Chris Floyd, a Leadville-based attorney and member of the Democratic Party, is running to represent House District 13 in the state House next November. 

The seat is currently held by House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat who has served in the legislature since 2019. McCluskie is term-limited and cannot seek reelection in 2026. 

The district, which spans Chaffee, Grand, Jackson, Lake, Park and Summit counties, leans Democratic. McCluskie was reelected in 2024 by a margin of more than 10 percentage points, or a difference of 5,678 votes. 

Floyd, in a Wednesday news release highlighting her campaign, said she has a long history of legal and civic work, serving as a litigator, an in-house counsel for larger companies, and ultimately founding her own law firm aimed at small businesses and nonprofits. 

She was appointed in 2020 as the first woman to serve as Leadville’s presiding municipal judge, where she said her focus was on leading a restorative justice approach that prioritized solutions over punishment. In 2021, Floyd became the county attorney for Lake County. She has also been involved with nonprofits, and currently serves as president of Planned Pethood Leadville, which is focused on providing affordable veterinary care for local families

Floyd said her priorities in the legislature would be affordability and small business vitality, safe and affordable housing, sustainable economic development, and protections for public lands and water. 

Her campaign website lists several policy ideas, including more state investments and public-private partnerships that build affordable housing, expanding broadband access and rural health services and closing wage gaps in rural areas. 

Floyd’s website also calls for fighting for “the hard-fought protections for Colorado women, LGBTQ+, and communities of color.”Her website describes Floyd as “not a career politician — she’s a neighbor, a public servant, and a problem-solver.”

“Her priorities reflect the everyday concerns of families, workers, and small business owners,” her website states. “From expanding rural broadband and job training to protecting clean water and preserving the unique character of our mountain towns.”

Floyd touted endorsements from over a dozen elected Colorado officials in her news release on Wednesday. They include McCluskie, state Rep. Meghan Lukens, state Sen. Dylan Roberts, U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen, as well as county commissioners from Summit, Lake and Chaffee counties. 

Floyd is one of three candidates for House District 13 who are currently registered with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. The other candidates are Consuelo Redhorse, a Democrat and current president of the Summit School District board of education, and Miguel Martinez, a Republican and former Lake County assessor.