Ava Flanell

District 14 - Republican Party

How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people?

I’ve been successfully self-employed for thirteen years and was raised in a family with a long history of entrepreneurship, including a business that has served Colorado Springs for more than 45 years. That background has given me a strong understanding of economics, leadership, and the importance of making difficult decisions when necessary.

Growing up, I worked in my family’s business where I learned the value of hard work, personal responsibility, customer service, and the dedication required to build and sustain a successful business. Those real-world experiences have shaped my approach to public service and policymaking. During this past legislative session, I drew on those skills to evaluate legislation through the lens of the families, workers, and business owners who are directly affected by the decisions made at the Capitol.

I’m also an incredibly quick learner. I graduated from Fordham University in just three years with a double major in English and Communications before going on to work for the New York Yankees. I started off in a seasonal position in sales and worked my way up to a position I really wanted, which was in legal and finance. In that role, I reviewed legal documents, managed financial data, and researched revenue-generating opportunities for the stadium during the offseason.

When my mother tragically passed away in 2012, I returned to Colorado to help manage the family business. Despite having only recently been introduced to firearms, I became a certified firearms instructor the following year and launched my first business, a firearms training company. Word spread quickly and I soon became the top rated training company in El Paso County. That experience taught me how to take on significant responsibilities when circumstances demanded it.

My involvement in politics began as a private citizen testifying against legislation that would harm Colorado. Through that process, I learned about the inner workings of the Capitol and the steps necessary for how a bill

becomes law. I quickly realized that stopping bad policy required members of the Democrat party to vote against these bills because Republicans were in the supermajority. That meant going into the lion’s den to explain to Democrat legislators how these policies would be detrimental to Colorado if these bills should pass. To my surprise, I was able to convince a few legislators to vote no.

I applied that same approach during this past legislative session. By engaging with colleagues across party lines, convincing them to vote with Republicans, I helped defeat or improve legislation that would have negatively impacted Colorado families and businesses. As a result, I was among the top legislators that defeated the most bills during the 2026 session.

What are your top policy priorities?

Affordability, public safety, and reducing unnecessary regulations are my top priorities, which are all closely connected. Colorado is now the sixth most regulated state in the nation. Excessive regulations increase the cost of doing business, housing, energy, and everyday necessities. Those costs are ultimately passed on to consumers, making life less affordable for Colorado families. When people struggle financially and opportunities become harder to find, communities often face greater public safety challenges. By reducing burdensome regulations, lowering costs, and creating more economic opportunity, we can help make Colorado both more affordable and safer for everyone.

What is one issue you think is being overlooked in this race, and how would you address it?

Too often, voters focus on federal politics instead of local politics, even though state and local governments have a far greater impact on our daily lives. Colorado has been governed by the same party for more than a decade. Regardless of political affiliation, voters should ask a simple question: Are we better off today than we were ten years ago?

As a Colorado native, I have watched housing costs rise, fees and taxes increase, parental involvement in education diminish, and regulations become more burdensome. Young adults are struggling to leave home because entry-level housing is scarce and rents continue to climb. Property taxes and utility costs have increased, while businesses are leaving Colorado due to an increasingly challenging regulatory environment, taking jobs with them. If one-party control is the solution, shouldn’t the results be more evident?

Colorado also has one of the highest percentages of unaffiliated voters in the country, with roughly 53% of voters choosing not to affiliate with either major party. Yet the Capitol is effectively governed by a single party, because Republican legislators make up less than 35%. Are the priorities and concerns of those voters truly being represented?

Elections should not be about party labels or national political battles. They should be about results. Voters should examine the record, consider whether their communities are moving in the right direction, and decide whether current leadership has earned another term.

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