Dylan Outerbridge Roberts (born July 17, 1989) is an American politician and attorney who is a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate. He represents District 8, which includes all or part of Clear Creek, Eagle, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit counties, including the communities of Steamboat Springs, Edwards, Craig, Gypsum and Eagle.[1] Previously, from 2017 to 2023, Roberts served in the Colorado House of Representatives and represented the 26th District, which included Eagle and Routt counties.[2] In 2022, Roberts ran for the State Senate and won the race.[3][4][5]
Roberts was born on July 17, 1989, in Denver, Colorado, to parents Stu and Lulu Roberts. When he was in the fourth grade, Roberts and his family moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
In 2008, Roberts took a semester off of college to return to his to work for the Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign. Roberts opened and ran the Steamboat Springs office, the first ever presidential field office in the region. Roberts later returned to Boston College, where he earned his bachelor's degree in political science and environmental studies in 2011.[6] Roberts later graduated the University of Colorado Law School.[7]
After receiving his degree, he returned to Colorado to serve as the deputy state field director for the Barack Obama 2012 presidential campaign. That year, Roberts led over thirty staff members in sixteen offices across twenty-two Colorado counties.[5]
During his legal studies, Roberts worked for state representative Mike Foote as a legislative policy analyst, for the Colorado Attorney General, and as a student attorney representing indigent citizens who were charged with crimes and could not afford an attorney.[5]
Following law school, Roberts moved to Eagle County and now works as Deputy District Attorney for Eagle County.[8][9] His work includes prosecuting felony and misdemeanor cases on behalf of victims of crime, including domestic violence, theft, and other crimes.[5]
Roberts was sworn in as a Colorado State Representative on November 13, 2017. During Roberts' first year in the legislature, he was the primary sponsor of twelve bills, six of which were successfully passed and sent to the Governor.[4]
During his second year, Roberts was the primary sponsor of thirty-five bills, twenty-nine of which were passed and signed into law by the governor.[4] During this session, Roberts wrote and passed a first-in-the-nation cap on insulin co-pays[10] that has now passed in many other states.[11]
During the 2020 legislative session, Roberts was the primary sponsor of seventeen bills, eleven of which became law, all with bipartisan support.[12] He was the lead sponsor of a bill to expand the Rural Jump-Start Small Business Program which gives incentives for small businesses to open in rural Colorado.[13]
From 2019-2020, Roberts was the Chair of the House Rural Affairs & Agriculture committee, Chair of the Capital Development Committee, and a member of the House Judiciary Committee.[4]
In 2021, Roberts was appointed Chair of the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee and as a member of the House Agriculture, Livestock & Water Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.[14]
In 2022, Roberts ran in a bid to represent Senate District 8. In the 2022 General elections, he won by a large margin.[3]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dylan Roberts (incumbent) | 20,761 | 60.38% | |
| Republican | Nicki Mills | 12,584 | 36.60% | |
| Independent | Luke Bray | 1,039 | 3.02% | |
| Total votes | 34,384 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dylan Roberts (incumbent) | 32,059 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 32,059 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dylan Roberts | 40,765 | 55.70% | |
| Republican | Matt Solomon | 32,427 | 44.30% | |
| Total votes | 73,192 | 100% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
