Regional News

State representative gets second chance at reelection after court order, assembly re-vote

Colorado Springs Rep. Mary Bradfield will face Karl Dent in June 28 Republican primary
State Rep. Mary Bradfield, R-Colorado Springs, speaks at the GOP state assembly on April 9 in Colorado Springs. (Hugh Carey/The Colorado Sun file)

State. Rep. Mary Bradfield will get a second chance at re-election.

The Colorado Springs Republican on Sunday secured a spot on the June 28 primary ballot after winning enough support from delegates at the second iteration of this year’s House District 21 assembly.

Bradfield was initially kept off the ballot at the first House District 21 assembly meeting in March, where she came one vote shy of winning support from at least 30% of the delegates, the threshold she needed to reach to advance to the primary.

Bradfield lost to first-time candidate Karl Dent, who was convicted last year of a felony and remains on probation.

But a Denver judge ruled earlier this month that the original assembly vote should be tossed out because one of the delegates who voted for Dent was illegally credentialed. The judge ordered the assembly to be reconvened and for another vote to be taken.

Dent, a former law enforcement officer, appealed the ruling but the Colorado Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

A screenshot of Karl Dent’s statehouse campaign website.

Bradfield won 35% of the delegate vote on Sunday. Dent won 48%, while a third candidate, Juli Henri, won just 17% and did not advance to the primary.

Bradfield told The Colorado Sun on Monday that she is “thrilled” to be back in the race.

The candidate who wins the Republican primary in the district is likely to win the general election, too, given the district’s heavy GOP lean.

Colorado Sun staff writer Shannon Najmabadi contributed to this report.

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