Vicki Marble

Vicki Marble is a former Republican member of the Colorado Senate. She served in the state senate from 2013 to 2021.

Vicki Marble
Senator Marble's Floor Speech
Member of the Colorado Senate
from the 23rd district
In office
January 9, 2013  January 13, 2021
Preceded byShawn Mitchell
Succeeded byBarbara Kirkmeyer
Larimer County Rural Land Use Board
Personal details
BornMontana
Political partyRepublican
OccupationBusinesswoman

First elected to the Senate in 2012 to a four-year term, Marble represented District 23, which runs North along the I-25 corridor. District 23 encompasses parts of Broomfield, Larimer, and Weld Counties. This includes Firestone, Johnstown, Mead, Broomfield, Erie, Longmont, Northglenn, and Windsor, CO.[1]

Biography

Marble was raised in a ranching family that bred horses and livestock. As a child, she was involved in outdoor activities - her father was one of the founders of Kampgrounds of America during the early 1960s. Early in life, Marble became interested in agriculture and participated in the Pro Rodeo. She developed barrel racing skills and became a nationally ranked Pro Rodeo Barrel Racer.

Prior to her legislative career, Marble served on the Larimer County Rural Land Use Board as well as the 8th Judicial District Performance Commission.

Marble owns and maintains two businesses in the bail bonds industry and a liquor store in the Fort Collins area. Marble has two sons, one a former U.S. Marine and the other is in Business for himself.

Political campaigns

2020 election

Term limited as a state senator, in 2020 Marble decided to run for the open District 49 seat in the Colorado House of Representatives. However, in the Republican primary election held June 30, 2020, she was defeated by challenger Mike Lynch.[2]

2016 election

In 2016, incumbent Marble ran for reelection to the Colorado State Senate for Senate District 23. She was unopposed in the Republican primary,[3] as was her Democratic opponent T.J. Cole.[4] Marble will be term-limited in 2020 but able to run for another term in 2024.

2016 General Election

In the November General Election, Marble faced Democrat T.J. Cole, winning the election with 57.96% of the vote.

Colorado State Senate District 23 General Election, 2016[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vicki Marble 55,528 57.96
Democratic T.J. Cole 40,281 42.04
Total votes 95,809 100

2012 election

In 2012, Marble ran for election to the Colorado State Senate for Senate District 23. Her candidacy was endorsed by former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, Ken Buck, Dick Morris, State Senator Tim Neville, former Senator Dave Schultheis, and Rocky Mountain Gun Owners.[6][7]

2012 Republican Primary

Marble defeated former State Rep. Glen Vaad for the Republican primary nomination.

Colorado State Senate District 23 Republican Primary Election, 2012[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vicki Marble 5,500 58.01
Republican Glen Vaad 3,981 41.99
Total votes 9,481 100

2012 General election

In the November General Election, Marble faced Democrat Lee Kemp, winning the election with 56.20% of the vote.[9]

Colorado State Senate District 23 General Election, 2012[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vicki Marble 43,949 56.20
Democratic Lee Kemp 34,252 43.80
Total votes 78,201 100

Legislative career

2019 Legislative session

Senator Marble served as the Senate Minority Caucus Chair and was a member of the Veteran's and Military Affairs Committee and was a member of the Legislative Council Committee.

2018 Legislative session

In 2018, Senator Marble served as Senate Majority Caucus Chair, as the Chairman of the Senate State Veteran's and Military Affairs Committee and as a member of the Agriculture and the Legislative Council Committees.

She was the prime sponsor of a wide variety of legislation, including agriculture-related bills such as Senate Bill 239, concerning animal chiropractors,[11] and Senate Bill 205, concerning the regulation of industrial hemp.[12] Another bill, Senate Bill 230, modified language in statute concerning "pooling orders" for oil and gas drilling and expanded protections for property owners.[13] She also sponsored a bill to update the election code, and another that deals with regulation of toxicology labs. Each of these and more, were signed into law by the Governor.

Ethnic diet comments

On August 21, 2013, at an Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force meeting at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver chaired by State Sen. John Kefalas, Marble ignited controversy and Democratic criticism when she gave a speech that included extensive comments on the eating habits of various minority groups.[14][15]

"When you look at life expectancy, there are problems in the black race: sickle-cell anemia is something that comes up, diabetes is something that’s prevalent in the genetic makeup and you just can’t help it," Marble said. "Although I’ve got to say, I’ve never had better BBQ and better chicken and ate better in my life than when you go down south and you — I love it."[16]

Further, Marble commented that "Mexicans eat vegetables in Mexico but stop eating healthily when they immigrate to the United States."

Fellow state legislator Rhonda Fields, an African-American and Democrat from Aurora, Colorado was also present, and criticized Marble's comments.

"The title for this committee is the Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force; and one of the things I will not tolerate is racist and insensitive comments about African Americans, the color of their skin. You mentioned what we eat — I was highly offended by your remarks," Fields said, addressing Marble directly.[16]

Marble then released a statement clarifying her remarks:

"My comments were not meant to be disparaging to any community," she said. "I am saddened they were taken in that regard. I take my responsibility seriously and I hope our work on this committee will offer real solutions to the health and financial challenges of our vulnerable populations."

The Denver Post editorial board described Marble's comments as, "... finger-lickin' stupid."[17]

In comments to the press, Ryan Call, former chairman of the Colorado Republican Party distanced the party from Marble's comments. "Sen. Marble's careless comments do not reflect the views of Republicans," he said.[18] A prominent pro-Republican and conservative political blog, Colorado Peak Politics, said, "Marble is the latest legislator to join what might be kindly dubbed the "legislative moron caucus" after an ignorant and offensive soliloquy about race and diet."[19]

In an interview with the Fort Collins Coloradoan, Marble remained "unapologetic".[20]

References

  1. See http://www.vickimarble.com/sd23/senate-district-23-new-boundaries-for-2013
  2. "State representative — District 49 — Republican primary". Colorado election results. Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  3. http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2016/primary/republican/stateSenate.html#d23
  4. http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2016/primary/democratic/stateSenate.html#d23
  5. http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2016/general/stateSenate.html#23
  6. http://www.vickimarble.com/endorsements/endorsements-for-vicki
  7. http://www.ammoland.com/2012/06/colorado-gun-rights-victories-last-night/#axzz2ci2etnx2
  8. http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2012/primary/republican/index.html
  9. "2012 Election Results DP". Election Results. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  10. http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Results/Abstract/2012/general/senate.html#23
  11. ">"Colorado General Assembly".
  12. "Colorado General Assembly".
  13. "Colorado General Assembly".
  14. Lynn Bartels, "Colorado state Sen. Vicki Marble under fire for comments on race, diet," The Denver Post; 8/21/2013.
  15. Audio of Sen. Vicki Marble from 8/21/2013.
  16. Eli Stokols, "Sparks fly after Sen. Marble’s ‘chicken’ comment in poverty hearing," KDVR.com; 8/21/2013.
  17. The Denver Post Editorial Board, "Sen. Vicki Marble's ignorant comments on race and diet," The Denver Post; 8/22/2013.
  18. Lynn Bartels, "Colorado GOP distances itself from senator after chicken remarks," The Denver Post; 8/22/2013.
  19. http://coloradopeakpolitics.com/2013/08/22/idiocracy-vicki-marble-joins-the-legislative-moron-caucus/
  20. Patrick Malone, "Marble unapologetic for racial references," The Fort Collins Coloradoan; Aug. 22, 2013.
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