STATE HOUSE DISTRICT 61: Hamrick vs Shamblin vs Gulbranson
AURORA | Incumbent Democratic Rep. Eliza Hamrick faces Republican Scott Shamblin and Libertarian Kevin Gulbranson in the election for Colorado House District 61, which includes the area around the Aurora Reservoir.
Hamrick, a retired high school teacher who worked for Cherry Creek School District for more than 30 years, was first elected to the seat in 2023. She currently serves on the House Education and Health and Human Services committees.
Hamrick’s campaign priorities include supporting public schools, promoting healthy and safe communities and improving affordability and advocating for small businesses. Her endorsements include Cobalt, which defends reproductive rights, the Colorado Education Association, Conservation Colorado and Moms Demand Action.
In the 2026 legislative session, Hamrick sponsored and passed legislation to require youth athletics coaches to receive education on mental health, increase the amount of off-campus college courses available to students and increasing funding for county child abuse prevention programs.
Shamblin is the executive director of Colorado Right to Life, a pro-life and anti-abortion lobbying group.
Last year, after Colorado passed anti-discrimination protections for transgender residents, the Denver Post reported that Shamblin created a fake website that encouraged people to report violations of the law but did not have any connection to the Colorado Civil Rights Division, which investigates allegations of discrimination. Shamblin told the Post that the website was intended to satirize the law, though there were no indications on the website that it was fake. It was eventually taken down.
Shamblin’s campaign website says his priorities include lowering the costs of living, increasing penalties for drug crimes, protecting Second Amendment rights and preventing government overreach, supporting school choice and addressing homelessness.
Gulbranson is an active member of the Libertarian Party, having served as an outreach director for the Arapahoe County chapter. He previously ran as the Libertarian candidate for House District 56 in 2016 and 2020, as well as for House District 61 in 2022.
Gulbranson does not have a campaign website.