Dennis Apuan

Dennis Apuan (born October 30, 1964, died May 2020.[2]) is an American politician and former one-term state legislator in Colorado. A Filipino-American activist, non-profit leader, and community organizer, he narrowly won election to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2008. He ran for re-election in 2010 but lost to his Republican opponent.[3] He represented House District 17, which encompasses portions of southwestern Colorado Springs, Colorado and the Fort Carson military base.[4]

Dennis Apuan
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives
from the 17th district
In office
January 7, 2009[1] – January 12, 2011
Preceded byStella Garza-Hicks
Succeeded byMark H. Barker
Personal details
Born (1964-10-30) October 30, 1964
Manila, Philippines
Political partyDemocratic

Biography

Born in Manila,[2] Apuan emigrated to the United States at the age of 20.[5] Moving to Colorado Springs from Los Angeles in 1997, he took a job at Broadmoor Community Church, where he began as a janitor but later became the church's business administrator.[6]

He worked as a community organizer for Colorado Unity[7] and as a regional director for the Colorado Progressive Coalition.[5] Apuan served as vice-chairman of the El Paso County Democratic Party for four years.[6]

He has been a member of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Diversity Strategic Planning Team,[2] a program director and chairman of the Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission,[8][9][10] and of the First Congregational Church in Colorado Springs.[11]

In 2003, Apuan was among four peace activists arrested for trespassing and sentenced to perform community service for protesting nuclear weapons at Peterson Air Force Base.[12] Apuan participated in non-violent protests against the Iraq War at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City and in 2007 in Colorado Springs.[13]

Legislative career

2008 election

Choosing to run for the state house shortly before the Democratic district assemblies in February,[6] Apuan took a leave of absence from his position with the Colorado Progressive Coalition[14] to seek the state house seat being vacated by retiring Republican Representative Stella Garza-Hicks.[15]

Apuan had no opposition in the Democratic primary in August, and faced Republican Kit Roupe in the November 2008 general election. While his opponent's candidacy was endorsed by the Denver Post, Apuan was endorsed by the Colorado Springs Independent. [16] During the final weeks of the campaign, Apuan was characterized by Roupe in a mass mail advertisement as a "violent, anti-war, anti-military protester" in reference to his anti-war protest activities, charges Apuan described as "totally false".[13]

House District 17, covering an area southwestern Colorado Springs with a large transient population, including the Fort Carson military base, was seen as a swing district by political observers, and Apuan benefited from Democratic coattails and increased voter turnout to win the seat narrowly,[5][17] raising more than $40,000 in his campaign.[6] Apuan prevailed by a narrow margin of less than 600 votes, winning just over 51 percent of ballots cast in the race.[18]

Roupe was the only Republican in the Colorado House of Representatives to be defeated by a Democrat in 2008.[5] Apuan himself had difficulty casting a ballot in his own race; after first not receiving a mail-in ballot, Apuan was given an incorrect ballot at a polling place on election day. He ultimately was able to cast a provisional ballot in the correct district.[18][19][20]

During his campaign and after his election, Apuan expressed priorities of small businesses tax cuts, fostering jobs in clean energy, and reducing health-care costs.[11][18][21]

2009 legislative session

For the 2009 legislative session, Apuan was named to seats on the House Finance Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.[22] He sponsored legislation to allow organizations providing inclusive elder care to employ physicians.[23] Although Apuan had hoped to sponsor legislation providing free college tuition to military veterans, state budget constraints led him to instead propose legislation to provide child care for military families. Another bill sponsored by Apuan would provide prospective homeowners with information about future energy bills.[24]

References
  1. "House Journal" (PDF). Colorado General Assembly. January 7, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  2. "Dennis Apuan". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  3. Ballotpedia. Dennis Apuan. Viewed: 2017-01-27.
  4. "State House District 17". COMaps. Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
  5. Pelzer, Jeremy (November 10, 2008). "Hard work, Obama propel community organizer to HD-17 win". PolitickerCO.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  6. Toda, Dean (November 27, 2007). "Newest El Paso County lawmaker credits hard work with unlikely victory". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  7. Zeveloff, Naomi (May 3, 2007). "Affirmative attack". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  8. Meadow, James B. (December 23, 2005). "Peace activist nun gets out of prison". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  9. Roeder, Tom (March 9, 2006). "Activists want crackdown on prisoner abuse". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  10. DeGette, Cara. "Protesters: 'Yes We Can!' close the School of the Americas". Colorado Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  11. "Dennis Apuan". Dennis Apuan for Colorado House. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  12. Langeland, Terje; Chessie Thacher (February 13, 2003). "Trespasses Unforgiven". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  13. Stanley, J. Adrian. "Think ignobly, act locally". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  14. Staff (November 5, 2008). "Results of key state house races". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  15. Pelzer, Jeremy (November 5, 2008). "Apuan HD-17 win adds another Dem to Springs delegation". PolitickerCO.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  16. Norris, Wendy; Bob Spencer (November 3, 2008). "State candidate endorsement watch". Colorado Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  17. Sprengelmeyer, M.E. (November 6, 2008). "Colorado Democrats ride Obama's coattails - after a fashion". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on November 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  18. Hardie, Mariwether; Anthony Lane; J. Adrian Stanley; Jaimie Stevenson (November 6, 2008). "Tuesday's gone". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  19. Tauchen, David (November 4, 2008). "Wrong ballots handed out, candidate say". KOAA. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  20. Staff (November 4, 2008). "FROM THE POLLS: Stories by our roving reporters and you". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  21. Swanson, Perry (September 18, 2008). "Candidates vow to improve health care". Colorado Springs Gazette. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  22. "House Democrats Unveil 2009 Committee Chairs & Assignments" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. November 18, 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-01-03.
  23. Staff Reports (January 7, 2000). "Sample of bills introduced on the first day of the 2009 legislative session". Colorado Springs Gazette. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
  24. Lane, Anthony (January 8, 2009). "Congratulations, and sorry". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
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