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‘I’m a Democrat because I’m black?’: Watch CNN’s April Ryan battle Jack Kingston over political partisanship – Raw Story

A rowdy CNN panel ended with journalist April Ryan pummeling conservative Jack Kingston for saying shes a Democrat.

The panel was discussing Sean Spicers claim on Tuesday that Adolf Hitler didnt even sink to using chemical weapons against civilians like Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, a demonstrably false claim the White House press secretary was later forced to walk back.

This statement happened during Passover, a holy time for a community that was the butt of an atrocity, Ryan explained to her fellow panelists during CNNs Don Lemon Tonight.

Ana, Ana, Kingston said, incorrectly referring to Ryan by the name of another panelist, Ana Navarro.

Thats not Ana, Lemon interjected.

Im April, this is April, Ryan said.

Not all colored girls, are the same, Jack! Navarro said while Lemon laughed. But Kingston wasnt finished.

You might not be criticizing him because youre a Democrat, Kingston said to Ryan. Youre criticizing him because you dont like Trump.

I never said I was a Democrat, I never said I was a Republican! Ryan shot back. You dont know my politics!

Shes a journalist, Navarro pointed out. The segment quickly derailed as Kingston tried to insist Ryan was a partisan voter.

Im a Democrat because Im black? Ryan asked.

He thinks youre me, thats the problem hes having, Navarro joked. Jack, do me a favor: quit while youre behind.

Watch the video below, via @igorvolsky:

So much is going on in this clip. Its really amazing pic.twitter.com/J0XxcH1ON8

igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) April 12, 2017

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'I'm a Democrat because I'm black?': Watch CNN's April Ryan battle Jack Kingston over political partisanship - Raw Story

April 12th, 2017

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Morning Spin: Lipinski facing challenge from progressive Democrat in Southwest Side congressional district – Chicago Tribune

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here.

Topspin

Democratic U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski is headed for a primary challenge next year in the Southwest Side and southwest suburban 3rd Congressional District.

Marie Newman, a marketing consultant from La Grange, is looking to push a more progressive agenda.

In an email to supporters scheduled to go out Monday, Newman declares: Im in.

Over the past many months, I have attended over 55 group coffees and advocacy meetings throughout our district and Ive heard your concerns about our community and our country, she said in a statement.

"You shared your worries, your hopes, and your ideas. And many of you asked me to run for Congress -- because on issue after issue, Dan Lipinski hasnt been there for us. He is out of touch with our district, she said.

Lipinski, who succeeded his father, Bill, holds a more social conservative ideology than most Chicago Democrats specifically on issues involving abortion and womens health care.

Newman was born in Beverly and raised in Palos Park. After years of working in advertising, she started her own consulting business.

Im going to need your help. Its going to be a tough fight to reclaim our seat in Congress from a family of Washington insiders with a substantial war chest, whove held their seat in Congress for two generations, she said in her statement. After meeting with so many of you, I know we can do it from the grassroots up.

One side note: Lipinski dispatched help to Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar in his re-election bid after being challenged over his support and fundraising help for President Donald Trump. With mail-in ballots still to be counted, Claar appeared to narrowly hold on to win. (Rick Pearson)

What's on tap

*Mayor Rahm Emanuel is expected to attend the Cubs ribbon cutting ceremony on the new plaza outside Wrigley Field.

*Gov.BruceRauner will "announce new steps to strengthen hate crimes investigations in Illinois" at the Thompson Center.

*A joint meeting of two Chicago City Council committees will consider the appointment of Laura Kunard to the new job of deputy city inspector general for public safety.

*ACLU Executive Director Colleen Connell will speak at theCity Club of Chicago.

*Theweek ahead: On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis speaks to theCity Cluband the Cook County Board's Finance Committee could considerthe $36.5M Tyler Technology contract for Circuit Court case management system that was delayed at the last meeting. On Wednesday, there's a County Board meeting. On Thursday, a city committee could consider stricter party bus rules.

From the notebook

*This reminder brought to you by ...: The state wants to remind drivers to keep their car registrations current, but first, a word from its sponsors.

Illinois House lawmakers haveoverwhelmingly approved a measure that would allow the cash-strapped state to sell advertising on registration remindersmailed out to millions of homes each year.

The proposal aims to provide Secretary of State Jesse Whites office with an alternative funding source during the state budget impasse. The office wants to avoid a repeat of 2015, when it stopped mailing the annual renewal notices because of a lack of money. During the 10 months the mailers didn't go out, the number of people fined for failingto register their vehicles in time skyrocketed, leaving drivers on the hook for millions of dollars in late fees.

The ads could feature a range of businesses, including attorneys and restaurants. Companies regulated by the secretary of state, such as vehicle dealerships and driving schools, would be banned from participating. Also prohibited would be companies that make or sell alcohol, pharmaceuticals or medical marijuana. Politicians can't advertise either.

Rep. John DAmico, D-Chicago, said the secretary of states office spends about $400,000 a month on mailings and said the proposal would generate some cost savings for the state. It now moves on to the Senate.(Haley BeMiller)

*McSweeney sides with AG on worker pay: Republican Rep. David McSweeney said he sides with Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigans efforts to have the courts decide that state workers cant be paid without a legislative appropriation but questions what took her so long. McSweeney said he disagrees with Republican Gov. Rauners efforts to fight Madigans push to end employee pay absent a budget and disagrees with a proposal backed by some Republicans that would ensure workers get paid through a continuing appropriation. She should have done it two years ago, McSweeney said of Madigan on WGN-AM 720. I mean, I dont understand why would a government appropriate money automatically? It doesnt make any sense. I want to pay state workers, but we should do it as part of a budget. Right now theres a proposal on the table that would pay state workers automatically forever, without an appropriations bill. How does that make any sense? Rauner has contended that Madigans efforts in the appellate court to lift a St. Clair County Court order requiring state workers to get their paychecks is part of a coordinated attempt by Democrats orchestrated by her father, House Speaker Michael Madigan, to shut down government. But McSweeney said the paycheck issue symbolizes the overspending going on in the state during its historic budget impasse. When did state workers become more important than the truly needy, social service agencies, than MAP grants for our college students? he asked. That is whats created this problem in our state is that for the last couple of years 91 percent of this budget has been on autopilot and were paying state workers without an appropriations bill. McSweeney said he favors giving Rauner a $32.3 billion lump-sum budget and letting the governor make specific cuts based on $38 billion in spending something Democrats are unwilling to do. (Rick Pearson)

*On the Sunday Spin:Tribune political reporter Rick Pearsons guests were state Rep. McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills, talking about the lack of a state budget; Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers; and state Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside, talking about business tax credits. The Sunday Spin airs from 7 to 9 a.m. on WGN-AM 720. Listen to the full show here.

What we're writing

*Citydelays release of police shooting video despite 90-day policy

*Federal prosecutors seek 7 1/2-year prison termfor former CPS chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett.

*Chicago State board hires Vallasand a former dean to top interim posts.

*Illinois members of Congress support Syrian missile strike, but Democrats want debate on use of military force.

*Emanuel declines to pick sidesin Democratic race for Illinois governor.

*Kids poisoned by lead in CHA housing; landlords still got paid.

*HUD Secretary Carson to visit East Chicagoamid lead crisis.

*Gorsuch confirmed to Supreme Court without supportof Illinois' senators.

What we're reading

*For Cubs fans, sticker shockgoes with trip to Wrigley.

*On butter policy, Wisconsin doesn't stand pat.

*Large fries? Extra sauce? Why McDonald's wants to track all your dining habits.

Follow the money

*The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform's weekly update has a rundownof the big suburban races for mayor.

*Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here.

Beyond Chicago

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Morning Spin: Lipinski facing challenge from progressive Democrat in Southwest Side congressional district - Chicago Tribune

April 10th, 2017

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In Georgia, a Democrat’s ‘Make Trump Furious’ campaign rattles Republicans – AOL

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga., April 9 (Reuters) - After the crushing electoral losses that swept Donald Trump into the White House and sealed Republican control of the U.S. Congress, the Democrats' road to recovery winds through the leafy, well-heeled suburbs of north Atlanta.

Here, Democrats are threatening a stunning special election upset that could signal how well the party can turn Trump's low approval ratings into political gains. And they appear to have an ally in the April 18 vote: Trump himself.

In the most-watched congressional race so far in the Trump era, a wave of grassroots anti-Trump fervor has positioned Democrat Jon Ossoff, a 30-year-old political newcomer, to possibly capture a House of Representatives seat held by Republicans for decades, one of 24 seats Democrats need nationwide to reclaim the House.

"The grassroots intensity here is electric, and it's because folks are concerned that what is happening in Washington doesn't represent our values," Ossoff said in an interview. "This is a chance for this community to stand up and make a statement about what we believe."

With Democrats desperate for signs of hope after Hillary Clinton's loss to Trump, Ossoff's underdog "Make Trump Furious" campaign has endeared him to national anti-Trump activists and pushed him well ahead of 17 rivals in polls. The documentary filmmaker and former congressional aide raised a jaw-dropping $8.3 million in the first quarter, his campaign said.

"I've never seen the Democrats around here so engaged, and it's Donald Trump who got us so engaged," said Carolyn Hadaway, 77, a veteran party activist and retired software engineer from Marietta, a city of about 60,000 people in Georgia's central Cobb County.

Georgia would seem an unlikely venue for a Democratic revival. Trump won it by about 5 percentage points in November. And its voters backed Republican nominees in eight of the last nine presidential contests, including the last six in a row.

But demographic changes are brewing. Growing minority communities and transplants from other regions have made Atlanta's suburbs increasingly competitive for Democrats. Georgia's sixth congressional district, the location for April's special election, exemplifies changes common in booming southern cities like Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.

The district is white collar, educated and doing well economically, with median household incomes of $80,000 versus $50,000 statewide, and nearly 60 percent of adults holding a college or professional degree, more than twice the statewide average. It is also increasingly diverse, and in recent years became a magnet for well-educated immigrants from India and other parts of Asia.

The district was about 80 percent white at the turn of the century. But since then, the black share of the population has grown from 10 percent to 13 percent, the Hispanic share has doubled to 12.5 percent and Asian representation doubled to more than 10 percent.

About a fifth of the district is now foreign born twice the statewide average, according to census data.

Though newer immigrants may not be eligible to vote, census data indicate more than 40 percent are naturalized citizens, potentially bringing a different set of views on issues like immigration to the table than the voters in this district who sent Trump adviser and former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich to Congress for 10 straight terms.

RELATED: Newt Gingrich through the years

19 PHOTOS

Newt Gingrich through the years

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UNITED STATES FILE PHOTO: Rep. Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., gives a lecture on Sept. 18, 1993 during the first day of his 'Renewing American Civilization' course taught in fall 1993 at Kennesaw State College in Kennesaw, Ga. The course later became part of Congressional ethics violation charges leveled against Gingrich in 1996. (Photo by Bill Clark/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 5: Newt Gingrich(L), speaker of the US House of Representatives, laughs as US President Bill Clinton(R) looks on during a meeting of the bi-partisan leadership of Congress 05 January at the White House. The day after the opening session of the 104th Congress, Republicans and Democrats met with Clinton to discuss the legislative agenda. (COLOR KEY: Red in ties.) (Photo credit should read J. DAVID AKE/AFP/Getty Images)

CLAREMONT, NH - JUNE 11: President William Jefferson Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, share a laugh at a meeting held at a senior citizens center in Claremont, N.H. (Photo by John Bohn/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

ME.Gingrich.Newt.RDL (kodak) House speaker Newt Gingrich greets supporters at a fundraiser at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers in Anaheim. TIMES (Photo by Robert Lachman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 15: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., speaks during the ceremony to unveil his portrait in Statuary Hall. (Photo By Douglas Graham/Roll Call/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 17: (AFP OUT) Former U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) (L) speaks as he is interviewed by moderator Tim Russert (R) during a taping of 'Meet the Press' at the NBC studios December 17, 2006 in Washington, DC. Gingrich spoke on various topics including the war in Iraq and the 2008 Presidential election. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press)

WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 06: Newt Gingrich and Callista Gingrich attend the 32nd Kennedy Center Honors at Kennedy Center Hall of States on December 6, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

MANCHESTER, NH - JANUARY 07: Republican presidential candidates (L-R) former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry participate in the ABC News, Yahoo! News, and WMUR Republican Presidential Debate at Saint Anselm College January 7, 2012 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The GOP contenders are in the final stretch of campaigning for the New Hampshire primary, the first in the nation, to be held on January 10. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

WOLFEBORO, NH - JANUARY 07: Republican presidential candidate, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich speaks during a campaign town hall meeting at the Wright Museum January 7, 2012 in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. According to a CNN/Time/ORC poll released Friday, Gingrich has dropped from 43-percent in December to 17-percent, putting him even with fellow candidate, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum. However, both are trailing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney who is polling at 37-percent. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Republican presidential hopefuls, former Massachusetts Govenor Mitt Romney (L), former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, take the stage for the NBC News, Tampa Bay Times, National Journal Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of South Florida, January 23, 2012, Tampa, Florida. AFP Photo/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Republican presidential hopeful, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, delivers remarks during a Hispanic Town Hall January 28, 2012 at the Centro de la Familia church in Orlando, Florida AFP Photo/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/GettyImages)

MESA, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: Republican presidential candidates former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (L) and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich laugh as they participate in a debate sponsored by CNN and the Republican Party of Arizona at the Mesa Arts Center February 22, 2012 in Mesa, Arizona. The debate is the last one scheduled before voters head to the polls in Michigan and Arizona's primaries on February 28 and Super Tuesday on March 6. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

TAMPA, FL - AUGUST 30: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Callista Gingrich speak during a tribute to former president Ronald Reagan at the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 30, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate during the RNC which will conclude today. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO -- (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) -- Episode 4289 -- Pictured: (l-r) Newt Gingrich, Nicole 'Snookie' Polizzi, Callista Gingrich backstage on July 18, 2012 -- (Photo by: Margaret Norton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - FEBRUARY 27: Former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) addresses the 42nd annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) February 27, 2015 in National Harbor, Maryland. Conservative activists attended the annual political conference to discuss their agenda. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 25: Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright(L) and Newt Gingrich attend The Washington Post White House Correspondents' Pre-Dinner Reception at The Washington Hilton on April 25, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)

CINCINNATI, OH- JULY 6: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R) introduces Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally at the Sharonville Convention Center July 6, 2016, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Trump is campaigning in Ohio ahead of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next week. (Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images)

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April's special election fills the seat vacated by Tom Price, the new secretary of health and human services. It gives both parties a chance to test their messages for election battles next year in suburban districts where Democrats need to make inroads and where Trump's populist economic message did not sell well in November.

While Price sailed to re-election with 62 percent of the vote, Trump barely beat Clinton in Georgia's sixth district by one percentage point. In 2012, Republican Mitt Romney beat Democratic President Barack Obama in the district by 23 points.

'JUMP OVER A CLIFF'

Republican candidates nationwide will closely watch the result as they calculate whether to embrace the president.

The 11 Republicans in the race have split between those who portray themselves as Trump supporters and establishment candidates who keep a respectful and sometimes wary distance.

"I'm ready to support him," former state senator Dan Moody, who was endorsed by U.S. Senator David Perdue, said of Trump in an interview. But "I'm not going to jump over a cliff with him."

Grassroots Democratic groups flood the district's tidy suburban neighborhoods on the weekends, busing in volunteers from as far away as Maryland to go door to door on Ossoff's behalf.

The Ossoff momentum worries Republicans, say party officials, and outside help has arrived. A super PAC aligned with House Republican leaders put more than $2 million into ads painting Ossoff as too young and inexperienced.

Ossoff played down the strategic value of a possible upset.

"The national implications here will be about how this affects the political calculus for folks in the Republican conference in the House, not about how Democrats are supposed to run in the midterms," he said.

'CONCERN, NOT PANIC'

In a low turnout special election, getting supporters to the polls is vital, and Democrats have voted early in greater numbers than Republicans so far.

"We aren't panicking, but there is concern," said Maggie Holliman, a member of the Republican state executive committee.

Ossoff's best chance is to win the April 18 vote, a "jungle primary" that features all 18 candidates from both parties on the same ballot. If no one reaches 50 percent, the top two vote getters square off on June 20.

Republicans are confident they can win a one-on-one race with Ossoff, as the party unites with organizational and financial help pouring into the Republican-majority district.

"There is a chance Ossoff can win without a runoff, but that's his only chance. He's benefiting from unified Democratic support and Republicans being highly divided," said Georgia-based Republican strategist Joel McElhannon.

Polls show Ossoff hovering in the low 40s, not enough to avoid a runoff. The leading Republican, former Secretary of State Karen Handel, is well behind.

Handel has been cautious in talking about Trump. She said in an interview she expected to work with him on issues such as tax reform and border security, but "first and foremost" she would be a conservative advocate for her district.

By contrast Republicans Bob Gray, a local business executive, and Bruce LeVell, head of Trump's national diversity coalition, pledge undivided loyalty to the White House. Gray said he was the Republican in the race who performed the behind-the-scenes political groundwork for Trump in the district.

LeVell pulled out his cellphone and showed a reporter text messages from Trump aides Kellyanne Conway, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and even Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner to prove his insider status with the White House.

"If people are looking for someone to help Trump, I'm their guy," he said. (Additional reporting by Howard Schneider in Washington; Editing by Jason Szep and Mary Milliken)

19 PHOTOS

Kellyanne Conway since the election

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WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: Kellyanne Conway is seen as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks at a press briefing at the White House on Tuesday January 24, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Kellyanne Conway and one of her daughters arrives at Trump Tower for meetings with President-elect Donald Trump on January 2, 2017 in New York. / AFP / KENA BETANCUR (Photo credit should read KENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images)

LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS -- Episode 469 -- Pictured: (l-r) Kellyanne Conway during an interview with host Seth Meyers on January 10, 2016 -- (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway speaks at the annual March for Life rally in Washington, DC, U.S. January 27, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

White House senior advisor Kellyanne Conway chats with repoters on board Air Force One as they wait for U.S. President Donald Trump to arrive for travel to Philadelphia from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

White House senior advisor Kellyanne Conway (C) stands with a Secret Service agent as they wait for U.S. President Donald Trump to arrive to board Air Force One for travel to Philadelphia from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

White House Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway stands near a bust of late civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with labor leaders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. January 23, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Senior aide Kellyanne Conway listens while White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer holds the daily press briefing January 23, 2017 at the White House in Washington, DC. / AFP / Nicholas Kamm (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)

Senior staff at the White House Kellyanne Conway, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon (L-R) applaud before being sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence in Washington, DC January 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Counselor to U.S. President Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway prepares to go on the air in front of the White House in Washington, U.S., January 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

White House Director of Strategic Communications Hope Hicks, Senior Counselor Steve Bannon and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway arrive for the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. REUTERS/Win McNamee/Pool

Kellyanne Conway, advisor to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, departs for a church service before the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump kisses his campaign manger Kellyanne Conway's hand at a pre-inauguration candlelight dinner with donors at Union Station in Washington, U.S. January 19, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Advisor to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway arrives to attend a candlelight dinner at Union Station on the eve of the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, U.S., January 19, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Kellyanne Conway, advisor to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, arrives with him aboard his plane at Reagan National Airport in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. January 17, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Kellyanne Conway, senior advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives to a swearing in ceremony of White House senior staff in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. Trump today mocked protesters who gathered for large demonstrations across the U.S. and the world on Saturday to signal discontent with his leadership, but later offered a more conciliatory tone, saying he recognized such marches as a hallmark of our democracy. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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More from AOL.com: GOP 'goes nuclear,' ends Democratic blockade of Trump's Supreme Court pick Going 'nuclear' on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch could mean extreme US justices, experts say President Donald Trump locks horns with House Freedom Caucus

April 10th, 2017

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Democrat Brittany Pettersen launches run for Ed Perlmutter’s congressional seat – The Colorado Statesman

State Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood, addresses Democrats at the partys 7th Congressional District reorganization meeting on Saturday, March 25, 2017, at the Pipefitters union hall in Denver. (Photo by Ernest Luning/The Colorado Statesman)

Just a half hour after U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter announcedhis campaign for governor on Sunday afternoon, state Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, launched her bid torepresent the battleground 7th Congressional District seat Perlmutter has held for a decade.

Too many families in Colorado are facing tough times and we need leaders who understand those challenges, said Pettersen, who was elected I never November to her third term representing Jefferson Countys House District 28. When it comes to good schools for Colorado kids, access to healthcare for everyone and protecting seniors from cuts to Social Security, Ill stand up to Donald Trump and fight for regular people.

Pettersen could be facing a crowded primary. State Sen. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, plans to announce hes jumping in the race on Wednesday, and state Sen. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, told The Colorado Statesman on Sunday that hes more than likely to run for the seat.

The suburban 7th District hugs Denver to the west and north, including western Adams County and most of the denser-populated areas of Jefferson County.

The Colorado Statesman was first to report that Pettersen and Kerr were planning to run for the seat if Perlmutter decided to run for governor.

In her announcement, Pettersen heaped praise on Perlmutter, who is serving his sixth term in Congress.

For the last decade, Ed Perlmutter has been an outstanding congressman and is a model for public service, Pettersen said in a statement.

Perlmutter made his run for governor official at a campaign event on Sunday afternoon at Natural Grocers in Golden.

Pettersen serves as deputy majority whip in the House and chairs the House Education Committee. She also sits on the House Public Health Care and Human Services Committee.

The Colorado native says the opportunities afforded by her public education have inspired her to be a leader on education issues.

Supporting these teachers, supporting these kids is the No. 1 priority for me, she told a group of 7th Congressional Democrats gathered at the partys biennial reorganization meeting last month at a union hall in Denver.

Pettersen has sponsored the Middle Class College Savings Act and the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative in order to help more Colorado students attend college, her campaign notes.

The National Republican Congressional Committee put Perlmutters district on its target list earlier this year, although Democrats point out that the district is a lot less competitive than it was when itsboundaries were originally drawn.

According to the most recent voter registration figures, 34.6 percent of active registered voters in the district are Democrats, 26.5 percent are Republican and 36.9 percent are unaffiliated.

Perlmutter has won the seat by double digits every time hes been on the ballot, with margins ranging from 10 points in 2014 against challenger Don Ytterberg, who chaired the Jefferson County GOP before and after his congressional run, to 27 points in 2008 against political novice John Lerew. His other Republican opponents Rick ODonnell, Ryan Frazier, Joe Coors and George Athanasopoulos, in sequential order each lagged Perlmutter by around a dozen points.

A 2018 Republican candidate for the district has yet to emerge, although Ytterberg told The Statesman last weekend that he was considering another run.

ernest@coloradostatesman.com

This story has been corrected to reflect that Dominick Moreno is a state senator. We regret the error.

2018 congressional elections, 2018 gubernatorial election, 7th Congressional District, andy kerr, Brittany Pettersen, Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative, dominick moreno, Don Ytterberg, Donald Trump, Ed Perlmutter, George Athanasopoulos, Hillary Clinton, House Education Committee, Joe Coors, john hickenlooper, John Lerew, Middle Class College Savings Act, Mike Coffman, National Republican Congressional Committee, NRCC, Rick O'Donnell, Ryan Frazier

April 10th, 2017

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A weekend of egg hunts – Sedalia Democrat

Brenno Da Silva, 7, and Wesley Da Silva crack open plastic eggs to check out Brennos prizes after the egg hunt hosted by Sedalia Parks and Recreation on Saturday in Liberty Park. Hundreds of kids participated in the egg hunt, which was divided by age group. Parks and Rec also hosted a Flashlight Egg Hunt on Friday night.