{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Kerry Donovan |image = KerrySpeech (cropped).jpg |office = President pro tempore of the Colorado Senate |term_start = January 13, 2021 |term_end = January 9, 2023 |predecessor = Nancy Todd |successor = James Coleman |state_senate1 = Colorado |district1 = 5th |term_start1 = January 7, 2015 |term_end1 = January 9, 2023 |predecessor1 = Gail Schwartz |successor1 = Bob Rankin (redistricted) |birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|39|2018|10|10}} |birth_place = Vail, Colorado, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |spouse = Shad Murib |education = Northeastern Junior College<br>University of Notre Dame (BA) |signature = Kerry Donovan signature.jpg }} '''Kerry Elizabeth Donovan''' (born 1978/1979)<ref name="questionnaire" /> is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate from the 5th district. She also served as president pro tempore of the Colorado Senate from 2021-2023. Prior to entering the state legislature, she was active in local politics in Vail, Colorado.
Donovan was born in Vail and educated at the University of Notre Dame. She entered politics with her election to the town council in Vail. She won election to the state senate to succeed term-limited Gail Schwartz. During her tenure in the state senate, she was selected to serve as Majority Whip and President pro tempore.
==Early life and education==
Kerry Donovan was born to John and Diana Donovan in Vail, Colorado. Her grandfather served in the 10th Mountain Division during World War II. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 2021 |title=Introducing Kerry Donovan |work=Telluride Daily Planet |url=https://www.telluridenews.com/news/article_29f7f462-9f0f-11eb-a2bd-0b00ec45fd51.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604015824/https://www.telluridenews.com/news/article_29f7f462-9f0f-11eb-a2bd-0b00ec45fd51.html |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name="questionnaire">{{Cite news |date=October 10, 2018 |title=Colorado Senate District 5 candidate Q&A |work=The Denver Post |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2018/10/10/colorado-senate-district-5-candidate-questionnaire/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604025945/https://www.denverpost.com/2018/10/10/colorado-senate-district-5-candidate-questionnaire/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> She is married to Shad Murib.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 4, 2021|title=Lauren Boebert already faces three Democratic challengers in 2022, including state Sen. Kerry Donovan |work=Greeley Tribune |url=https://www.greeleytribune.com/2021/02/04/kerry-donovan-lauren-boebert-congress/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604030425/https://www.greeleytribune.com/2021/02/04/kerry-donovan-lauren-boebert-congress/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> Donovan served one term on the town council in Vail.<ref name="career">{{Cite news |date=May 22, 2014 |title=State Senate balance hangs on five seats |page=3 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78906503/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604030847/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78906503/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Career== ===Colorado Senate=== ====Elections==== [[File:KerryBillSigning.jpg|thumb|Donovan talking with Governor John Hickenlooper during a bill signing.]]
Senator Gail Schwartz was unable to seek reelection in the 2014 election due to term limits.<ref name="career" /> Donovan won the Democratic nomination to succeed Schwartz and defeated Republican nominee Don Suppes, who served as mayor of Orchard, Colorado, and Libertarian nominee Lee Mulcahy.<ref name="election 2014">{{Cite news |url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/2000-2099/2014AbstractBook.pdf |title=2014 Abstract of Votes Cast |work=Secretary of State of Colorado |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304083428/https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/pdf/2000-2099/2014AbstractBook.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 9, 2014 |title=Senate: Republicans could have momentum for overturning two recent gun control laws |page=7 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78907972/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604031136/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78907972/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> During the campaign she had raised around $150,000 against Suppes' $107,000 and Mulcahy's $2,750.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 2, 2014 |title=PACs contribute generously to GOP candidates |page=2 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78908037/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604031534/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78908037/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She won reelection after defeating Republican nominee Olen Lund in the 2018 election.<ref name="election 2018">{{Cite news |url=https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2018/2018Abstract.pdf |title=2018 Abstract of Votes Cast |work=Secretary of State of Colorado |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019164910/https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2018/2018Abstract.pdf |archive-date=October 19, 2020}}</ref> During the campaign she raised around $228,000 to Lund's $21,000.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 31, 2018 |title=In race to win Senate, Dems far outraise GOP |page=2 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913635/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604051212/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913635/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
====Tenure====
During Donovan's tenure she served as chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee and as a member of the Transportation and Energy, and Legislative Council committees. Donovan was selected to serve as Majority Whip in 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |title=SEN. KERRY DONOVAN |work=Colorado Democratic Party |url=https://www.senatedems.co/kerry-donovan |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604031806/https://www.senatedems.co/kerry-donovan |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 9, 2018 |title=Lawmakers choose new leaders |page=3 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913723/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604051547/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913723/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She was selected to replace Senator Nancy Todd, who was term-limited, as president pro tempore of the state senate in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 6, 2020 |title=Legislators elect their new leaders for 2021 session |page=2 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78914299/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604054151/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78914299/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Donovan was one of the people Jared Polis considered for selection as his lieutenant gubernatorial running mate during the 2018 Colorado gubernatorial election, but Polis selected Dianne Primavera instead.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 3, 2018 |title=Polis picks Primavera as running mate |page=3 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913528/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604050852/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913528/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> During the 2020 presidential election she endorsed Senator Elizabeth Warren for the Democratic presidential nomination.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 23, 2019 |title=Key Colorado state senator backs Elizabeth Warren, not Michael Bennet |work=Colorado Politics |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/key-colorado-state-senator-backs-elizabeth-warren-not-michael-bennet/article_b35a1600-de1c-11e9-ad3f-2fbbe07c2e64.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604033556/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/key-colorado-state-senator-backs-elizabeth-warren-not-michael-bennet/article_b35a1600-de1c-11e9-ad3f-2fbbe07c2e64.html |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref>
===Congressional campaigns===
In 2017, Donovan declined to run for the Democratic nomination in Colorado's 2nd congressional district after Representative Polis announced that he would run for governor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 23, 2017 |title=Kerry Donovan will stay on the ranch and in the Capitol, because Congress can wait |work=Colorado Politics |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/kerry-donovan-will-stay-on-the-ranch-and-in-the-capitol-because-congress-can-wait/article_cc5fb4f1-14a0-5d66-9bfe-28f85bd67d57.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604032200/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/kerry-donovan-will-stay-on-the-ranch-and-in-the-capitol-because-congress-can-wait/article_cc5fb4f1-14a0-5d66-9bfe-28f85bd67d57.html |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> In 2020, Donovan considered a run for the United States Senate, but ended up declining and endorsed former Governor John Hickenlooper.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burness |first=Alex |date=2019-02-21 |title=Colorado Women Are Conquering The Statehouse. Is A U.S. Senate Seat Next? |url=https://www.coloradoindependent.com/2019/02/21/2020-women-zornio-garcia-duran-donovan/ |access-date=2022-04-20 |website=The Colorado Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> Donovan filed to run for the Democratic nomination in Colorado's 3rd congressional district for the 2022 election on February 3, 2021, becoming the third person to enter the primary.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 3, 2021 |title=Democrat Kerry Donovan launches campaign to unseat Lauren Boebert |work=The Colorado Sun |url=https://coloradosun.com/2021/02/03/kerry-donovan-launched-campaign-against-lauren-boebert/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604032946/https://coloradosun.com/2021/02/03/kerry-donovan-launched-campaign-against-lauren-boebert/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 3, 2021 |title=State Sen. Kerry Donovan jumps into CD3 race to challenge Boebert in 2022 |work=Colorado Politics |url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/legislature/state-sen-kerry-donovan-jumps-into-cd3-race-to-challenge-boebert-in-2022/article_acd157d2-665e-11eb-97b3-1f9a052c5fdf.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604033251/https://www.coloradopolitics.com/legislature/state-sen-kerry-donovan-jumps-into-cd3-race-to-challenge-boebert-in-2022/article_acd157d2-665e-11eb-97b3-1f9a052c5fdf.html |archive-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref> Donovan suspended her campaign's fundraising after Colorado's congressional redistricting commission approved a map.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 2021 |title=Boebert Challenger Suspends Fundraising, Cites Redistricting |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado/articles/2021-10-06/boebert-challenger-suspends-fundraising-cites-redistricting |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211122144349/https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/colorado/articles/2021-10-06/boebert-challenger-suspends-fundraising-cites-redistricting |archive-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref> She ended her campaign on November 5, due to her being drawn out of the 3rd congressional district by redistricting and instead placed into the 2nd congressional district represented by Joe Neguse, a member of the Democratic Party.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 5, 2021 |title=Democrat Kerry Donovan ends her campaign to unseat Lauren Boebert after redistricting |work=The Colorado Sun |url=https://coloradosun.com/2021/11/05/kerry-donovan-suspends-congressional-campaigns/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211122143740/https://coloradosun.com/2021/11/05/kerry-donovan-suspends-congressional-campaigns/ |archive-date=November 22, 2021}}</ref>
==Political positions==
Donovan introduced legislation with Senator Owen Hill to allow voters to take photos of their ballots as under the current law voters face up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine for taking a photo of their ballot.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Bill headed to governor will allow ballot selfies |page=3 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78910593/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604034539/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78910593/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Donovan introduced legislation that created Public Lands Day as a state holiday in Colorado to recognize the twenty-four million acres of public land in Colorado and its importance in the life and economy of Colorado. The legislation was passed in the state senate by a vote of twenty-eight to seven and in the state house by a vote of 39 to 26.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 17, 2017 |title=Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day |page=4 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78911006/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604035723/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78911006/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Donovan sponsored legislation in the state senate which would create a paid family leave system which would be paid for by having employees pay 0.99% of their salary.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 4, 2019 |title=Dems plan family leave proposal |page=1 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913866/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604052231/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78913866/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She and Representatives Marc Catlin and Dylan Roberts introduced legislation which called for the Regulatory Agencies and Health Care Policy and Financing departments to create a public healthcare option that would add to Connect for Health Colorado, Colorado's medical care exchange.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 18, 2019 |title=Guv signs health care bills |page=3 |work=Grand Junction Daily Sentinel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78914029/the-daily-sentinel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210604052827/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78914029/the-daily-sentinel/ |archive-date=June 4, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Electoral history==
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title = 2014 Colorado Senate 5th district election<ref name="election 2014" />}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Kerry Donovan |votes = 4,835 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 4,835 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box open primary general election no change}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Kerry Donovan |votes = 27,526 |percentage = 49.04% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Don Suppes |votes = 26,225 |percentage = 46.73% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Libertarian Party (United States) |candidate = Lee Mulcahy |votes = 2,374 |percentage = 4.23% }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 56,125 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box open primary begin no change|title = 2018 Colorado Senate 5th district election<ref name="election 2018" />}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Kerry Donovan (incumbent) |votes = 13,707 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 13,707 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box open primary general election no change}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Kerry Donovan (incumbent) |votes = 41,838 |percentage = 60.45% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Olen Lund |votes = 27,375 |percentage = 39.55% }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 69,213 |percentage = 100.00% }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators/kerry-donovan Legislative website] * [https://kerrydonovanforcongress.com/ Campaign website]
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-co-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Nancy Todd}} {{s-ttl|title=President pro tempore of the Colorado Senate|years=2021–2023}} {{s-aft|after=James Coleman}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donovan, Kerry}} Category:1970s births Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Democratic Party Colorado state senators Category:Living people Category:People from Vail, Colorado Category:Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters alumni Category:Women state legislators in Colorado Category:Year of birth missing (living people)