Three of the most conservative Republican legislators in Colorado, along with a few activists, have founded a new political action committee called “We the Parents.” State Reps. Brandi Bradley (R-Roxborough Park), Stephanie Luck (R-Penrose), and Ken DeGraaf (R-CO Springs) announced the launch in a press release on Friday, titled “New Effort Launched to Flip Colorado Legislative Seats.”
Reached via text, DeGraaf declined to name any specific seats the committee plans on flipping, instead offering a list of the policy positions that will presumably make some legislators targets: “just the anti-Liberty, fetal-harvesting, child-mutilating, TABOR-hating, tax-loving gun-grabbers.”
Bradley announced the launch of the group in an Instagram video in which she says parental rights are under attack and that the mission of We The Parents is to “fund candidates that will fight to put parents back in the driver’s seat.”
Bradley did not reply to an email request for comment as to which districts the group plans to target and whether their stated goal of “flipping districts” means they will focus exclusively on seats held by Democrats. This article will be updated with any response received.
In addition to the legislators, the group includes Bradley’s legislative aide and QAnon promoter Schumé Navarro, and two former aides of Luck, Carolyn Martin and Jeff Patty, who ran for House District 38 last year. Martin currently works as the government affairs director for the Christian Home Educators of Colorado, an ultra-conservative homeschool group that hosts an annual conference featuring numerous far-right speakers, including a pastor who has publicly called for LGBT people to be executed. Besides the elected officials and their aides, activist moms Erin Lee and Valerie Leal, both of whom focus on opposing pro-LGBT school policies, also appear on the group’s list.
Lastly, Libertarian operative and podcaster Brandon Wark is also involved, serving as the committee’s registered agent, and, at least for now, sole donor; his $100 contribution is the total of its funding so far. Wark was involved in the Libertarian Party’s pledge program, which, starting in 2023, secured promises from its prospective candidates to drop out in exchange for Republicans pledging to uphold certain Libertarian Party policy positions.
Wark did not respond to an email asking if the group has identified legislative districts it wants to flip. This article will be updated with any response received.
Among the participating elected officials, neither Bradley nor DeGraaf has any significant political opposition. Luck does have a primary challenger, but she very well may not run for reelection in the House, choosing instead to run for either a state Senate or county commissioner seat.
The release elaborates on the group’s mission: “Elect parent-first leaders who will defend the family, not the state.” Its website also offers some insight into another driving force: a shared belief in Christianity.
“From the classroom to the doctor’s office and in the home, it’s time to reclaim our God-given authority,” reads the homepage.
Except for Wark, every individual listed has made public statements about their Christian faith. The Colorado Times Recorder also asked Bradley whether she feels the group’s effort are rooted in religion.
The website also highlights culture war issues it considers attacks on parental rights. For each topic, such as “Mental Health Services Without Parental Knowledge,” it lists multiple bills, all of which address either LGBT rights or abortion.
Lee’s involvement with We The Parents appears to parallel her duties as executive director of a similar entity, Protect Kids Colorado, a 501c4 nonprofit pushing multiple anti-LGBT ballot initiatives. Both groups will need substantial funding to accomplish their goals, presumably drawing from very similar donor pools.
According to the website, the donations will fund political work, advocacy training for parents, public education, and accountability campaigns against “legislators who say one thing and vote another.”
