Karen McCormick

Karen McCormick lives in Longmont, Colorado. McCormick earned a bachelor's degree in 1979 and a doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1984 from the University of Florida. Her career experience includes working as a communications coach with Colorado State University's veterinary teaching hospital and owning a veterinary hospital. McCormick has served Rotary International, Project V.E.T.S., Intercambio Connecting Communities, and ViDAS.[1][2][3]

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a veterinarian with 16+ years of small business owner experience, mom to three, and I come from a career Navy family.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I am a problem solver at heart. It is important in finding the best solutions to listen to all the voices of those impacted.I am passionate about helping people reach their goals by removing barriers our residents encounter in everyday life.I am committed to protecting our democracy and protecting the freedoms we have fought hard to achieve over the centuries.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Healthcare, Water, Housing

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, respect for others and the ability to listen

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Cleaning kennels at a small animal hospital. I loved it! Had the job a year.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Please see website

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Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased October 3, 2022

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My father served 30 years in the US Navy dedicating his career to our nation, retiring as a Rear Admiral. My upbringing instilled a clear sense of what it means to be an American and serve our country.

I have two brothers. One a Naval Academy graduate, a former fighter pilot and the second owns an aerospace company in Colorado. My mother also lives in Colorado.

Married to a native Coloradan and living in Longmont for 28 years, we have raised 3 children and numerous dogs. Colorado is home.

My career began at the University of Florida with a BS in Agriculture, and then I obtained my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I practiced small animal medicine for 33 years, owned a very successful hospital in Colorado, employed 24 people with a budget of over 2 million. I now am proud to serve as the State Representative for House District 11, my town of Longmont.

Volunteer work is important to me. I’ve served as a board member on two animal related non-profits, a member of Rotary, a communications coach at CSU vet school and have been a volunteer English teacher to immigrants for the non-profit Intercambio.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Strong support of public education is a critical part of the foundation of our system of government. I ran for office to prioritize funding for public education, educators, schools and students across our state.Current and future generations are depending on us to take bold action to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect our precious resources of water, land and air. This is our only Earth and it will take everything we've got to be sure we have a liveable planet well into the future.Health care is a fundamental need for all humans. We need food, water, shelter and care when sick or injured. Our systems of physical and mental health care delivery continue to need measures to lower costs and increase accessibility.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about making sure every child in our state has access to the best public education possible for them to reach their highest potential. We have one of the best economies in the country and our education funding is at the bottom. We must invest in our kids and therefore in all of our futures.

I also care deeply about our planet and specifically in our state the future of our water resources. We must think strategically about water efficiency efforts, sensible storage solutions, and conservation of water. Our agricultural, recreational and urban economies all depend on the availability of water.

I will support sensible policies to get us to a fully renewable energy future.

In health care I am focused on keeping health care decisions private and keeping the government out of personal health care choices for ourselves and our families. I am working to bring prices down and to increase access to health care and mental health care. I care about equity in care for the LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities and am a strong ally in policy decisions.

I am a strong supporter of common sense gun violence prevention efforts. I helped pass serveral bills

to address firearms to be properly stored, to be reported if lost or stolen, to keep firearms out of the hands of domestic violence offenders, to temporarily remove firearms from a home where there is danger of self harm or harm to others. There is more work to be done to save lives here in Colorado.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my mom and dad. My dad served 30 years in the US Navy and was the kind of leader that I aspire to be. He was respected and in turn respected others no matter their rank or social status. He lead by example and always pitched in to help. I look up to my mom for raising 3 kids, for long stretches of time on her own when my dad was deployed. She kept a positive attitude even when things were tough through the many, many relocations we did during my upbringing. I try to follow their examples of a "can-do" attitude, a sense of humor and being respectful and ready to help in all situations.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the black and white TV was on in our house when Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald on live TV. My mom's reaction is what really sticks with me. I was 6 1/2 years old at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was cleaning kennels and developing x-rays at a small animal hospital. I was paid $1.50 per hour and was thrilled. I had this job through my senior year of High School.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The Governor's office certainly can share their opinion and desires with the State Legislature, but it is the legislature who create the laws. It is important to maintain open communication with the Governor's office throughout the policy making process to make sure that the Governor is willing to sign the bill into law but the Governor is not the one that should creating the law. The General Assembly is there to represent the people and it is critical for each branch of government to do their job. The Governor's office can certainly suggest amendments to law and there can be negotiations and compromises at that level as well. This is what makes a functional government.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

I see the future of water access and availability as the greatest challenge. Without water our economies will suffer. We must work hard toward a secure water future as the climate continues to get hotter and drier. Water will drive housing costs, food costs, transportation costs, recreation costs and so much more. I support the ideas in the Colorado Water Plan and we need to do as much as possible outlined in that plan, as soon as possible.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I very much believe it is beneficial to build relationships with other legislators, especially those in the opposite party. It is when we don't know each other that we make judgments about each other and consequently start to label people inaccurately. We think we know what the "other" thinks when in fact many times there are so many places where we can find common ground if we are just willing to take the time to look, and listen. Listening is a powerful tool that can help us all improve the lives of the people who have sent us into government to help. I work hard to build relationships with my colleagues. I am proud to say that a great many of the bills that go through the committee that I chair in the House of Representatives receive a unanimous vote of Democrats and Republicans.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Karen grew up in a career Navy family with a father that served 30 years in the US Navy retiring as a Rear Admiral.

Karen attended college at the University of Florida obtaining a BS in Agriculture and then a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Practicing veterinary medicine for over 33 years further strengthened her belief in the power of compassion. She ran her own successful small business here in Colorado serving the community with excellence in veterinary care for 16 years. She is a problem solver at heart.

She was a volunteer English teacher for the immigrant community. Further volunteer work with two non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting animal health. She has worked as a communications coach to help train veterinary students at CSU. She is a member of Citizen's Climate Lobby and Rotary. Karen has been married to her husband Gregg for 30 years. They have lived in Longmont for over 26 years where they raised their three children.They have twin daughters and their eldest identifies as non-binary. The family also have a large puppy. Being outdoors in Colorado is one of her favorite pastimes.

She is passionate about our state and working for policies that help Colorado families.

In 2018, Karen ran a robust campaign for Congress in Colorado's 4th congressional district.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Mitigate the effects of climate change and help protect vulnerable eco-systems.Work to make healthcare more accessible and affordable to all, and include mental health care.Find better ways to fund our public education system so that all kids receive the best education no matter their zip code.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about fighting the effects of climate change and working to get carbon and other greenhouse gases out of of atmosphere. We have a moral obligation and responsibility to work hard to protect our planet for the generations to come. We need to move fast and make bold decisions that can have a positive impact.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe it is important to bring integrity, respect, honesty and compassion to any elected office. We need people with good moral compasses to be making decisions that affect so many.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I tend to want to listen first. I gather information, collect data and then proceed to analyze the best path forward. I have been problem solving with compassion my entire life and believe this experience will benefit me as a state representative.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working at a veterinary hospital cleaning cages and learning simple lab work. I was thrilled to get this job while in high school and worked there for 6 months until I graduated.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Imagine by John Lennon

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I don't believe it is necessary to have previous government or political experience. I believe that many have a wealth of life experiences and problem solving abilities that can bring great value to politics. We need more people with real life experience to better reflect the people that they serve.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I do believe it is beneficial. The more relationships are built and there is trust and respect between legislators, the more likely we are to create legacy policy. This is the reflection of a healthy government.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I am in favor of what we passed here in Colorado. A panel of 12 divided into 3 groups, 4 Democrats, 4 Republicans and 4 unaffiliated voters that will use data to draw district lines that are more fairly balanced.