Wanda James, who represents Colorado’s 1st Congressional District on the University of Colorado Board of Regents, is challenging a longtime incumbent in June’s Democratic primary election to represent the district in Congress. “The old politics of caution and careerism does not serve the people,” James’ campaign website declares. James, a 61 year-old Navy vet with a long history of change-making.
Just last July, the Board of Regents voted to censure James over her vocal objections to a Colorado School of Public Health “educational” campaign on supposed risks of “high concentration” cannabis use. James said the “Tea On THC” online campaign included racist tropes—with Instagram images of Black youth alongside warnings of laziness and poor school performance.
James refused to apologize when he was called before a board meeting online. James accused the board of “censorship, retaliation and harassment” while adding that she was being “targeted for my support for a dehumanizing campaign for the Black Community.”
James assertively concluded, “If I am censured, nothing happens.” “Absolutely nothing. The people elected me to be a University of Colorado Regent, but nothing has changed.
Why was the censure issued? James owns a marijuana dispensary, according to some regents.
James is proud of this. Wanda Durrah and Scott Durrah are the first African Americans to be legally permitted in the US owning a dispensary and a cultivation center, as well as an edibles business. This is Simply Pure, in the Northside neighborhood of Denver, which opened as an edibles company in 2010 and became a dispensary in 2014, serving both the medical and adult-use markets—the first Black-owned (and veteran-owned) cannabis company in the US.
Gov. Jared Polis was among the many public officials to stand with James in the controversy. In fact, images that were offensive have been removed from the Tea on THC campaign. Cannabis is a topic that will certainly be discussed if Wanda gets elected to Congress. She’ll work for the full federal legalization of cannabis through descheduling.
James: “Cannabis in the US isn’t legal, and this contradiction holds back workers, businesses and whole communities.” Cannabis Now. “I will fight for full legalization of cannabis in Congress by removing the drug from the federal schedule. I’ll also open up access to capital, banking and ensure that those most affected by the prohibition are a part of this industry. I did not enter the cannabis industry to be trendy. I came into this work to correct a wrong—and I intend to finish that work at the federal level.”
James’s other campaign priorities include passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Medicare for All, as well as providing real support to veterans and their families.
The 1st Congressional District, which covers metropolitan Denver, has for decades been represented by Rep. Diana DeGette, who has survived several primary challenges, holding the seat since 1996.
Primary elections for the Democratic Party will be held on June 20, 2026. James, DeGette and Melat Kiros are not the only candidates on the Democratic Party ticket. Santiago Palomino, Tiffany Rodgers, Tiffany Rodgers, Tiffany Rodgers, Tiffany Rodgers, Tiffany Rodgers, Tiffany Rodgers, Tiffany Rodger, and Tiffany Rodgers also run. The winner will be matched up against the Republican nominee in November. One Republican candidate, Gregory Cutlip, has entered the race.
The original version of this story appeared in Cannabis Now Magazine..