John Andrews - Biographical Sketch
John Andrews is a senior fellow of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy, heading up its Colorado office. He advocates for personal responsibility, constitutional government, and national security in the politics of his home state, with legislative leaders in other states, and in the halls of Congress.
Andrews was previously President of the Colorado Senate, chairman of the State Policy Network, and director of TCI Cable News. He does a talk show called Backbone Radio, a daily TV commentary, a blog for PoliticsWest.com, and a Denver Post column, as well as serving on a foreign scholarships commission for President Bush.
Senator Andrews has been a leading conservative voice since his student days during the Vietnam War. He was a speechwriter for President Richard Nixon, an education appointee under President Ronald Reagan, Republican nominee for Governor of Colorado, and founder of the Independence Institute, a free-market think tank.
He was a state senator from 1998 to 2005, leaving on a term limit. As Minority Leader he led the GOP back to majority control. As Senate President he helped pass bills establishing education vouchers at both the K-12 and college levels, extending tort reform, reducing union control of state employees, expanding charter schools, requiring parental notification when a minor seeks an abortion, and restoring the Pledge of Allegiance in classrooms.
Senator Andrews’ legislative achievements also included bills cutting the capital gains tax, curbing the matricula ID card for illegal immigrants, providing toll lanes to reduce traffic congestion, outlining a statewide water policy, and drawing permanent congressional districts. He put into law the School Sunshine Act to keep teacher unions accountable, the Read to Achieve program for school improvement, and Colorado’s Defense of Marriage Act.
He was honored as national legislator of the year by the American Legislative Exchange Council, and as family legislator of the year by the Rocky Mountain Family Council. The Colorado Union of Taxpayers saluted him as a defender of TABOR, the state’s tax limit.
“I’m committed to defending the permanent things,” says the Presbyterian elder and former senator. “We must reassert the timeless political principles of the American founding, together with the moral and spiritual truths of our Judeo-Christian heritage.”
John was born in Michigan and grew up in the Colorado mountains. He served as a US Navy submarine officer after graduating from Principia College in 1966. His wife of 40 years is the former Donna D’Evelyn of Bakersfield, California. They have three grown children and a grandson, all living in the Denver area.