Who’s attending the State of the Union with members of Colorado’s congressional delegation
With President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech scheduled for tonight, each member of Congress gets to bring along a guest of their choice to watch the address with them.
Here’s who each member of the Colorado congressional delegation will bring to tonight’s address.
Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, will bring Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains President Adrienne Mansanares. DeGette co-chairs the House Pro-Choice Caucus, and Mansanares has led PPRM’s work since 2022.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Windsor Republican, will bring Sgt. 1st Class William Montgomery, a Purple Heart recipient who served in the U.S. Army. He earned his Purple Heart following injuries sustained during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, will bring a family member with him.
Rep. Jason Crow, a Centennial Democrat, will bring Heather Martin, a Columbine shooting survivor. April will mark the 25th anniversary of Columbine, and Martin has been an advocate for trauma-informed responses to gun violence since the shooting.
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, will bring Lucinda Schneller, a longtime friend and supporter who worked alongside Pettersen on the Obama campaign in 2008.
Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a Thornton Democrat, will bring Catalina E. de Jesus. When de Jesus’ Medicaid renewal hit a snag in December, she found herself with a $700 bill for her son’s inhaler. She reached out to Caraveo’s office for help, and the district team helped her restore Medicaid coverage so she could afford her son’s inhaler.
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet will bring Marina Dubrova, president of the group Ukrainians of Colorado. Bennet has supported U.S. efforts to help Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022, visiting the country on the second anniversary of the invasion. Dubrova’s organization, which was founded in 2014, helps provide emergency relief and has helped Ukrainians in Colorado find housing and employment.
Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper will bring Becky Mitchell, who represents Colorado on the Upper Colorado River Commission. Mitchell leads negotiations relating to the Colorado River on Colorado’s behalf.
Representatives for Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Windsor did not respond to a Newsline request for guest information by the time of publication. The team for Rep. Joe Neguse, a Boulder Democrat, did not identify the congressman’s guest by the time of publication.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 2:41 p.m., March. 7, 2024, to include information on Rep. Lauren Boebert’s guest.