Terri Carver

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Carver's professional experience includes serving as a JAG lawyer for the Air Force Reserves, a civilian attorney for Air Force Space Command, and as a college instructor on energy development.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Terri Carver served in the U.S. Air Force as a JAG (military lawyer) & retired as a Colonel after 29 years of combined active duty & reserve service. Terri also served as State Representative for CO House District 20 (2015 to 2022), proudly representing the citizens of western El Paso County.

During her tenure in the CO House, despite serving entirely in the Minority, she successfully passed numerous bills into law, including bills on public safety, veterans, data privacy, & human sex trafficking. Many of those bills originated from concerns raised by constituents & local officials in the district.

Terri carries and supports bills rooted in core Republican principles: limited government, public safety, protection of constitutional rights, reduced taxes, & combating the horrific evil of child sex trafficking. As a private citizen, Terri has been actively engaged in advancing conservative policies. She has advocated on key legislation & ballot initiatives, including working to defeat Proposition HH to eliminate TABOR, testifying against bills that undermine parental rights & the 2nd Amendment, supporting the repeal of sanctuary state laws, testifying against anti-business bills that are driving businesses out of Colorado, opposing anti-law enforcement bills, continuing her fight against sex slavery as a member of the Southern Colorado Human Trafficking Task Force, & petitioning for Protect Kids Colorado 2024 & 2026 ballot initiatives.

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?

As your State Senator, Terri will work hard to:

Tackle the cost-of-living crisis to include rising taxes/fees, utilities and housing costs

Reduce costly and burdensome anti-business regulations

Repeal soft on crime laws and back law enforcement

End sanctuary state and tax-payer funded benefits

Fight human sex trafficking

Defend constitutional rights including 1st Amendment and 2nd Amendment rights

Restore parental rights based on recent SCOTUS rulings

Protect unborn life

Support veterans

Protect TABOR

Strengthen election security

Demand fiscal responsibility to include more extensive audits for waste, fraud and abuseTerri pledges to listen to the people of Senate District 9 and work on the issues most important to her constituents.

She will hold frequent town halls and be involved in community discussions to hear from her district. Terri is also committed to having regular contact with local elected officials to understand how state laws and legislation affect them.Terri is a knowledgeable, experienced, and effective legislator with a proven record of delivering results. She thoroughly researches issues, reads and studies the bills, exposes the flaws in radical legislation, and fights for conservative, common-sense solutions.

Terri is committed to bringing accountability, public safety, and fiscal responsibility back to Colorado. During her eight years in the State House, she served in the Minority but built successful bipartisan coalitions to pass numerous bills on a wide range of issues including public safety, human sex trafficking, data privacy, wildfire mitigation efforts, and Veterans.

Terri doesn't just talk about conservative values; she gets results.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The first duty of a State Legislator is to uphold & defend the Constitution, consistent with our oath of office. Terri will not support legislation that infringes on constitutional rights regardless of party.

Terri is passionate about combating human trafficking, protecting public safety & defending the rights of crime victims. She has been fighting sex trafficking for more than a decade & remains committed to these issues.

Terri is appalled by the growing number of CO laws that encroach on fundamental constitutional freedoms including 1st & 2nd Amendments, and parental rights. Lastly, Terri is passionate about making CO more affordable & creating a business-friendly environment. Make CO the opportunity state again!

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

* Paul Lundeen, Fmr District 9 State Senator

Joe Roybal, El Paso County Sheriff

Michael Allen, District Attorney (Judicial District 4)

CO State Shooting Association (NRA’s State Assoc)

* CO Fraternal Order of Police

Colorado Springs Police Protective Assoc

CO Chamber of Commerce

CO Jewish Action Alliance

Steve Durham, State Board of Education Member

Dave Donelson, CO Springs City Council District 1

Brandy Williams, CO Springs City Council District 3

Bill Wysong, El Paso County Commissioner District 3

Ava Flanell, State Rep for House District 14

John Suthers, Fmr CO Attorney General & Colorado Springs Mayor

Tom LaValley, Fmr District 20 School Board

Tiffiney Upchurch, Fmr District 38 School Board

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Prior to being elected, I served in the military as a JAG (military lawyer) and retired with the rank of Colonel. I taught college courses on energy development and environmental law, and space law and policy. I also served on the Colorado Springs Utilities Policy Advisory Committee 2012-2014, The Home Front Cares volunteer 2012-2014, and Space Foundation Teacher Liaison 2005-2014. In the early 1990's, I was part of a group in Florida to establish a battered women's shelter and served as the President of the Board of Directors.

The vast majority of the bills I run come from issues raised by residents in El Paso County. I work hard to reach across the aisle to build bipartisan support for legislation and have been successful in getting bills passed. Every year, I do a legislative summary which includes my bills on protection of crime victims, data privacy, transportation, regulatory reform to help small businesses, senior property tax exemption, and veterans. (www.terricarver.org/legislation)

I also have participated on local coalitions to address opioid prevention and treatment, and domestic violence (Co-Chair of Public Policy - No Excuse for Abuse Task Force).

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?

A top priority is to help Colorado get through COVID and help businesses survive this difficult time. I will continue to support legislation that helps our businesses recover, such as the 2020 legislation on small business grants (25 employees and less), creation of a small business recovery loan program, and continuation of alcohol-to-go sales for restaurants and bars. During the COVID shutdown, I held several virtual town halls to help small businesses and independent contractors (ex., hair and nail salons, massage therapists, etc.) navigate the programs available to help them survive. I have also assisted many El Paso County residents with their unemployment insurance claims that were stuck in the overwhelmed state agency system.My second key area is criminal justice reform. As a member of the Colorado Criminal and Juvenile Justice task force, I am working on a range of criminal justice reforms to make improvements in our criminal justice system while still ensuring public safety and getting justice for crime victims. This includes a sentencing reform bill that provides truth in sentencing for crime victims. I will also introduce legislation to strengthen crime victim assistance for domestic violence and sexual assault. We must ensure that all Coloradans have a quality education and opportunities to succeed. The top budget priority for 2021 must be education funding, particularly for K-12, as our school districts work with parents to provide quality education to our children during COVID. In addition, we must also take a hard look at giving every student the tools they need to succeed in technical careers and college by addressing high school dropout rates, expanding technical training and workforce development, support for individuals starting their own business, and a focus on successful completion of postsecondary education.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

I take the oath to uphold the US Constitution and Colorado Constitution very seriously. A fundamental responsibility of government is to ensure and protect the rights we have as American citizens. First, this means that I will fight against any bill that encroaches on the rights of our citizens. Second, government officials at all levels must act to protect individuals in the exercise of their rights AND to enforce the law against those who would attack others in the exercise of their rights. I am committed to upholding the constitutional rights of all Coloradans, including due process, equal protection of the law, and our 1st amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly.

DATA PRIVACY

We are long overdue to put legal safeguards in place to protect our personal information and our individual autonomy from increasing data collection activities being conducted without our knowledge and consent. I will continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to protect your privacy.

Carver's campaign website highlighted the following issues:[10]

Limited Government

Protect Our Constitutional Rights

Jobs, Economic Growth, and Regulatory Reform

Energy

Wildfire Mitigation

Education Reform

Pro Life[11]

Carver's campaign has emphasized the following themes:

Limited Government

–Government should not tell us what to buy, how to live, or what to believe

Protect Our Constitutional Rights

–Oppose Obamacare mandates to buy “Federal Government Approved” health insurance

–Protect 2nd Amendment Gun Rights

–Stop unauthorized government surveillance

Jobs, Economic Growth, and Regulatory Reform

–The top priority is to increase full-time jobs in Colorado, and reduce

unemployment

–Reduce the time and cost to set up and expand businesses in Colorado

–Support a pro business climate

Wildfire Mitigation

–Advocate for effective policies to reduce stormwater flooding and wildfires

Education Reform

–Fight to get Colorado out of “Federalized” Common Core standards – maintain local and state control

–Support Parental Choices in education

–Push for more “early college” credit options for high school students

–Expand industrial arts education for students interested in manufacturing and technical jobs

Pro Life

–I believe in the sanctity of human life, which includes the unborn. Roe v. Wade was a case of judicial activism, and an encroachment on state legislative powers under the U.S. Constitution.[11]

—Terri Carver[12]