Diana Louise DeGette ( ; born July 29, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, her district is based in Denver. DeGette was a Chief Deputy Whip from 2005 to 2019 and is the dean of Colorado's congressional delegation; she served as the Colorado State Representative for the 6th district from 1993 until her election to the U.S. House.
Early life, education and career
A fourth-generation Coloradan, DeGette was born in Tachikawa, Japan, the daughter of Patricia Anne (née Rose) and Richard Louis DeGette. Her parents were American, and at the time of her birth her father was serving in the armed forces. She graduated from Colorado College, where she earned a B.A. in political science and was elected to the Pi Gamma Mu international honor society in 1979. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law in 1982. She then returned to Denver and began a law practice focusing on civil rights and employment litigation.
Colorado Legislature
Long active in Denver politics, DeGette was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1992. She was reelected in 1994 and chosen as assistant minority leader. She authored a law that guarantees Colorado women unobstructed access to abortion clinics and other medical care facilities, also known as the Bubble Bill. The United States Supreme Court found the Bubble Bill constitutional in Hill v. Colorado, 530 U.S. 703 (2000). DeGette also authored the state Voluntary Cleanup and Redevelopment Act, a model for similar cleanup programs.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
1996
Longtime 1st district Representative Pat Schroeder chose not to run for a 13th term in 1996, prompting DeGette to run. Her principal opponent in the primary election was former City Council member Tim Sandos, whom Denver Mayor Wellington Webb endorsed shortly before the primary. DeGette won the primary with 55% of the vote, all but assuring her of election in the heavily Democratic district (the 1st has been in Democratic hands for all but four years since 1933). Schroeder, who stayed neutral during the primary, endorsed DeGette once DeGette became the nominee. DeGette won with 57% of the vote and has been reelected 13 times since.
2006
DeGette defeated Green Party nominee Tom Kelly.
2008
DeGette defeated Republican nominee George Lilly, Libertarian nominee Martin Buchanan, and Independent Gary Swing.
2010
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Mike Fallon, Green nominee Gary Swing, American Constitutional Party nominee Chris Styskal, and Libertarian nominee Clint Jones.
2012
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Danny Stroud, Libertarian nominee Frank Atwood, and Green Party nominee Gary Swing. She won 68.23% of the vote.
2014
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Martin Walsh, Libertarian nominee Frank Atwood, UNA nominee Danny Stroud, and two write-in candidates. She won 65.81% of the vote.
2016
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Charles "Casper" Stockham, and Libertarian nominee Darrell Dinges. She won 257,254 votes, 67.87% of the total.
2018
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Charles Stockham and Libertarian nominee Raymon Doane. She won 272,886 votes, 73.8% of the total.
2020
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Shane Bolling, Libertarian nominee Kyle Furey, Unity nominee Paul Noel Fiorino, and Approval Voting nominee Jan Kok. DeGette won 331,621 votes, 73.6% of the total.
2022
DeGette defeated Republican nominee Jennifer Qualteri, Libertarian nominee John Kittleson, and Green nominee Iris Boswell. DeGette won 226,929 votes, 80.3% of the total.
Tenure
DeGette serves as the co-chair of both the Congressional Diabetes Caucus and Pro-Choice Caucus, and she is Vice Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus. With the Democrats' victory in the 2006 midterm elections, DeGette briefly considered running for House Majority Whip, but bowed out in favor of Jim Clyburn of South Carolina.
DeGette sat as speaker pro tempore and presided over the debate on December 18, 2019, the day United States House of Representatives voted on the first impeachment of President Donald Trump.