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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Tom Sullivan (Democrat) is a member of the Colorado House of Representatives, representing District 37. Sullivan was elected to the office on November 6, 2018.

To read more on the failed recall effort against state Rep. Sullivan in 2019, .

Education

  • Graduated, Journalism/Accounting, Metropolitan State College of Denver, 1988

Professional Experience

  • Graduated, Journalism/Accounting, Metropolitan State College of Denver, 1988
  • Co-Founder, Aurora News Newsletter
  • Former Employee, United States Postal Service
  • Crew Chief, United States Air Force, 1974-1977

Political Experience

  • Graduated, Journalism/Accounting, Metropolitan State College of Denver, 1988
  • Co-Founder, Aurora News Newsletter
  • Former Employee, United States Postal Service
  • Crew Chief, United States Air Force, 1974-1977
  • Representative, Colorado State House of Representatives, District 37, 2019-present
  • Candidate, Colorado State House of Representatives, District 37, 2018, 2020

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Business Affairs and Labor Committee

Member, Finance Committee

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • Graduated, Journalism/Accounting, Metropolitan State College of Denver, 1988
  • Co-Founder, Aurora News Newsletter
  • Former Employee, United States Postal Service
  • Crew Chief, United States Air Force, 1974-1977
  • Representative, Colorado State House of Representatives, District 37, 2019-present
  • Candidate, Colorado State House of Representatives, District 37, 2018, 2020
  • Member, Colorado’s United Veterans Committee, Legislative Committee, present
  • Member, Colorado Victims for Justice, present
  • Member, Executive Council, Colorado American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, present
  • Former Shop Steward/Treasurer/Secretary, Aurora Local, American Postal Workers Union
Policy Positions

Colorado State Legislative Election 2016 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortions be illegal after the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No

7. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for abortion procedures?
- No

8. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, & Tax

Budget Stabilization:

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Colorado's budget.

1. Tapping into Colorado's "rainy day" fund
- No Answer

2. Decreasing funding for public universities
- No Answer

3. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions
- No Answer

4. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees
- No Answer

5. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No Answer

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

State Spending:

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Environment
- Slightly Increase

4. Health care
- Maintain Status

5. Law enforcement/corrections
- Maintain Status

6. Transportation/infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes:

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

2. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

3. Corporate taxes
- Slightly Increase

4. Small business taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Gas/Oil taxes
- Slightly Increase

6. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

7. Sales taxes
- Slightly Increase

8. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

9. Income taxes (mid-income families)
- Slightly Decrease

10. Income taxes (high-income families)
- Slightly Increase

11. Do you support applying sales taxes to all online purchases?
- Yes

12. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions for state candidates?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

8. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Do you support delaying the seizure of assets by law enforcement officials until after a conviction?
- No

6. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

3. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

5. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

7. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

8. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

9. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage?
- Yes

10. Should employers be able to ask about applicants' criminal history before interviewing them?
- No

11. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
- No

2. Do you support a merit pay system for teachers?
- No

3. Is the tenure process for public school teachers producing effective teachers?
- Yes

4. Should parents be allowed to use vouchers to send their children to any school?
- No

5. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- No

6. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

7. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Colorado high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No

3. Do you support state funding for improvements to Colorado's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

5. Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

6. Do you support increased regulations of the hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") industry?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should citizens be allowed to carry concealed guns?
- Yes

4. Should a license be required for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Do you support Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- Yes

6. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Colorado's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

4. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Colorado?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- Paid family leave. Pay equity for all. Parents should have unpaid time off to attend their children's school activities.

Elections

2018

General election
General election for Colorado House of Representatives District 37

Tom Sullivan (D) defeated incumbent Cole Wist (R) in the general election for Colorado House of Representatives District 37 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Tom Sullivan (D)
54.0
21,686

Cole Wist (R)
46.0
18,451

Total votes: 40,137
(100% precincts reporting)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 37

Tom Sullivan advanced from the Democratic primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 37 on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Tom Sullivan (D)
100
7,624

Total votes: 7,624
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 37

Incumbent Cole Wist advanced from the Republican primary for Colorado House of Representatives District 37 on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Cole Wist (R)
100
6,729

Total votes: 6,729

2016

Elections for the Colorado State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 28, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was April 4, 2016.

Incumbent Jack Tate defeated Tom Sullivan in the Colorado State Senate District 27 general election.
Colorado State Senate, District 27 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jack Tate Incumbent 53.44% 44,169
Democratic Tom Sullivan 46.56% 38,489
Total Votes 82,658
Source: Colorado Secretary of State
Tom Sullivan ran unopposed in the Colorado State Senate District 27 Democratic primary.
Colorado State Senate, District 27 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Tom Sullivan (unopposed)

Incumbent Jack Tate ran unopposed in the Colorado State Senate District 27 Republican primary.
Colorado State Senate, District 27 Republican Primary, 2016
Party Candidate
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Jack Tate Incumbent (unopposed)
Endorsements
Sullivan was endorsed by the Aurora Sentinel.
Events

2021

Dec. 19
Virtual Town Hall Meeting

Sat 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST

Oct. 3
Kolker, Sullivan, & Spiegel Lit Drop

Sat 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM MDT

E Smoky Hill Rd, Centennial, CO 80015, United States