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Steve Ward (Colorado legislator)
Encyclopedia
Steven P. Ward was a legislator
in the U.S. state
of Colorado
. Appointed to the Colorado State Senate as a Republican in 2006, Ward represented Senate District 26, which encompassed southern suburbs of Denver, Colorado
, centered around Littleton
.
, Ward has served as mayor of Glendale, Colorado
and as a member of the Arapahoe County
Board of Commissioners.
A colonel
in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, Ward has served tours of active duty at Special Operations Command
, in Afghanistan
, at Northern Command
, at the Pentagon
, in Thailand
assisting with recovery from the 2004 Asian tsunami and, in 2007, on an assignment in the western Pacific. In August 2007, Ward was called up to active duty in Iraq as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
, where he served as a military inspector general
based at Camp Fallujah. He returned from his Iraq deployment in early February 2008, several weeks into the 2008 legislative session; he was greeted with applause from fellow Senators during the morning roll call. In recognition of Sen. Wards' deployment, Senators had continuously left a lamp on in the Senate chambers during his absence.
During his time in Iraq, Ward met with Colorado Governor Bill Ritter
and Congressman Ed Perlmutter
during their trips to the country, and also met with U.S. Army officer and Colorado state representative Joe Rice
, who was stationed in Iraq at the same time.
Ward is married; he and his wife, Susan, have two children: Justin and Jessica.
While not serving on active military duty, Ward operates a real-estate business.
councilwoman Betty Ann Habig for the post. Ward was sworn in as a state senator on December 28, 2006.
During the session, Ward introduced, with Democratic Rep. Rosemary Marshall, a measure to clarify uncertainties surrounding a gift ban in Amendment 41, an ethics reform ballot measure enacted by Colorado voters in 2006. After several months of legislative negotiations, the measure was killed in favor of a compromise implementing the ethics law as approved by voters; the ethics commission and gift ban later faced a string of legal challenges.
law, to allow the death penalty as a punishment for rape
of children. The bill died in a Senate committee only a few months before the Louisiana statute was ruled unconstitutional in Kennedy v. Louisiana
. Ward was also a prime sponsor of a bill passed into law to restrict picketing in residential areas.
During the legislative session, Ward denounced as the "nanny state
bill of the year" a measure which would require single-family homes to install carbon monoxide detectors.
in Colorado's 6th Congressional district in November 2007; he made the decision to enter the race while on duty in Iraq, citing a need for more Iraq War veterans in Congress. Ward was one of four contenders for the Republican nomination in the conservative district, including Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman
. The contest saw few policy differences between Ward and his Republican opponents, with the exception of Ward's push for a "Manhattan Project
"-type effort to develop alternatives to fossil fuel
s, including flex fuel standards for automobiles.
Although Ward trailed his opponents in fundraising, his campaign emphasized his web presence and his detailed policy proposals. As an Iraq veteran, particular attention was paid to Ward's position on the U.S. presence in Iraq. Although Ward opposed a timetable for withdrawal of troops, he was critical of mistakes made early in the conflict, called for the increased involvement of non-military U.S. agencies and the establishment of "benchmarks" leading towards eventual troop withdrawal.
Ward was critical of Republican leadership for straying from traditional conservative principles of limited government and for failures on energy and economic policy, going to so far as to eschew endorsements from prominent Republicans. He pledged to work towards a balanced budget and stated that he would place high priority in Congress on delivering transportation funding for Colorado.
Ultimately, Ward raised a total of about $100,000 for his campaign and placed fourth among the contenders for the Republican nomination with roughly 12 percent of the vote; he conceded the race to Coffman early on the night of the primary and expressed support for the fellow Iraq veteran.
Following his defeat, Ward planned to return to his real estate and development business. His retirement from the legislature created an open seat sought by Republican Lauri Clapp and Democrat Linda Newell, a race that became one of Colorado's closest races in 2008, with less than one percent of votes separating the two.
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Appointed to the Colorado State Senate as a Republican in 2006, Ward represented Senate District 26, which encompassed southern suburbs of Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, centered around Littleton
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
.
Biography
Currently a resident of Littleton, ColoradoLittleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
, Ward has served as mayor of Glendale, Colorado
Glendale, Colorado
The city of Glendale is a Home Rule Municipality located in an exclave of Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The population was 4,547 at the 2000 census. The entire city is surrounded on all sides by the City and County of Denver. Therefore, as a municipal entity, it is also an enclave...
and as a member of the Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 487,967 people, 190,909 households, and 125,809 families residing in the county. The population density was 608 people per square mile . There were 196,835 housing units at an average density of 245 per square mile...
Board of Commissioners.
A colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the United States Marine Corps Reserves, Ward has served tours of active duty at Special Operations Command
Special Operations Command
Special Operations Command may refer to any of these military or police organizations:*Special Operations Command *Special Operations Command elite unit of Maldives Police*Special Operations Command...
, in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, at Northern Command
Northern Command
Northern Command can refer to one of the following:*United States Northern Command*Northern Command *Northern Command *Northern Command *Northern Command *IRA Northern Command...
, at the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
assisting with recovery from the 2004 Asian tsunami and, in 2007, on an assignment in the western Pacific. In August 2007, Ward was called up to active duty in Iraq as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
The II Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a period of 60 days. The II Marine Expeditionary Force is...
, where he served as a military inspector general
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
based at Camp Fallujah. He returned from his Iraq deployment in early February 2008, several weeks into the 2008 legislative session; he was greeted with applause from fellow Senators during the morning roll call. In recognition of Sen. Wards' deployment, Senators had continuously left a lamp on in the Senate chambers during his absence.
During his time in Iraq, Ward met with Colorado Governor Bill Ritter
Bill Ritter (politician)
August William "Bill" Ritter is an American politician of the Democratic Party, and was the 41st Governor of the state of Colorado, from 2007 to 2011. Before his election in 2006, he served as the district attorney for Denver...
and Congressman Ed Perlmutter
Ed Perlmutter
Edwin George "Ed" Perlmutter is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.- Early life, education and career:...
during their trips to the country, and also met with U.S. Army officer and Colorado state representative Joe Rice
Joe Rice
Joe Rice is a former legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado, an Iraq War veteran, and a former mayor of Glendale, Colorado.Rice presently works for Lockheed Martin Space Systems and also is a member of the United States Army Reserve...
, who was stationed in Iraq at the same time.
Ward is married; he and his wife, Susan, have two children: Justin and Jessica.
While not serving on active military duty, Ward operates a real-estate business.
2006 appointment
In November 2006, Senator Jim Dyer was elected to a post on the Arapahoe County Commission and resigned from the state legislature. A Republican Party vacancy commission chose Ward over former CentennialCentennial, Colorado
The city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
councilwoman Betty Ann Habig for the post. Ward was sworn in as a state senator on December 28, 2006.
2007 legislative session
In the 2007 session of the General Assembly, Ward served on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Local Government Committee.During the session, Ward introduced, with Democratic Rep. Rosemary Marshall, a measure to clarify uncertainties surrounding a gift ban in Amendment 41, an ethics reform ballot measure enacted by Colorado voters in 2006. After several months of legislative negotiations, the measure was killed in favor of a compromise implementing the ethics law as approved by voters; the ethics commission and gift ban later faced a string of legal challenges.
2008 legislative session
In the 2008 session of the General Assembly, Ward serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Local Government Committee. He sponsored legislation, modeled on LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
law, to allow the death penalty as a punishment for rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
of children. The bill died in a Senate committee only a few months before the Louisiana statute was ruled unconstitutional in Kennedy v. Louisiana
Kennedy v. Louisiana
Kennedy v. Louisiana, 554 U.S. 407 was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that held that the Eighth Amendment's Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause did not permit a state to punish the crime of rape of a child with the death penalty; more broadly, the power of the state...
. Ward was also a prime sponsor of a bill passed into law to restrict picketing in residential areas.
During the legislative session, Ward denounced as the "nanny state
Nanny state
A nanny state is the perception of a situation characterised by governmental policies of over-protectionism, economic interventionism, or heavy regulation of economic, social or other nature....
bill of the year" a measure which would require single-family homes to install carbon monoxide detectors.
2008 Congressional campaign
Ward entered the race to succeed retiring Rep. Tom TancredoTom Tancredo
Thomas Gerard "Tom" Tancredo is an American politician from Colorado, who represented the state's sixth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009, as a Republican...
in Colorado's 6th Congressional district in November 2007; he made the decision to enter the race while on duty in Iraq, citing a need for more Iraq War veterans in Congress. Ward was one of four contenders for the Republican nomination in the conservative district, including Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman
Mike Coffman
Michael "Mike" Coffman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009, and a former Secretary of State of Colorado. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
. The contest saw few policy differences between Ward and his Republican opponents, with the exception of Ward's push for a "Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
"-type effort to develop alternatives to fossil fuel
Fossil fuel
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural processes such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms. The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years...
s, including flex fuel standards for automobiles.
Although Ward trailed his opponents in fundraising, his campaign emphasized his web presence and his detailed policy proposals. As an Iraq veteran, particular attention was paid to Ward's position on the U.S. presence in Iraq. Although Ward opposed a timetable for withdrawal of troops, he was critical of mistakes made early in the conflict, called for the increased involvement of non-military U.S. agencies and the establishment of "benchmarks" leading towards eventual troop withdrawal.
Ward was critical of Republican leadership for straying from traditional conservative principles of limited government and for failures on energy and economic policy, going to so far as to eschew endorsements from prominent Republicans. He pledged to work towards a balanced budget and stated that he would place high priority in Congress on delivering transportation funding for Colorado.
Ultimately, Ward raised a total of about $100,000 for his campaign and placed fourth among the contenders for the Republican nomination with roughly 12 percent of the vote; he conceded the race to Coffman early on the night of the primary and expressed support for the fellow Iraq veteran.
Following his defeat, Ward planned to return to his real estate and development business. His retirement from the legislature created an open seat sought by Republican Lauri Clapp and Democrat Linda Newell, a race that became one of Colorado's closest races in 2008, with less than one percent of votes separating the two.