Bob Beauprez's Running Mate Is A Single Mother, Colorado Native
DENVER (CBS4) - The ticket is complete after the Republican candidate for governor of Colorado has just picked his running mate, and it comes on the same day a new poll shows the race is a dead heat.
The Rasmussen poll shows both Republican challenger Bob Beauprez and Gov. John Hickenlooper have 44 percent support. Four percent prefer another candidate and eight percent are undecided. Rasmussen surveyed likely voters last week.
Political Specialist Shaun Boyd got an interview that was only seen on CBS4. She found that Beauprez's choice for lieutenant governor is a mother and Colorado native who calls herself a problem solver.
Jill Repella is a fifth generation Coloradan, a single mother with three children, and a Douglas County commissioner who has worked in commercial architecture, aerospace and construction.
Repella spent 3 years on the Douglas County School Board before becoming a county commissioner in 2008. She is Catholic and pro-life, and if elected, she would be only the fourth female lieutenant governor in Colorado. She says that shouldn't be the focus.
"I want the focus to be on accomplishments and results. I don't factor in the fact that I'm a female; I'm a female, yes. But I have a commitment and a passion and I work hard, and I work hard to get things done and I care a lot about getting things done," Repella said. "I care a lot about my community and I want people to focus on those things, and not on the fact that I'm a female."
Repella said one of the most important things is for businesses to get their doors open as soon as possible.
"We talk about government incentives for businesses. The best incentive for a business is to get their doors opened sooner than later. Three months' or 6 months' worth of their revenue goes a lot further than any government incentive that can be thrown at them," she said.
Repella also has her opinion about the controversial gun control issue in Colorado.
"I wish we would talk about the mental illness component of it. I'm disheartened that a lot of laws are put in place that penalize law-abiding citizens," she said. "So I have a disappointment that we didn't really address what seems to be a common denominator in all of these tragedies, and that's the mental health issue."
Repella said Colorado needs leadership that has to take a position on issues and not be afraid to take a stand on those issues.
While Repella has an impressive resume, she also has a couple other things to could help Beauprez. As a single mother she balances out his image that he's a wealthy businessman. And as a woman she could help Republicans with the voting block they need to win in November -- female voters.
More Campaign 2014 Stories
