STATE SENATE DISTRICT 29: Jodeh vs McKenna
AURORA | In the election for state Senate District 29, incumbent Democratic state Sen. Iman Jodeh is facing Republican challenger Robert McKenna.
Jodeh, an Aurora native, was first elected in 2020 to represent House District 41 and then was appointed to the state senate in 2025 to replace Sen. Janet Buckner, who resigned. She was the first Muslim to be elected to the state legislature. She is the vice chair of the Senate Health and Human Services committee.
Jodeh is the executive director of Meet the Middle East, a nonprofit organization aimed at building relationships between the U.S. and the Middle East through cultural events, consulting, classes and travel. She also co-founded the Colorado Muslim Leadership Council and works as a liaison for the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado.
Jodeh’s campaign priorities include increasing affordable housing, protecting renters’ rights and workers’ rights, advocating for resources for immigrants, supporting public schools and strengthening environmental protections.
She is endorsed by the Colorado Working Families Party, Planned Parenthood, the Colorado Education Association and One Colorado, which advocates for the LGBTQ+ community.
In the 2026 legislative session, Jodeh sponsored and passed legislation to increase funding for a state health insurance program, an overhaul of the Regional Transportation District board and an expansion of the state’s authority to inspect immigration detention centers.
McKenna previously ran and lost to Jodeh in the House District 41 race in 2024.
McKenna, who has lived in the district since 2017, works for Winn-Marion Barber, LLC, an oil and gas contractor in Centennial, and served in the Army and Army reserves.
He has been active as a district captain and delegate to county and state Republican conventions.
Previously, McKenna supported tough on crime policies, federal crack downs on immigration, deregulating the oil and gas industry in Colorado and preserving TABOR.