2012 Power List: Locals who made a difference this year

Mario Nicolais

Spokesman of the Republican grassroots organization Coloradans for Freedom, Mario Nicolais is honored for his work to win Republican support for relationship recognition and bring a pro-equality platform to both sides of the aisle.

LGBT people won’t advance in the fight for equality without allies. Mario Nicolais, an attorney with Hackstaff Law Group, is the public face of Coloradans for Freedom, the grassroots Republican organization that advocated on behalf of civil unions in Colorado.

A straight supporter of relationship recognition for same-sex couples, he believes that equality transcends party lines.

“It’s all about basic values,” Nicolais said. “It’s an equality issue. I’m the last guy one would think to be adamant or involved in the issue. I’m a straight white guy who goes to church. But it’s important to realize that Republicans and conservatives are not just outliers in these social issues. We still believe in values and equality.”

Nicolais said he hopes to change the impression that Republican values aren’t inclusive of LGBT people. He said Coloradans for Freedom is creating an “aggregate voice” for the Republican Party – and noted that some of the most committed activists in the Republican party thought Colorado’s civil unions bill should have passed – and gives credit to Republican state Rep. BJ Nikkel for giving the bill a crucial vote of support in 2012.

“I’m more glad we can bring together different groups to show that, look, there’s a great deal of support from a lot of people. We are building national recognition [with Coloradans for Freedom], that are big movements for the Republican party,” he said. “We hope to grow our voice and fuel change. Republicans are ready to vote for civil unions. We are ready to make it law. We hope to help make that a reality, bring it to the floor, and to convince multiple Republicans that it truly is a bipartisan effort.”

“A lot of us consider ourselves more traditional Republicans,” Nicolais said. “A lot has changed in the party in the last 20 years, and a lot of the social opposition is coming from the Evangelical movement, who happen to also be Republicans. For me, Republican ideas are not based on equality of outcome, it’s equality of how the government views you, and that’s a Republican idea.”

One Colorado’s Executive Director Brad Clark, recognized Nicolais’ efforts. “Mario is the future of the Republican party,” Clark said. “Without a doubt – no one has changed the conversation about civil unions in Colorado more than him and Coloradans for Freedom. His selfless advocacy for our community is humbling.”