Summit County school board member running to succeed outgoing Rep. Julie McCluskie in Colorado legislature
Consuelo Redhorse/Courtesy photo
A Summit School District board member is running to represent central and northern mountain communities in the Colorado legislature in next year’s election.
Consuelo Redhorse, a 14-year Summit County resident and current board of education president for the Summit School District, announced her candidacy on Tuesday for House District 13, which spans Chaffee, Grand, Jackson, Lake, Park and Summit counties.
The seat is currently held by House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat who has served in the legislature since 2019. McCluskie is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026.
House District 13 leans Democratic. McCluskie was reelected in 2024 by a margin of more than 10 percentage points, or a difference of 5,678 votes.
In a news release announcing her candidacy, Redhorse, a Democrat, said she is running to make sure that “everyone has access to the essentials that make a community thrive.” She highlighted quality education, clean air and water, affordable and safe housing and accessible healthcare as top issues.
“At a time when partisan politics too often create dysfunction and division, we need leadership grounded in values that serve the needs of all people, especially those too often left behind or left out,” Redhorse said. “It’s time to do politics differently so that people who live in our communities have a real voice at the Capitol.”
Redhorse also said she would work to ensure that rural mountain voices are heard in the state legislature.
“What works on the Front Range doesn’t always work here — where distance, weather, and infrastructure shape everyday life,” she said. “We deserve solutions that reflect who we are and where we live, and that keep our communities strong.”
Redhorse has lived in Summit County since 2011. She has served as a board member for the school district for the past six years and has a senior in high school.
Along with her district leadership role, Redhorse serves on the board of directors for Smart Bellies, an anti-hunger nonprofit. She previously served on the board for the Summit County Preschool and has been involved with various Summit School District programs and organizations.
