Associated Builders and Contractors’ Rocky Mountain Chapter announces its endorsement of Joe O’Dea for U.S. Senate. ABC Rocky Mountain Chapter represents 150 local contractors in the industrial and nonresidential construction sector throughout the state, and O’Dea is a local construction business owner.

“ABC Rocky Mountain is proud to endorse Joe O'Dea for U.S. Senate because Joe is a construction worker who understands our industry and he will fiercely protect free enterprise,” said Kelly Eustace, 2022 chair of the ABC Rocky Mountain Board of Directors and president of Heating & Plumbing Engineers, Colorado Springs, Colorado. “Joe knows the importance of championing policy that will create quality jobs and strengthen workforce development across the country. There’s a massive skilled workforce shortage of 650,000 this year alone, and electing leaders like Joe ensures our industry can build the people who are building the places where we live, work, play, heal and learn.”

“I was a union carpenter and I saw quickly how the leadership prioritized politics over their workers,” said Joe O’Dea, candidate for U.S. Senate and owner of Concrete Express, Denver. “That’s a big reason why my company was founded as a merit shop, a belief that construction projects should be awarded on merit to the most qualified and responsible low bidders. I’ve fought off the unions plenty of times because they’d ultimately hurt the bottom line of my workers. I pay my employees more than a union shop, with better benefits. Colorado has found some balance, and in the U.S. Senate, I’ll be a strong, consistent voice for employees to determine their own future. I’d oppose the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, rein in the National Labor Relations Board for exceeding their rulemaking authority. We cannot govern through executive fiat; Congress must weigh in.”

ABC’s Rocky Mountain Chapter is the leading voice promoting fair and open competition in the construction industry in Colorado. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, which encourages an open competition approach that awards contracts based solely on merit, regardless of labor affiliation, ABC helps members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact ABC Rocky Mountain Chapter at 303-832-5812 or email: aguiberson@abcrmc.org.

The 2022 Colorado General Election is here. Ballots went out on Monday, October 17th. Across the state, Coloradans will make their voices heard by voting on a number of candidates and issues including for Governor, a U.S. Senate seat and all eight of the state’s House of Representative seats on November 8th. There are also nearly a dozen statewide ballot measures to decide on covering everything from affordable housing to psychedelic mushrooms.

This election year will prove to be one of the most important elections for the General Assembly in recent years. It’s the first election since redistricting and the Republicans in the House are looking to close the huge gap only holding 24 seats of the 65.

In the Colorado Senate, the Republicans are looking to take back the majority, which was made a little more challenging in August with Senator Kevin Priola’s announcement switching his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat, making the majority 21-14. The Republicans now have to pick up 4 seats and not lose seats that they currently hold.

The ABC Rocky Mountain Chapter Board of Directors approved a list of Candidates to endorse in the upcoming Colorado General Assembly Elections. The Board also approved financial contributions to a targeted list of candidates that will be supportive of our organization and with the goal to flip the Colorado State Senate to a Republican Majority. Click below for the ABC RMC Voter Guide.

Please join us virtually on Wednesday, August 10th from noon to 1pm for a recap of the 2022 Colorado legislative session. This webinar will include comments, analysis and updates from Randy Sewald, ABC RMC Government Affairs Chair and our lobbyist team Jay Hicks and Stefan Stathopulos. In addition, we are pleased to bring to you Melanie Pfeiffenberger, ABC Director of Political Affairs. Melanie will speak on ABC’s legislative priorities nationally and take questions. Register for this webinar in advance by clicking the link below. We look forward to seeing you online in a few weeks for this important meeting.

View and download our 2022 Colorado Legislative Report and Session Summary prepared exclusively for ABC RMC members.

View and download our 2022 Colorado Legislative Report and Session Summary prepared exclusively for ABC RMC members.

ABC Legislative Week was conducted in mid-June in Washington DC. This event is a highlight for anyone passionate about ABC's mission of fair and open competition for all in the construction industry. Its an opportunity to hear from ABC national headquarters staff on the daily work they are doing to challenge and litigate the legislation against the merit shop. Its also a chance for our chapter leadership to meet in person with elected officials.

Board Chair, Kelly Eustace and Past Chair Dennis Walker attended this year's Legislative Week. They had the opportunity to have some good discussion with elected officials in their respective offices at the U.S. Capital. This event and these meetings show the powerful lobbying efforts of ABC and how our member interests are represented.