Yadira Caraveo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's8th district | |
| In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Gabe Evans |
| Member of theColorado House of Representatives from the 31st district | |
| In office January 4, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Salazar |
| Succeeded by | Said Sharbini |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1980-12-23)December 23, 1980 (age 44) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Regis University (BS) University of Colorado, Denver (MD) |
| Website | House website |
Yadira D. Caraveo (/jəˈdɪərəkɛərəˈveɪoʊ/yə-DEER-ə kair-ə-VAY-oh; born December 23, 1980) is an American politician andpediatrician who served as theU.S. representative forColorado's 8th congressional district from 2023 to 2025.[1][2] ADemocrat, she wasColorado's firstLatina member of Congress.[3][4]
She represented the 31st district in theColorado House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. The district covered parts ofAdams andWeld counties. She was elected to the United States Congress in2022. Caraveo narrowly lost re-election in2024 to RepublicanGabe Evans.[5][6] In April 2025, she announced her candidacy to return to Congress in the2026 election.[7] She withdrew from the race in September 2025, citing her struggle with mental health.[8]
Caraveo was born inDenver toMexicanundocumented parents who arrived in the 1970s but were granted amnesty under theImmigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. She volunteered forBarack Obama's2008 presidential campaign while inmedical school.[9] She received herbachelor's degree fromRegis University and later herDoctor of Medicine degree from theUniversity of Colorado School of Medicine.[10] Caraveo completed a residency in pediatrics at theUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center,[11] where she was also involved with theCommittee of Interns and Residents union for resident physicians.[12]
During her tenure as a state legislator, Caraveo was also a pediatrician practicing inThornton, Colorado.[10] She has also served on the board of trustees for theAnythink Library system inAdams County since 2017.[13]
Caraveo was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 55% of the vote toRepublican nominee Rico Figueroa's 39%.[14]
Caraveo sponsored a bill giving free contraceptives and reproductive care toillegal immigrants, citing studies showing that the program lowersmaternal mortality andinfant mortality rates.[15] She sponsored a bill that would put an age requirement on somecannabis products, require coroners to conduct atetrahydrocannabinol (THC) test for all "unnatural deaths", and put a cap on potency levels in products.[16] Caraveo argued the bill would stop younger people from getting addicted to cannabis, while opponents argued testing would be racially motivated.[17][18] The bill was co-sponsored byRepublican members of the legislature and disavowed by Democratic House speakerAlec Garnett.[19] She was the lead sponsor of a sex education law that prohibited abstinence-only curriculum and required schools to teach students about consent.[20]
During the 73rd general assembly, Caraveo served on the following committees:[21]
On August 24, 2021, Caraveo announced her candidacy forColorado's 8th congressional district.[22] She was endorsed by former Colorado speaker of the HouseKC Becker, state senatorFaith Winter, state senatorJessie Danielson, and others.[23] On April 5, 2022, Caraveo secured the Democratic nomination.[24] On November 9, 2022, Caraveo defeated Republican nomineeBarbara Kirkmeyer in the general election, becoming Colorado's first Latina member of Congress.[25][26]
Caraveo ran for re-election in 2024 against RepublicanGabe Evans. She was defeated by Evans in the general election.[27]
On April 15, 2025, Caraveo announced that she would run to retake her seat in Congress in the 2026 election.[7] On September 12, 2025, Caraveo withdrew from the race, saying that she faced "very strong resistance" to her campaign due to herstruggles with mental health.[8]
For the118th Congress:[28]
Caraveo isRoman Catholic.[30][31]
In August 2024, Caraveo announced that she had begun treatment fordepression atWalter Reed National Military Medical Center.[32] This followed two incidents where Caraveo had attemptedsuicide byoverdosing on medication at her home inThornton and district office inNorthglenn. These incidents were witnessed by staff members.[33] Caraveo's suicide attempts led aides to propose a safety plan that would remove sharp objects from Caraveo's office and assure staffers that they would not be responsible for talking Caraveo "through suicidal thoughts" or "keeping her company during a crisis", according toThe Colorado Sun. Caraveo rejected the safety plan, giving staffers an ultimatum to contend with her mental health challenges or resign within a day. Staffers said they felt mistreated and taken advantage of.[34] In a statement to theColorado Sun, Caraveo wrote that she was "in a dark place when I was suffering from depression and I know the disease led me to treat my friends, family, and my staff in ways that I regret".[35]
| Year | Office | Party | Primary | General | Result | Swing | Ref. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | P. | Total | % | P. | ||||||||
| 2018 | State House | Democratic | 6,049 | 100.0% | 1st | 16,242 | 55.02% | 1st | Won | Hold | [36] | ||
| 2020 | 9,677 | 100.0% | 1st | 27,687 | 100.0% | 1st | Won | Hold | [37] | ||||
| 2022 | U.S. House | 38,837 | 100.0% | 1st | 114,377 | 48.36% | 1st | Won | Win | [38] | |||
| 2024 | 35,409 | 100.0% | 1st | 160,871 | 48.22% | 2nd | Lost | Win | [39] | ||||
| Source:Secretary of State of Colorado |Election Results | |||||||||||||
Former Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) announced Tuesday that she's running for her old House seat in Colorado's 8th Congressional District, which she narrowly lost last cycle to Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.).
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromColorado's 8th congressional district 2023–2025 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
