All of liberal Boulder packed Under the Sun restaurant in Table Mesa Sunday, May 17, for an afternoon party launching Steve Fenberg‘s campaign for State Senate District 18, where long-term incumbent Rollie Heath is term-limited out of the game.

Fenberg achieved fame locally by launching New Era Colorado 10 years ago as a nonprofit fiercely driven to register young voters and work for good causes, a mission they’ve executed on spectacularly well — including a key role door-to-dooring for Boulder’s electric utility municipalization vote. Launched and first officing in Boulder, New Era has since moved to downtown Denver, and is now active statewide.

On Sunday, the crowd included many a well-known Boulder County liberal, the room spruced up considerably by the bright eyes and smiles of dozens of Millennials, many of them lured into politics by the mission and the fun of New Era Colorado activism.

“I’m excited about a new generation getting into politics,” said Boulder marketing strategist Bob Morehouse, who emceed the event. “I think this is so healthy and I think it’s exactly what we need. I’m part of the baby boom generation and I think we’ve had our shot. It’s so important to move on and let a new generation tackle some of the really hard problems we have, and ideally in a way that’s not as ideological or as divided or polarized as it’s become in our time.”

“I’m here to support Steve Fenberg because he’s the face of the future in Colorado,” said Boulder City Councilman Macon Cowles. “He comes with an incredible amount of energy and really great political resources. He knows how to get along with people, and he can really present a persuasive case about why we should be looking after the middle class, why we should be caring for our kids in school, and why we should put together a transporation system that functions in the state — and we haven’t been doing any of those for a long time.”

Fenberg lives in downtown Boulder in a 600-square-foot house with his partner Lindsay, a middle school teacher. The Senate district he’s running for is considered a safe Democratic seat, meaning Fenberg’s path to the State House is looking good. His remarks to the crowd were poised and brisk — reminiscent of the vigor, idealism and good looks of the late Robert F. Kennedy.

Details about Fenberg and his campaign are on his campaign website.

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Some prominent Boulder liberals who made the scene Sunday are pictured below.

(Reporter photos)