Democratic communications consultant and affordable housing advocate Dominique Jackson is taking on business owner and private security contractor Mike Donald in this year’s race for House District 42.The two candidates disagree on most political issues, each one largely falling in line with the views of their respective party. The contest marks the first vacancy in HD 42 since 2010, when former Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields won her first of three successful elections for the seat. Fields opted to run for Senate District 29 this year instead of preparing yet another campaign to represent HD 42. The largely north Aurora district is delineated by East Colfax Avenue to the north, Yosemite Street to the west, South Chambers Road to the east and East Mississippi Avenue to the south, with one notable jog to the southeast.
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By QUINCY SNOWDON, Staff writer
Vacant seat gives GOP challenger another opportunity against a different Dem
For the first time in six years, a new face will be representing Colorado House District 42 under the Golden Dome this winter.
Republican Mike Donald is taking on Democrat Dominique “Nikki” Jackson to fill the seat that has been held by incumbent Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields since the 2010 election.
Donald, a business owner and private security contractor, is running on a platform that calls for a modest and balanced state budget, lifting government regulations on businesses in an effort to spawn jobs, enhanced first-responder services and the promotion of affordable education, according to his campaign website.
“Restricting the government is always a good thing,” Donald wrote in a questionnaire issued by The Sentinel.
Jackson, a communications consultant and member of Aurora’s Citizens Advisory Committee for Housing and Community Development, outlines education, housing and healthcare as paramount campaign issues at the top of her campaign website. Also, on her website Jackson calls for the promotion of green energy, increased gun control measures, raising the minimum wage and increased access to affordable healthcare.
The two candidates disagree on most political issues, each one largely falling in line with the views of their respective party. Donald would support the repeal of the state’s controversial gun control legislation of 2013, while Jackson would not; Jackson would vote to officially end capital punishment in the state, Donald would not; and Donald would not support a move to the primary system, while Jackson said she would be in favor of such a change, according to candidate questionnaires.
A vocal affordable housing advocate who has twice been appointed to Denver’s Commission on Homelessness, Jackson has said that she is already working with nonprofit groups from across the state on a piece of potential legislation that would create “a sustainable funding stream” for housing in the district.
“It would be a fee, not a tax and not a budget item,” Jackson said this summer of the potential measure.
Donald previously ran against Fields in both 2012 and 2014. Fields beat Donald by at least 30 percent in both contests, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Jackson emerged from a lopsided Democratic primary earlier this summer against beleaguered Aurora Public Schools board of education member Eric Nelson. Jackson received more than 70 percent of the overall vote in the primary, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Jackson has raised about $42,000 this election cycle, according to her latest campaign finance report field with the Secretary of State’s office Oct. 3. She has about $13,400 cash on hand, according to the report.
Donald’s campaign has netted slightly less than $2,000 and has about $600 available in its coffers, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
The largely north Aurora district is delineated by East Colfax Avenue to the north, Yosemite Street to the west, South Chambers Road to the east and East Mississippi Avenue to the south, with one notable jog to the southeast.
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Democrat Dominique Jackson, a private communications consultant, easily emerged from a lopsided primary this summer with more than 70 percent of the vote, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Jackson is currently a member of Aurora’s Citizens Advisory Committee for Housing and Community Development and has twice been appointed to Denver’s Commission on Homelessness.
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A bona fide perennial candidate, the 2016 election marks Republican Mike Donald’s third consecutive attempt to represent House District 42. Donald, a private security contractor with Advantage Security Incorporated, lives in Aurora with his wife, Elizabeth, and three children. On his website, he describes himself as a “fiscal conservative with strong family values.”
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Would you vote to end capital punishment in Colorado? Yes.
How should the state pay for substantial expansion of state roads? I believe we must pass the hospital provider fee fix which would create millions of dollars in funding flexibility for state roads over the next several years without raising taxes. Public-private partnerships and tolling are additional logical ways to manage raising transportation dollars. To date, my concern with these types of projects has to do with transparency – making sure Colorado companies are getting the contracts, hiring local workers and paying prevailing wages. I believe citizens also deserve an opportunity to make commentary and truly be heard if a project will greatly impact their community and/or quality of life.
Should the state cede some local control of fracking to counties and municipalities? How much? As a proponent of local control, I am disappointed in the State Supreme Court’s ruling against a community’s right to make its own decisions. Local control is a sensible way to make sure the voices of the people are heard when it comes to balancing health and safety, and economic development.
Ensuring the economic fitness or our rural communities, which have traditionally relied on various form of energy production, is also a concern. We must work to protect the livelihood of our coal communities as our nation turns to clean energy production.
Should Colorado repeal gun-control laws from 2013? No. The background checks that were passed were sensible solutions to improve safety.
Would you support a bill to ban red-light traffic cameras? This is one of those issues where I need to see more data and have an opportunity to weigh the facts. I believe public safety should be the priority, and some jurisdictions in our state may be using this technology primarily to raise revenue. Just earmarking revenue from fines for “safety-related” spending isn’t enough. I would like to see what our return on investment is for such programs. Limiting the use of these cameras to areas such as school zones and construction zones might be part of a good compromise.
Would you support a measure to ask voters to re-write the Taxpayer Bill of Rights to require a vote on tax increases, but to remove all other state budget restrictions? The unintended consequences of TABOR have made it very difficult for the Legislature to provide for many of our state’s needs, most notably in funding education and transportation. I would support a change that allows our policy makers to adequately fund these priorities. Generally speaking, I do not support more constitutional amendments.
Should a revised presidential primary system allow for non-affiliated voters to vote for party candidates? While I believe independent voters should have the right to vote in any primary, our state has also made it very easy for individuals to affiliate with any party at most any time. I support a presidential primary system in Colorado because our state has outgrown the caucus system, which leaves too many voters without a voice.
Will you vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or someone else? Hillary Clinton.
Should the state prevent counties, schools and municipalities from barring transgender people from using restrooms and locker rooms for sexes other than what appears on their birth certificates? It is my understanding that there is already a law allowing transgender people to use the restroom or locker room for the gender that they identify with. I support this measure.
What one thing, above all, would you ask fellow lawmakers to do or change to increase student performance on standardized tests? Listen and learn what our students need from those who are closest to them in the classroom: our teachers. Then give our teachers the tools and support they need to help our students become more successful. I believe smaller class sizes and empowered teachers will give our students the instruction they need to increase performance.
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Would you vote to end capital punishment in Colorado? No
How should the state pay for substantial expansion of state roads? By using savings from cutting wasteful spending elsewhere.
Should the state cede some local control of fracking to counties and municipalities? How much? No. Regulations regarding fracking should be uniform across the state to make doing business in Colorado easier, thus bringing more decent paying jobs to our state.
Should Colorado repeal gun-control laws from 2013? Yes. They did nothing to curb gun violence, but they did drive jobs out of our state.
Would you support a bill to ban red-light traffic cameras? I would prefer it to be a constitutional amendment because the Home Rule clause in the state constitution allows municipalities to supersede bills passed by the legislature, thus making such a bill meaningless.
Would you support a measure to ask voters to re-write the Taxpayer Bill of Rights to require a vote on tax increases, but to remove all other state budget restrictions? No. Restricting the government is always a good thing.
Should a revised presidential primary system allow for non-affiliated voters to vote for party candidates? No. If they want a say in a party’s internal affairs, then they should join that party.
Will you vote for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton or someone else? Private ballot.
Should the state prevent counties, schools and municipalities from barring transgender people from using restrooms and locker rooms for sexes other than what appears on their birth certificates? No, the state should not prevent anyone from enforcing common decency.
What one thing, above all, would you ask fellow lawmakers to do or change to increase student performance on standardized tests? Give more support to the teachers.
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What food do you hate most? Lima beans.
Do you indulge in recreational marijuana? No.
Who would play you in a movie about your life? Kerry Washington.
What Olympic Sport so you wish you could win gold at? Gymnastics.
What was your favorite childhood candy? Payday candy bars.
If you could be an eyewitness to one event in history, what would it be? The 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial.
If the Secret Service gave you a code name, what would it be? Parnelli Jackson
If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you sing? Car karaoke counts. The Diana Ross version of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
What epitaph would you like written on your tombstone? “Serving Community was her Conscience.”
Is a hot dog a sandwich? I have to agree with Jimmy Kimmel on this one: “If a hot dog is a sandwich, then cereal is soup.”
What is the last concert you attended? Smokey Robinson.
What movie do you never tire of watching? “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Dogs or cats? Dogs!
What’s the most overrated thing about living in Colorado? Nothing I can think of. It’s my home state!
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What food do you hate most? Wow! What a negative question. Hateful people and institutions dwell on hate. I don’t hate, but I do prefer to think about the things I like. So, instead of answering a hateful question, I will tell you about the foods I like. Some of my favorites include green chile-smothered burritos, atomic wings at Wing Stop, lasagna and green chile cheese burgers.
Do you indulge in recreational marijuana? No
Who would play you in a movie about your life? No idea. I am neither a director nor a casting agent. I am often surprised by who gets cast in rolls of famous characters, and am often surprised by how well that ends up working out. So, since I have no expertise in this field, I will decline to answer.
What Olympic Sport so you wish you could win gold at? Its a toss up between rowing and diving.
What was your favorite childhood candy? The kind with sugar in it.
If you could be an eyewitness to one event in history, what would it be? Well, I have to say four separate events: the births of each of my four children. And I was an eyewitness to each of them. I wouldn’t have missed them for the world!
If the Secret Service gave you a code name, what would it be? Rock Climber.
If you had to sing karaoke, what song would you sing? Car karaoke counts. “The Only Name (Yours Will Be),” by Big Daddy Weave.
What epitaph would you like written on your tombstone? What a morbid question! That is so distasteful! No, I will not answer this.
Is a hot dog a sandwich? I think of it as a sandwich, but I also know that its qualification as a sandwich is dubious at best, so I will not argue with anyone who says it is not.
What is the last concert you attended? I worked as director for cameras at a Vicki Yohe concert, so I suppose that counts as attending.
What movie do you never tire of watching? “Star Wars” (all episodes), even-numbered “Star Trek” (TOS, pre-reboot) movies, “Rustler’s Rhapsody.”
Dogs or cats? I’m very allergic to cats, they trigger asthma attacks. So, since I like to be able to breathe, I guess I have to pick dogs. But if not for the health issue, why not both? Why does it have to be one or the other?
What’s the most overrated thing about living in Colorado? Wow! Another negative question! You want me to talk trash about this great state?! Is the person who wrote these questions out of their mind? I suppose that if I had to find an answer to this question, I would look to see how my last interview with The Aurora Sentinel was completely misrepresented when it was written up, and I would have to say the most overrated thing about living in Colorado is having to put up with The Sentinel and reporter Quincy Snowdon.
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Click here for Dominique Jackson’s Campaign Finance Reports
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Click here for Mike Donald’s Campaign Finance Reports
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