District 11 candidate Karen McCormick on the issues

While Karen McCormick's journey running for state representative might, at first, seems to be somewhat unique, the common thread throughout her life is service. From the time she was little and watching her father interact with other Navy servicemen to her own career as a veterinarian, McCormick has seen the importance of helping others and strives to do it herself.

"My dad...He was captain of an aircraft carrier, he made it a point to go to every department to ask what they needed...more leading by example. I took on that model of making sure you take integrity with you."

It certainly seems as though she's taken this leadership style to heart. As a veterinarian, she said she made a point not only to connect with the animals and family she helped, but with her staff as well. Additionally, she has shared her medical expertise with veterinary students at CSU.

She's also volunteered with the Citizens' Climate Lobby, Rotary, and Intercambio in Longmont.

Her first experience with direct involvement in politics came in 2018 when she ran against Ken Buck for a U.S. Congressional seat. "I was so upset with the divisiveness leading up to the 2016 election. I soon learned that no one was going to run against Ken Buck because our district is so lopsided. I was told, 'A Democrat doesn't have a chance;' and I thought, 'We'll never move the needle if we don't try.'"

While McCormick ultimately lost the 2018 race, she is proud that she still won 40% of the vote, especially considering that she was a new candidate. She then said her community members asked that she consider running for the state assembly this election cycle. After doing research and going down to the capital to shadow legislators, she decided to throw her hat in the ring.

"It [state representative] is a better fit for me [than congress], because it's closer to the people. Our state assembly actually gets stuff done in a bipartisan way and you see the effects more directly."

In addition to shadowing the legislators who actually make changes, she said that she's been doing a lot of community outreach to see what voters think and need. McCormick, who believes in moving the state towards renewable energy, went out to speak with farmers and ranchers to get their perspectives.

"I visited a very large farm that had been in their family for over 100 years and scattered throughout the cornfields were wind turbines, and I said, 'This has really changed the landscape, what do you think about your view now?' He said, 'I look out there and I see money, I see that my land will be worth something to pass on [to my children].'"

For McCormick, change happens with various groups working together. She explained that she believes we're all forward thinking, so we need to find collaborative ways to get toward that future.

This is why McCormick is enthusiastic about her campaign and the possibility of representing her community. She's a big believer in the saying that "All politics are local." She feels that since she's been working in the community in a variety of ways, she is well equipped to help people and solve problems.

Many of these "problems" seem to be centered around empathy, understanding and public support, and McCormick is particularly eager to address those. She vehemently believes that as a society, we need to address the stigma surrounding mental health. "I want to make sure mental health services have equal representation [compared to physical health]."

She also identifies as an ally with various communities of color--she's been working with Latinx leaders in Longmont--and to the LGBTQ community--one of her children identifies as nonbinary.

"I want people to know that I'm running to make the world a better place for my kids...not just for my kids, but other kids."

On that note, McCormick said not only does she support Proposition EE--which, as reported in a previous LHVC article, both seeks to address health, especially as related to teen vaping, and K-12 funding--but she's working on her own legislation. McCormick echoed the notion that COVID-19 has amplified disparities in the community, especially for those of lower socioeconomic means and people of color.

In terms of education, she's working on a bill related to internet access so that if schools shift to remote learning again, kids are better prepared.

"So much of what policy making is, is very similar to what being in medicine is," McCormick said. "We have an issue and need some way to address that. You want to collect all the data--collect all the stakeholders--sit down and develop a plan, or maybe you have five plans, and work through which might be the best and come up with the best way forward."

For more information about Candidate McCormick and her views, visit: https://karenforco.com/