Among her priorities, Shaw points to education and crime as she touts her experience working in school administration and her goal of being a voice for all voters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am an everyday citizen who wants to represent (the) everyday citizens of Colorado,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Shaw submitted her candidate affidavit Jan. 31 after growing frustrated with the direction of Colorado and national politics. Shaw said she decided, \u201cI can sit here and be frustrated or I can stand up and do something about it. So I decided to go ahead and run.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since filing to run, Shaw has hit the campaign trail as she reaches out to Republican voters and residents of the district. She has spent time in Cortez and Montezuma County, and she has visited Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County for the Republican caucuses. Shaw plans to attend the Republican assemblies in both Archuleta and La Plata counties in the coming week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve really been getting to the different pieces of the district because I find it super important to understand every area that you represent, not just what you consider (your) hometown,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
As a former educator, Shaw hopes to highlight education as one of her policy priorities.<\/p>\n
Shaw expressed concerns about the \u201cComprehensive Human Sexuality Education\u201d bill the Colorado General Assembly passed in 2019. Among other things, the bill prohibited gender stereotypes and the exclusion of the health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students in the sex education curriculum of public schools.<\/p>\n
Shaw also argued for more school choice for parents and students.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that the Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education bill that was passed is a little too far reaching in all the things that a school can teach,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I\u2019m listening, our parents are concerned about that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe also there are some opportunities for charter schools or other school options for parents, especially if in their communities their schools aren\u2019t meeting their needs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Crime and law enforcement are another policy priority of Shaw\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cEducation is No. 1 for me, but also crime is increasing across Colorado exponentially,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
About 45% of Coloradans in a 2021 poll by the Colorado Health Foundation answered that gun violence was a very or extremely serious concern. Some crimes such as homicide, aggravated assault and vehicle theft have increased in Colorado in recent years, while the rates of others such as rape, robbery and burglary have remained the same or declined, according to reporting from The Denver Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n One policy Shaw is targeting is making possession of fentanyl a felony after a bipartisan bill passed in 2019 by the Colorado Legislature made the possession of up to 4 grams of many drugs, including fentanyl, a misdemeanor.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hurting our children,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen our young people are dying, it\u2019s hurting our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n She said she also wants to work on efforts to limit the legal action that law enforcement officers can face when on duty.<\/p>\n Shaw and her husband moved to Durango from Texas in March 2021 and started Blue Spruce BnB northeast of the city. For nearly two decades, she served as a 10th grade English teacher and school district administrator supervising reading intervention programs in Katy, Texas.<\/p>\n In a polarized political climate, Shaw thinks her experience as a school administrator will help bridge the divide between Colorado\u2019s Republicans and Democrats.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first and foremost prayer is that I don\u2019t change who I am. I am conservative, I am a Christian,\u201d she said. \u201cThat being said, on the other side of that I have been a district-level administrator in a school district of 84,000 children. \u2026 We also need to make sure that we listen to both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n Shaw will face a difficult fight against McLachlan, who has represented House District 59 since 2017. Most recently, McLachlan defeated Republican Marilyn Harris, gathering 55.4% of the vote in 2020.<\/p>\n McLachlan is also setting a high bar for funding, ending the last reporting cycle with more than $21,000 on hand, according to campaign finance reports. Shaw has yet submit financial filings as a new candidate and will not be required to do so until May.<\/p>\n While the race will be a battle, Shaw said she thinks her Republican support and cross-party appeal to Democrats and unaffiliated voters will yield success.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many people, not just Republicans but unaffiliated (voters and) Democrats, that feel like they need something different right now,\u201d she said. \u201c\u2026 I do believe that people are going to turn out, and I feel very confident with the campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n If elected, Shaw said she would be a representative who would listen and respond to the concerns of House District 59\u2019s constituents.<\/p>\n \u201cI find it very important that our southwest corner of Colorado is represented well and that means listening to voters. That means understanding all concerns, not just (of) one particular group,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to be that voice for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n