Kevin Grantham
Member of the
Fremont County, Colorado County Commission
from the 1st district
Assumed office
January 12, 2021
President of the Colorado Senate
In office
January 11, 2017 – January 4, 2019
Preceded byBill Cadman
Succeeded byLeroy Garcia
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 2nd district
In office
January 12, 2011 – January 4, 2019
Preceded byKen Kester
Succeeded byDennis Hisey
Personal details
Born (1970-06-29) June 29, 1970 (age 53)
Ordway, Colorado, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCaroline
Children2
EducationLiberty University (BA)

Kevin Grantham (born June 29, 1970) is an American politician who serves on the county commission of Fremont County, Colorado. He served in the Colorado Senate from the 2nd district as a member of the Republican Party from 2011 to 2019. He served as president of the state senate during his tenure.

Grantham was born in Ordway, Colorado, and educated at Liberty University. His father had been the chair of the Crowley County Republican Party and his son later served as a county clerk and recorder. He served on the board of adjustments and city council in Cañon City before he was elected to the state senate.

He served as the chair of the Appropriations committee in the state senate. He served as the Republican caucus whip and later as president of the state senate. Grantham was criticized for his handling of sexual harassment allegations during his tenure as president. He was elected to the Fremont County Commission after leaving the state senate.

Early life and education

Kevin Grantham was born in Ordway, Colorado. His father served as the chair of the Republican Party in Crowley County, Colorado. He graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion. He married Caroline, with whom he had two children. His son, Justin, serves as the county clerk and recorder in Fremont County.[1][2][3]

Career

Colorado Senate

Elections

Grantham defeated Matt Heimerich in the 2010 Republican primary for a seat in the Colorado Senate from the 2nd district, and won against Democratic nominee Gloria Stultz in the general election.[4] He defeated Green Party nominee Martin T. Wirth in the 2014 election.[5][6]

Tenure

During Grantham's tenure in the state senate he served on the Agriculture and Natural Resources, State Veterans and Military Affairs, Finance, and Joint Budget committee.[2] He served as the chair of the Appropriations committee.[7] He replaced Senator Steve King on the Legislative Audit committee while King faced felony charges.[8]

He supported Mitt Romney during the 2012 Republican presidential primary and served as an unpledged delegate to the Republican National Convention.[9] He served as the whip for the Republican caucus from 2012 to 2014.[2] On November 10, 2016, he was selected to serve as the president of the state senate.[10]

Grantham was criticized for his handling of sexual assault and harassment claims against member of the state senate due to partisanship. He stated that Senator Daniel Kagan had acted improperly before an investigation was started while he stated that investigations into Republican senators Randy Baumgardner, Larry Crowder, and Jack Tate were flawed.[11] He requested for Beth McCann, the Denver District Attorney, to start investigations on all sexual harassments complaints filed against state legislators.[12] He stated that he did not believe the sexual harassment complaints against Baumgardner despite the investigation stating the complaints were credible. Grantham voted against expelling Baumgardner from the state senate and refused to ask him to resign.[13][14]

Local politics

Grantham served on the board of adjustments in Cañon City, Colorado, from 2005 to 2007, and as its chair in 2007. He elected to the city council from an at-large seat in 2007. He served as the chair of the Fremont County Republican Party from 2007 to 2010. Grantham announced on November 14, 2019, that he would run for a seat on the Fremont County Commission from the 1st district and was elected without opposition.[1][2][15] During the 2022 United States Senate election he organized Eli Bremer's campaign in Fremont County.[16]

Political positions

Grantham stated that regulations should be enacted on the construction of mosques after a speech by Geert Wilders.[17] He opposed the legalization of cannabis.[18] He introduced legislation to allow business owners to use lethal force if they believed that their property was threatened.[19] He received an F rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America.[20] He stated that President Donald Trump's decision to appoint Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States was "an excellent one".[21]

He is against an attempt to have the Colorado Republican Party to eliminate the selection of candidates for the 2022 election through primaries stating that "This idiotic push from a small group of purists ranks as one of the worst ideas amongst the worst of the worst ideas in the entire history of insane ideas".[22]

Electoral history

2010 Colorado Senate 2nd district Republican primary[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kevin Grantham 8,162 63.53%
Republican Matt Heimerich 4,686 36.47%
Total votes 12,848 100.00%
2010 Colorado Senate 2nd district election[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kevin Grantham 25,902 58.23%
Democratic Gloria Stultz 18,581 41.77%
Total votes 44,483 100.00%
2014 Colorado Senate 2nd district Republican primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kevin Grantham (incumbent) 13,551 100.00%
Total votes 13,551 100.00%
2014 Colorado Senate 2nd district election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kevin Grantham (incumbent) 38,895 74.92%
Green Martin T. Wirth 13,019 25.08%
Total votes 51,914 100.00%
2020 Fremont County Commission 1st district election[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Kevin Grantham 20,054 100.00%
Total votes 20,054 100.00%

References

  1. ^ a b "Kevin Grantham announces candidacy for Fremont County Commissioner". Canon City Daily Record. November 14, 2019. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Meet the Commissioners Kevin Grantham". Canon City Daily Record. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  3. ^ "From boyhood to top senator, Grantham grew up in politics". Colorado Politics. December 30, 2016. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Official Publication of the Abstract of Votes Cast for the 2010 Primary 2010 General" (PDF). Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 6, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "2014 Primary Election Results - Republican Party Ballot". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "2014 General Election Results". Secretary of State of Colorado. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022.
  7. ^ "Same old committees, lots of new chairs in state Senate". Colorado Politics. November 25, 2016. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  8. ^ "King removed from legislative panel". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. September 3, 2014. p. 3. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Romney speech inspires Colorado delegates: 'We can do this'". Colorado Politics. September 3, 2012. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  10. ^ "Western Slope lawmakers get leadership posts". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. November 11, 2016. p. 2. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "At Colorado Capitol, Grantham Critics Say Double Standard For Sexual Harassment Claims". KRCC. March 28, 2018. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  12. ^ "GJ legislator: Due process for accused colleagues". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. March 2, 2018. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "State Senate will not expel Baumgardner". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. April 3, 2018. p. 1. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Senate leader won't seek resignation of lawmaker". Fort Collins Coloradoan. April 24, 2018. p. A2. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b "2020 Fremont County General Election Cumulative Report Official Results" (PDF). Fremont County, Colorado. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2021.
  16. ^ "Republican US Senate candidate Eli Bremer names county coordinators". Colorado Politics. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  17. ^ "Colorado State Sen. Says Banning New Mosques Is Something to Think About". KCNC-TV. July 16, 2012. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  18. ^ "Marijuana Farmers Unlikely To See Farm Tax Perks". KCNC-TV. February 9, 2014. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  19. ^ "'Make My Day Better' Bill Fails In Colorado Senate". KCNC-TV. March 5, 2012. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  20. ^ "Kevin Grantham". NARAL Pro-Choice America. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021.
  21. ^ "Colorado politicos react to Trump's pick of Kavanaugh for Supreme Court". Colorado Politics. July 10, 2018. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.
  22. ^ "Some Colorado Republicans want to forgo their party's 2022 primaries. Others think that's "insane."". The Colorado Sun. August 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022.

External links

Political offices Preceded byBill Cadman President of the Colorado Senate 2017–2019 Succeeded byLeroy Garcia
Members of the Colorado Senate
Presidents of state senates
Statewide political officials of Colorado
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