[7][8][9][10] Following the recall attempt and subsequent resignation of Senator Evie Hudak in November 2013, Gagliardi announced her intention to be appointed to the office by the Democratic vacancy committee.

She has been involved with education policy and has worked as a Cub Scout leader, a volunteer in the city, and as the chair of the Arvada Northwest Business and Professional Women's Committee.

[3] Gagliardi's joined the Service Employees International Union Local 105 during her professional career with Kaiser, as SEIU represented 5,000 similar workers in that industry.

[4][13] Later in her time with Kaiser, Gagliardi worked as a union steward for Local 105, monitoring and enforcing the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement between the company and the workers.

[4] Gagliardi entered politics working with Colorado State Senator Martha Ezzard in petitioning for the extradition of convicted murderer Daniel Arevalo.

Through most of her time with the House of Representatives, Gagliardi worked in a Denver-area dermatology clinic, although in 2010 she was moved into the field of oncology,[14] where she has remained through the entire campaign season and post-election until the present.[when?]

[5] During her 2006 run, however, she was endorsed by the Denver Post,[16] and, in an exceptionally close election which was not decided until provisional ballots were counted, Gagliardi eventually was declared the winner, having narrowly defeated Crane by 111 votes.

[24] Gagliardi also offered an amendment to the state budget to provide additional funding for veterans homes in Colorado,[25] and was one of the few Democrats to vote against a plan pushed by Gov.

[26] Rep. Gagliardi was also a co-sponsor of Senate bills to provide legal immunity to school staff who intervene to stop disruptive behavior,[27] and an unsuccessful measure to revise rules regarding the expiration of frequent flier miles.

[33] Gagliardi and Representative Mark Ferrandino proposed the "American Dream Protection Act of 2008," which would have allowed judges to delay home foreclosures by 90 days, in response to the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis which was affecting Colorado and the United States more generally.

[38] During the session, Gagliardi also sponsored legislation to expand funding for the Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN) Program by increasing the cost of birth certificates by $0.75.

[40] Gagliardi sponsored two measures to allow Medicaid reimbursements for services provided by advanced practice nurses in Colorado; both were passed into law and signed by Governor Ritter in March 2008.

[47] Gagliardi was again joined by campaign manager Allen Weisheit, and as in previous elections, she was competing for a seat with voter registration numbers favoring Republicans; again her race was expected to be strongly contested.

The measure was crafted through collaboration between Gagliardi, Bonfils Blood Center, and Connor Randall, a high school student from Arvada and two-time heart transplant recipient.

Gagliardi leaned on her experience as a nurse in a series of letters to the editor and opinion pieces advocating for the change and encouraging Coloradans to donate blood.

Gagliardi agreed with many additional cuts in the state's budget, but argued extensively against further reductions in spending for education, infrastructure, and "social safety net" programs.

Her support for these measures made her the target of attack ads and coordinated letters to the editor condemning her position as a violation of TABOR and a tax hike during a recession.

Gagliardi sponsored an overhaul of the state's food stamp system, now known as SNAP with centrist Jefferson County Republican Ken Summers.

[72] Though the original bill proved monstrously expensive given the state's dire economic forecast, subsequent amendments brought costs under control while still preserving the core of the measure.

[76] Gagliardi also sponsored the Colorado Health Services Corps Act of 2010 which provides loan repayment assistance to medical professionals who agree to work in poor or underserved areas of the state.

[79][80] Gagliardi was joined by campaign managers Allen Weisheit and Elliot Goldbaum and treasurer Dave Fischer as well as a sizable group of volunteers from Arvada.

"[85] Gagliardi's campaign continued to run on her record of legislative accomplishments, despite being hammered by attack ads from her opponent, all while 527 groups poured money into the district trying change the electoral outcome.

[89] She has remained involved in Colorado politics, writing opinion pieces on public health and paid sick days, as well as periodically working with state legislators.