Diane Mitsch Bush (D-CO-03)

Diane Mitsch Bush

Diane Mitsch Bush is running in the 2018 election to represent Colorado’s 3rd district in the House of Representatives. She is a policy researcher, professor, local advocate, and a former Colorado State House Representative. On June 26, she won the Democratic primary and will run against Republican incumbent Scott Tipton in the general election on November 6.

Background and Achievements

Diane Mitsch Bush was born in Minnesota and has lived in Colorado since 1976. She received her BA and PhD from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her PhD focused on social policy with a goal of researching better policy to solve social problems in society. She also has served on the faculty at the University of Arizona, Colorado State University, and Colorado Mountain College, Steamboat Springs. Her social activism work began with environmental advocacy and has expanded to public and higher education and job creation. She has served as a rural county planning commissioner, Routt County Commissioner, voting board member and Executive Committee member for Club20, and as a representative in the Colorado House of Representatives for Routt and Eagle counties.

Positions on Key Issues

  • Advocates for the Equal Rights Amendment
  • Supports women’s reproductive and abortion rights
  • Believes in paid family leave
  • Supports raising the minimum wage in accordance with the cost of living
  • Believes in equal pay for equal work
  • Supports investing in public education
  • Values fighting climate change
  • Advocates for gun reform
  • Supports universal, single-payer healthcare
  • Supports Dreamers and immigration reform

Prospects & Opponents

Diane Mitsch Bush won the Democratic primary on June 26 by 36 points. In the November 6 general election, she will run against conservative Republican incumbent Scott Tipton. Tipton won his 2016 election by 14.3 points, and Donald Trump won by 8 points in the district. However, Tipton won his first winning race against Democratic incumbent John Salazar by only 4% in 2010 after having lost to Salazar by a wide 62% – 37% margin in 2006. The Cook Political Report rates the election as solidly Republican, and the Cook Partisan Voter Index is R+6.

Endorsements

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