Northern Colorado

The original vision for L3 emerged in Northern Colorado from two former elected officials, Democrat Leah Johnson and Republican Tom Lucero. During their journeys into elected office, each had participated in their respective party’s candidate training programs. By 2019, both Leah and Tom were frustrated with the lack of bipartisan problem-solving from elected officials in local, regional, and state positions. With their expertise and connections, the two successfully launched L3 in northern Colorado in order to create a well-informed infrastructure for regional politics.

To date, L3 in Northern Colorado has trained 38 people in four cohorts between 2021 and 2024. Numerous graduates are in the pipeline to run for office, with five having been elected and four having led successful citizen initiatives.

L3 has benefited from its founding partnerships with BizWest, Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, and the El Pomar Foundation.