Candidate leaves District 49 race

Ernest Cienfuegos-Baca, Democratic candidate for House District 49, ended his short-lived campaign on Feb. 23 after discovering that the Hatch Act of 1939 would force him to choose between his political aspirations and his employment with the Larimer County Workforce Center.

The Hatch Act restricts the political activity of individuals principally employed by state or local executive agencies who work with programs financed by federal loans or grants. The Hatch Act provisions also apply to employees of private, nonprofit organizations with only a few exceptions.

Cienfuegos-Baca noted that his family could not financially make it on one income if he left his job to run for office.

He explained that the act was written in a time when federal grants were not as prevalent. The number of nonprofit agencies in America has grown from just 12,500 in 1940 to over a million in 2000, he said, so the legislation now excludes millions of Americans from seeking public office.

"I am saddened that a person of integrity and dedication like Ernest is barred from seeking public office because his employing agency is federally funded," said Betsy Markey, chair of the Larimer County Democratic Party. "Ernest did the right thing in withdrawing from the race as soon as he became aware of this situation."