Lora Thomas
Republican | Colorado
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Lora Thomas
Party
Republican
Election Year
2024
Election
Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist. 43
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Regis University, Denver, MBA, 2002
Regis University, Denver, BA: Business Admin w/Finance Emphasis, 1998
Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, AA: Criminal Justice, 1994
WORK & MILITARY
Colorado Law Enforcement Training Academy (Colo. State Patrol), retired as Major, 1984
AFFILIATIONS
Arapahoe Community College - Adjunct Faculty, Criminal Justice Program
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Douglas County Commissioner, 2017-2025
Douglas County Coroner, 2011-2015
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Douglas County Sheriff, 2014 and 2022
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (1)
I don't seek nor accept endorsements - I am running on my extensive record as Coroner and Commissioner
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (16)
John Kellner (2020); Kim Ransom (2020); Kevin Van Winkle (2019); Local, County, and District Republican Organizations (2019); Tim Neville (2019)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Colorado has some of the most liberal laws in the country that pertain to this topic, so I fail to see the timely relevance of this question.
Chemical abortion drugs should meet essential safety standards (such as in-person consultation with a medical doctor) and require reporting to gather evidence on reactions and outcomes.
Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Agree
I support 'aid in dying' laws which legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Disagree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Under what circumstances can government close churches?
None. See the First Amendment.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Again, see the First Amendment.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
The relationship between Israel and the United States is important because not only does Israel have the right to exist, it is the only credible and established democracy in the MIddle East and it has contributed to improving the lives of many through the innovation of its citizens.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
C
Under what circumstances (if any) should a government, school, or employer be allowed to require vaccinations?
Parents have the ultimate right to make medical decisions for their children. However, potential consequences of those decisions must be realized and accepted as well.
ECONOMY
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Free enterprise and rights to private property are the means to build wealth and increase quality of life
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I am OPPOSED to a minimum wage because such a scheme actually harms rather than helps workers. Let the marketplace decide what wages it can sustain.
Should environmental and social issues, like ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings, be used as criteria in deciding where to invest public monies?
No
Those responsible for investing public dollars should do so by seeking the best return on investment with maximum security.
IMMIGRATION
The U.S. should do more to physically secure the southern border.
Strongly Agree
As a retired Major of the Colorado State Patrol who Chaired the regional Homeland Security Council for the Denver Metro area after 9-11, I am greatly concerned that we have no idea who has come into the United States through that porous Southern Border; it may well be individuals with plans to do damage our country and/or harm our citizens.
EDUCATION
The state should fund education by allowing dollars to follow the child through programs which protect parents' freedom to choose their child's school – public, private, or homeschool.
Strongly Agree
Parents have the right to educate their children as they believe is appropriate and dollars following the child is appropriate as well.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
I support redirecting funds from police departments to community programs.
Disagree
As a retired State Patrol Major who is actively involved in creating the new Judicial District 23 in January, 2025, I am seeing from the ground floor the interaction of the criminal justice system with programs such as pretrial services, diversion and probation. There needs to be an appropriate balance for law enforcement to keep the peace while allowing individuals the opportunity to learn from their mistake through community programs and make better choices in the future.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
It has been my experience that restrictions placed on law-abiding gun owners only serve to endanger the law-abiding while empowering criminals. Time and again, restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms have proven to be ineffective in reducing violent crime. Punishing the law-abiding by infringing on their Constitutional rights as a response to the criminal conduct of others makes absolutely no sense at all.
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
Yes
IF a teacher or other individual in a school is familiar, trained and willing to carry a firearm, a policy concerning this matter belongs in the hands of the elected school board. I lived for many years in rural parts of Colorado where law enforcement was limited. In those areas, I know that trained, qualified and willing adults in the schools had access to firearms, and I believed it made those schools safer.
ABOUT YOU
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No
What do you think is the general purpose of government?
Government was established to protect the rights of residents and it should have a strong national defense. Government collects taxes to provide services like infrastructure for our lives that the private sector doesn't have the authority to do..
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
VALUES
Children are the most vulnerable members of society and must be protected from abuse, including gender ideology, grooming, and bodily mutilation.
Agree
Parents should have the right to make decisions for their minor children.
Strongly Agree
Taxpayer funds should be used to provide gender transition services.
Strongly Disagree
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Neutral
While the government has a role in Marriage, it does not have the right to force a religious organization to sanction a marriage with a union that its beliefs don't recognize.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a life-long Roman Catholic who was educated in Catholic schools, including Marycrest, an all-girls Catholic High School in Denver. Two of my 3 college degrees are from Regis University, a Catholic institution. I live my life as my faith demands. I believe in honesty, integrity, compassion, strong work ethic, keeping my promises and showing up. I don't tolerate those who try to bully me or others, and I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe is right, no matter the opposition. I am also quick to apologize when I am wrong. Building coalitions has value, but that does not mean forgetting principles. I am a strident fiscal conservative and believe that small government that taxes the least serves the people best.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Disagree
States should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact which makes the Electoral College irrelevant.
Disagree
EQUALITY
Is racism a threat to domestic security in the United States? Why or why not?
I can only answer this question from the filter of my community and I do not see racism as a threat to domestic security.
I agree with Critical Race Theory (CRT) which asserts that the institutions in the United States are fundamentally racist.
Strongly Disagree
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Which comes closest to your view? (Select all that apply) A) Stricter environmental laws and regulations cost too many jobs and hurt the economy. B) Stricter environmental laws and regulations are worth the cost. C) Stricter environmental laws undermine U.S. energy independence and deter development of reliable electricity sources. D) Climate change is real and requires urgent policy action.
C
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear energy can and should be developed.
