Democrats choose Jillaire McMillan to replace Jennifer Parenti in key Colorado House race

Jillaire McMillan will replace Democratic Rep. Jennifer Parenti on the ballot in Colorado’s House District 19 this November, a vacancy committee made of district Democrats decided on Thursday.

McMillan, a first-time candidate and small business owner, will face former Republican state lawmaker Dan Woog for the seat.

“I’ve always had a deep love for our community, and the thought of running for office has been on my mind for a long time. While I never anticipated running a campaign in 2024, stepping into this race is a true reflection of my life as a dedicated citizen and community member,” she said during a candidate forum ahead of the vote.

McMillan won during the second round of voting with 53.3% of the vote. Former Boulder Valley School District board member Richard Garcia received 46.7% of the vote. Thirty people voted in total, according to Colorado Democratic Party Executive Director Karin Asensio.

Software engineer Anil Pesaramelli and former Boulder Valley School District Board President Jim Reed also ran for the nomination and were eliminated during the first round of voting.

McMillan named gun violence prevention, health care access and public transportation as her top legislative priorities if elected. She also argued that her involvement with her faith community, which often skews conservative, is evidence of her ability to build relationships and communicate.

“I’ve been actively practicing what it takes to be a Democrat in a swing district for years, by building relationships and actively listening while never straying from my progressive values,” she said.

Parenti left the race in July, writing that “personal agendas and special interests” in the Legislature are contrary to her own sense of integrity. Parenti will finish the remainder of her freshman term, which ends in early January.

The district is north of the Denver metro area and includes Erie, Firestone, Frederick and other communities along the Weld-Boulder County line. It is considered a toss-up seat, leaning 1.5% percentage points to the right, according to a 2021 analysis of recent election results. Parenti won the seat in 2022 with just 50.3% of the vote and Republicans have targeted it as a seat to flip this year, which would cut into Democrats’ 46-19 majority in the chamber.

“I want to congratulate Jillaire McMillan and I also want to thank Richard Garcia, Anil Pesaramelli, and Jim Reed for running to fill this vacancy,” Shad Murib, chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, said in a statement. “While we have a strong belief that our nominees are best chosen by the voters at the ballot box, we are committed to transparency and access to the public and media in selecting a new Democratic nominee for this important race.”