Colorado Gov. Jared Polis appointed Maria Gonzalez to represent House District 32, filling the Adams County seat vacated by Manny Rutinel after he resigned to concentrate on his campaign for Congress. Polis announced the appointment Friday, Oct. 10. Gonzalez is the founder and CEO of Adelante Community Development, an organization focused on community development. The governor said her work has included supporting small businesses, connecting people with jobs and building partnerships across Adams County. The appointment gives Commerce City and the surrounding district representation in the Colorado House ahead of the next General Assembly, which is scheduled to be sworn in next January. Polis said the seat could be needed if the Legislature takes action before then. Gonzalez called the role a short-term opportunity to serve her community and said she would work on behalf of District 32 residents and the state. Rutinel, a Democrat, resigned earlier this fall to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. The candidates held their first public debate on Wednesday, Oct. 8. State rules provide that if a vacancy committee does not certify a selection within 30 days, the governor must appoint someone within the following five days. Polis’s announcement named Gonzalez as Rutinel’s replacement. Gonzalez was named to the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business list in 2025 and received the Latinas First Foundation’s Unsung Heroine Award in 2026, according to Polis’s announcement.