Monica Duran

Monica Duran
Majority Leader of the Colorado House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2023
Preceded by	Daneya Esgar
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 23rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2023
Preceded by	Redistricted
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 24th district
In office January 4, 2019 – January 9, 2023
Preceded by	Jessie Danielson
Succeeded by	Redistricted
Personal details
Born	(1960-01-08) January 8, 1960 (age 64)
Political party	Democratic

Monica Irasema Duran (born January 8, 1960) is an American politician who is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives representing the 23rd district, which includes the communities of Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Applewood, Mountain View, and East Pleasant View, in Jefferson County.^[1] Prior to reapportionment, Duran represented the 24th district in Jefferson County.

Biography

Before getting involved in politics, Duran worked in the dental industry for more than 30 years.^[2]

Political career

Duran was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 63 percent of the vote over 37 percent of Republican candidate Arthur Erwin.^[3] She was previously a member of the City Council for Wheat Ridge, Colorado.^[4] She was re-elected in 2020.^[2]

From 2020 to 2022, Duran served as majority co-whip for the House. She is a member of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, the Children's Caucus, and the Colorado Legislative Animal Welfare Caucus. Duran also co-chairs the General Assembly's Democratic Women's Caucus.^[2]

During her tenure, Duran has sponsored bills that included creating minimum standards of care for animal shelters and rescues, creating a office to improve work on missing or murder cases involving indigenous people and a bill aimed at protecting domestic abuse victims by preventing abusers from possessing firearms.^[2]

In November 2022, Duran was selected to become the majority leader of the Colorado House of Representatives for the 2023 legislative session.^[5][2] She was re-elected in 2024.^[6]

References

1. Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission (March 18, 2022). "Colorado House District 23 (2021)" (PDF). State of Colorado. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
2. Metzger, Hannah (November 11, 2022). "Meet Monica Duran, Colorado House majority leader". Colorado Politics. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
3. "Colorado Election Results - Election Results 2018 - The New York Times". The New York Times. November 6, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
4. Njegomir, Dan (May 30, 2018). "Wheat Ridge council's Monica Duran to seek Colorado state House seat". coloradopolitics.com. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
5. Birkeland, Bente (November 12, 2022). "Colorado's new Democratic leaders are more diverse than ever, most are women". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
6. Glassman, Suzie (November 6, 2024). "Monica Duran clinches Colorado House District 23 seat". Jeffco Transcript. Retrieved November 14, 2024.

Colorado House of Representatives
Preceded by Daneya Esgar	Majority Leader of the Colorado House of Representatives 2023–present	Incumbent