Rep. Jennifer Bacon ​becomes first Black woman​ elected ​Colorado House speaker

Colorado House Democrats on Friday elected Rep. Jennifer Bacon of Denver to serve as the next speaker of the chamber. She will be the first Black woman to hold the position. 

Bacon will lead a Democratic supermajority in the 76th General Assembly, which will convene on Jan. 11. She will succeed Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat who is term-limited and won’t return to the chamber in January. 

“I know that my job is to help lift you up, lift up your communities, share successes, share insights and fight for you,” Bacon said to House Democrats. 

Bacon defeated Rep. Andrew Boesenecker of Fort Collins for the role.

Voters made clear in the June primaries and on Tuesday that they want change, not the status quo, Bacon said. She said she will prioritize the agenda constituents have asked for.

“You want people to meet the moment. You want leaders who stand for what’s right and who won’t waver,” Bacon said about Colorado voters. “And you want to know what our values are and what decisions we will make.”

Reps. Jamie Jackson and Michael Carter, both of Aurora, nominated Bacon. 

“Our caucus is blue. This house is blue.
My speaker is going to be Black,” Carter said. 

Bacon is currently the assistant majority leader. Voters in the northeast Denver House District 7 first elected her in 2020.

The caucus will elect other members of its leadership team later Friday.

This is a developing story and will be updated.