S. have led to problems for our region? If so, what would you do if elected to improve the situation? Also, what is your view of sanctuary cities/counties?
Election Security and Confidence
Do you believe that elections in Colorado should be conducted differently? (For example, should people be required to show proof of citizenship and residency for registering to vote in Colorado, and should Government-issued identification be required to vote?) If elected, what specifically will you do to help improve Coloradans’ confidence in our elections?
ROSE PUGLIESE
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survey question and reply
Republican Candidate Information
House District: 14
Campaign Website URL: www.RoseForColorado.com
Email Address: Rose@RoseForColorado.com
Occupation/Vocation: Attorney
Years Resident of El Paso County/District Represented: 3 years
Your Experience, Priorities, and Vision
What experience (personal, professional, other), priorities, and vision do you have for the elected office that you seek that will benefit your constituency?
It was my great honor to serve House District 14 in my first term and am seeking re-election. I was privileged to have been elected Minority Leader in January as a Freshman legislator. The legislation that I have passed has focused on strengthening families, protecting parental rights and increasing affordability. I sit on the Education Committee and have worked on and passed several education bills, as well as advocated for school choice. My statewide work has enabled me to grow my grassroots network and develop relationships across the state with legislative, local government and state leaders.
Ethics and Accountability
What are your beliefs on ethics, accountability, and transparency in government as they relate to the position that you are seeking? Also, what is your position on accountability measures voted into law by Colorado’s electorate, such as the Colorado Sunshine Law and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)?
I have always operated honestly, ethically and transparently with my constituents and most importantly, own my mistakes. It is my belief that the public must have access to documents and especially budgets under the Colorado Sunshine Law. I chose to live in Colorado because of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights (“TABOR”). I thought any state that allowed their people to vote on tax increases was a free state. It is unfortunate that TABOR is currently being eroded and circumvented by the State Legislature. I have a proven record of fighting for TABOR and against fees disguised as taxes and tax increases.
1st Amendment
If elected, what will you do to protect your constituents’ rights to freedom of religion, speech, peaceable assembly, and petitioning the government for a redress of grievances?
As a State Representative, I will always fight against censorship in all forms and protect our First Amendment rights. I have fought with my caucus against censorship by the Majority and their attempts to silence the Minority in the House Chamber this session. During the Covid-19 pandemic, as a County Commissioner, I fought hard against closing churches and strongly advocated that they were essential. I worked to re-open churches as quickly as possible after the lock-down. Our re-open plan was the template statewide for re-opening businesses and churches, based on freedom; not force.
2nd Amendment
What is your position on gun legislation regarding topics such as mandatory gun insurance, an increased minimum age to purchase a gun, so-called “assault weapons” bans, and creating various new “sensitive spaces” (additional “gun-free zones”)?
I have a strong record of fighting to protect our Second Amendment rights and it is a constitutional right. As a County Commissioner, I personally wrote Mesa County’s Pro-Second Amendment, which stated that we not only supported the Second Amendment but would defend our constituents against unconstitutional laws. As a State Representative, I voted against all of the anti-gun legislation.
Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism
Over the past year there has been a sharp rise in the expression of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism both across our nation and in Colorado, especially among youth. What do you view as the cause(s) of these sociopolitical issues, and what if anything should be done to address them?
Unfortunately, we have seen Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism in the House Chamber. There are legislators who will not say the Pledge of Allegiance. In my opinion, it appears to be more of these sentiments among Millennials and Gen Z potentially due to social networks and social norms that lead them to accept Anti-Americanism and Anti-Semitism. We must continue to fight against all forms of hate and hate crimes.
The Economy and Resources
As an elected official, what initiatives would you champion to improve the local economy, and what are your priorities for addressing policies on water, energy, and other resources?
I have championed legislation that helped address the affordable and attainable housing crisis by giving local governments additional tools and incentives. I also passed an income tax reduction bill to keep more money in the pockets of the people. Water is a very important issue and protecting Colorado’s water and our agricultural communities is a high priority. We all want clean air and water for our families. I will continue to fight against taking choices away from consumers, such as gas stoves. Wildfire management and resources are also necessary to protect our residents.
Education
If elected, what would you do to help improve the educational outcomes for students in our area? What is your position on parental authority in K-12 education, including school choice, parental notifications, etc.?
I sit on the Education Committee and have fought to protect school choice and parental rights, especially charter schools and parental notifications. I have passed legislation for remote testing and giving parents and schools additional resources to help achieve higher math scores. As a mother of two children in public schools, it is incredibly important that parents make all decisions related to their children and their education.
Protecting the Vulnerable
If elected, how will you seek to protect the lives of the most vulnerable in our community, including the unborn, victims of trafficking and abuse, senior citizens, and those experiencing mental illness?
As a State Representative, I have voted against abortion laws and the government funding of abortions. I worked for several years to raise awareness locally and statewide about the signs of human trafficking and worked on legislation, during that time, to help victims, especially those in the child welfare system. I would advocate for resources for increased education and training on human trafficking for parents and our children to help teach them how to stay safe while on the internet. As an estate planning attorney, I have seen elder abuse, both financially and physically and would look for opportunities to strengthen our current laws and protections for the elderly.
Crime
What are your thoughts about crime in Colorado and our community? If elected, how will you work to reduce the impact of crime on your constituents?
Crime has increased in Colorado because the legislature has stopped putting criminals in jail and making them serve out their full sentences. We need Truth in Sentencing legislation to be passed as well as legislation supporting law enforcement. We also need to make auto theft a crime again the first time; not after multiple thefts.
Immigration
Do you believe that illegal entries into the U.S. have led to problems for our region? If so, what would you do if elected to improve the situation? Also, what is your view of sanctuary cities/counties?
As a First-Generation American, I believe in the need for a functional legal immigration process. As a legislator, I have fought against incentives that support illegal immigration into Colorado. It has caused strain on our schools, hospitals and government services and millions of taxpayers’ dollars have been used to help illegal immigrants. The legislature needs to help law enforcement to work with ICE to deport violent criminals. I do not support sanctuary cities/counties in relation to illegal immigration.
Election Security and Confidence
Do you believe that elections in Colorado should be conducted differently? (For example, should people be required to show proof of citizenship and residency for registering to vote in Colorado, and should Government-issued identification be required to vote?) If elected, what specifically will you do to help improve Coloradans’ confidence in our elections?
I believe that voter identification, including the county of their residence, should be required to vote and am against ballot harvesting, as it opens the door to election fraud. I also believe that the voter rolls must be cleaned up so that they are accurate.
KATHERINE “KAT” GAYLE
Democratic Candidate Information
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Christian voting
Voting is a simple, yet significant way to do something about public policy in our country. As people of faith, we will be held accountable for our actions, as well as our lack of action. (Luke 12:48)
Biblical worldview
By diligently learning, applying, and trusting God’s truths in every area of our lives, we can begin to develop a deep comprehensive faith that will stand against the unrelenting tide of our culture’s non-biblical ideas.
Vote your values
The issues of the day change. Political parties and platforms change. God’s Word never changes. The vote of every Christian should be based on the principles of Scripture and not persuasive personalities.
Electing righteous leaders
Bad governance and our loss of freedom is the direct result of the church’s failure to disciple. When the citizenry do not seek to be obedient to God’s Law, they vote in wicked and corrupt candidates, who then trample underfoot the God-given liberties of the people.