Guzman enters SD-34 race

Lucia Guzman, executive director of the City and County of Denver's Human Rights and Community Relations office, filed Thursday to run for state Senate District 34, setting up a potentially contentious Democratic primary in Denver next year.

Guzman is the second Democrat to formally enter the race to succeed outgoing state Sen. Paula Sandoval (D-Denver), who is term-limited: outgoing state Rep. Joel Judd (D-Denver) filed for SD-34 late last year. State Rep. Jerry Frangas (D-Denver) is also considering entering the race.

A former pastor at Berkeley United Methodist Church in northwest Denver, in 1994 Guzman became the first woman and Mexican American to head the Colorado Council of Churches. She also served as vice-president of the Denver Board of Education from 1999 until 2003.

Guzman will publicly launch her campaign July 9.