# Yadira Caraveo

Yadira D. Caraveo (/jəˈdɪərə kɛərəˈveɪoʊ/ yə-DEER-ə kair-ə-VAY-oh; born December 23, 1980) is an American politician and pediatrician who served as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 8th congressional district from 2023 to 2025. A Democrat, she is Colorado's first Latina member of Congress.
Caraveo represented the 31st district in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. The district covered parts of Adams and Weld counties.
Caraveo lost re-election in 2024 to Republican Gabe Evans.

## Early life and education

Caraveo was born in Denver to Mexican undocumented parents who arrived in the 1970s but were granted amnesty under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. She volunteered for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign while in medical school. She received her bachelor's degree from Regis University and later her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Caraveo completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, where she was also involved with the Committee of Interns and Residents union for resident physicians.

## Colorado House of Representatives

During her tenure as a state legislator, Caraveo was also a pediatrician practicing in Thornton, Colorado. She has also served on the board of trustees for the Anythink Library system in Adams County since 2017.

### Election

Caraveo was elected in the general election on November 6, 2018, winning 55% of the vote to Republican nominee Rico Figueroa's 39%.

### Tenure

Caraveo sponsored a bill giving free contraceptives and reproductive care to illegal immigrants, citing studies showing that the program lowers maternal mortality and infant mortality rates. She sponsored a bill that would put an age requirement on some cannabis products, require coroners to conduct a THC test for all "unnatural deaths", and put a cap on potency levels in products. Caraveo argued the bill would stop younger people from getting addicted to cannabis, while opponents argued testing would be racially motivated. The bill was co-sponsored by Republican members of the legislature and disavowed by Democratic House Speaker Alec Garnett. She was the lead sponsor of a sex education law that prohibited abstinence-only curriculum and required schools to teach students about consent.

#### Committees

During the 73rd general assembly, Caraveo served on the following committees:
* Health & Insurance (Vice Chair)
* Education

## U.S. House of Representatives
### Elections
#### 2022

On August 24, 2021, Caraveo announced her candidacy for Colorado's 8th congressional district. She was endorsed by former Colorado Speaker of the House KC Becker, State Senator Faith Winter, State Senator Jessie Danielson, and others. On April 5, 2022, Caraveo secured the Democratic nomination. On November 9, 2022, Caraveo defeated Republican nominee Barbara Kirkmeyer in the general election, becoming Colorado's first Latina member of Congress.

#### 2024

Caraveo ran for re-election in 2024 against Republican Gabe Evans. She was defeated by Evans in the general election.

### Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:
* Committee on Agriculture
** Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development (Ranking Member)
** Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
** Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture
* Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
** Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics

### Caucus memberships

* Rare Disease Caucus

## Personal life

Caraveo is Roman Catholic. In August 2024, Caraveo announced that she had begun treatment for depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

## Electoral history

Electoral history of Yadira Caraveo :
| Year | Office | Party | Party | Primary | Primary | Primary | General | General | General | Result | Swing | Swing | Ref. |
| Year | Office | Party | Party | Total | % | P. | Total | % | P. | Result | Swing | Swing | Ref. |
| 2018 | State House | | Democratic | 6,049 | 100.0% | 1st | 16,242 | 55.02% | 1st | Won | | Hold | |
| 2020 | State House | | Democratic | 9,677 | 100.0% | 1st | 27,687 | 100.0% | 1st | Won | | Hold | |
| 2022 | U.S. House | | Democratic | 38,837 | 100.0% | 1st | 114,377 | 48.36% | 1st | Won | | Win | |
| 2024 | U.S. House | | Democratic | 35,409 | 100.0% | 1st | 160,871 | 48.2% | 2nd | Lost | | Win | |
| Source: Secretary of State of Colorado | Election Results ||||||||||||| |