Who is running for Colorado House District 45 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Colorado House District 45 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Colorado House District 45.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Michael ClarksonDemocrat | Max BrooksRepublican | Caryn Ann HarlosLibertarian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | Raise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingSaid · medium | No public position | Get rid of it; let employers and workers agree on payQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Abortion | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · low | No public position | No public position |
| Guns | No public position | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightOfficial action · medium | No public position |
| Energy and climate | An aggressive shift to clean energy with firm deadlinesSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Curriculum and books | Keep access broad; removals should be rareSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Housing and growth | Allow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downSaid · low | No public position | No public position |
Michael Clarkson
DemocratCloud solutions architect
Michael Clarkson is the Democratic nominee for Colorado House District 451. His BallotReady profile lists his work as a cloud solutions architect and U.S. Army service2.
Where they stand 5 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Minimum wageRaise it higher and tie it to the cost of livingmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says to raise the state minimum wage to $26 an hour and link it to inflation. (2026) source
Curriculum and booksKeep access broad; removals should be raremedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site lists outlawing book bans among his priorities. (2026) source
Energy and climateAn aggressive shift to clean energy with firm deadlinesmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site calls for accelerating the state Renewable Portfolio Standard to 100 percent clean energy by 2035. (2026) source
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low
Said · low confidence- His campaign site lists protecting reproductive rights among his priorities. (2026) source
Housing and growthAllow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downlow
Said · low confidence- His campaign site calls for encouraging mixed-use, transit-oriented development through streamlined permitting and tax incentives for developers who set aside at least 40 percent of new development for affordable housing. (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Healthcare, Guns, Immigration, School choice, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Max Brooks
Republican · IncumbentColorado State Representative, District 45
Max Brooks is the Republican incumbent for Colorado House District 45, which includes Castle Rock2. His campaign site says he also serves on the Castle Rock Town Council4, and his House Republicans biography says he supports the intellectual and developmental disabilities community3.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Immigration, Energy and climate, School choice, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Caryn Ann Harlos
LibertarianParalegal and registered parliamentarian
Caryn Ann Harlos is the Libertarian nominee for Colorado House District 451. In an iVoterGuide profile she lists 35 years as a paralegal, work as a registered parliamentarian and six years as National Secretary of the Libertarian Party2.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Minimum wageGet rid of it; let employers and workers agree on paymedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- In an iVoterGuide questionnaire she answered the minimum wage question with "Eliminate it." (2026) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, School choice, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-08. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.