[2] Nicholson ran for Colorado State Representative, District 62, in 2000, but was defeated by Republican Glenn Scott.

[3] In 2010, she ran for Colorado State Senate, District 16, defeating Republican Tim Leonard.

[4] In 2014, she ran for reelection but was defeated by in Republican Tim Neville.

[5][6] She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1966, and a Master of Science degree in community health nursing from the University of Colorado in 1999.

Her master's thesis was "Politicians' Perceptions of Public Health".