Governor Polis Appoints Maria Gonzalez to Fill House District 32 Vacancy

DENVER - Today, Governor Polis appointed Maria Gonzalez to represent House District 32. This appointment is effective immediately and fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Manny Rutinel. With this appointment, Gonzalez will serve until the convening of the first regular session of the General Assembly after the 2026 general election.

"Today I am appointing Maria Gonzalez to the Colorado House of Representatives to represent House District 32. Maria is an important member of the Commerce City community and is known for her work supporting small businesses, connecting Coloradans to good jobs, and building strong community partnerships across Adams County. Maria's appointment ensures Commerce City and Adams County have full representation at the State Capitol should the legislature need to take any actions before the next General Assembly is sworn in next January. I thank Maria for stepping up and serving her community," said Governor Polis.

"I am honored by the opportunity to represent my community and thank Governor Polis for the opportunity to give back to House District 32. While this is a short-term appointment, I look forward to working hard on behalf of my constituents and the state of Colorado," said Maria Gonzalez.

As required by statute, if the vacancy committee fails to certify a selection within 30 days, Governor Polis is required by Colorado law to make this appointment within five days of the failure to certify.

María Gonzalez is the Founder and CEO of Adelante Community Development, where she leads economic development, entrepreneurship, workforce initiatives, advocacy, and strategic partnerships supporting entrepreneurs across Colorado. A longtime entrepreneur herself, María previously founded and operated Gonzalez Insurance Group and has held leadership roles with the City of Commerce City and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Her leadership has helped advance policies supporting small businesses, including two successful Colorado state bills, while building partnerships across government, philanthropy, business, and community organizations. María was honored with the 2026 Latinas First Foundation Unsung Heroine Award and named one of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce's Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2025.

She has served on numerous state advisory councils and community boards and holds a B.A. in Entrepreneurship from Metropolitan State University of Denver, with executive education through Stanford Graduate School of Business, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Berkeley Haas School of Business.

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