A district chairwoman of the Larimer County Democratic Party is being asked to step down following a Facebook post featuring "egregious sexist language" about a Democratic candidate.

Carla Massaro, the Larimer County Democratic chairwoman of Senate District 15, indicated that she would resign but hasn't yet submitted it in writing, according to party chairman James Thompson. The person in the volunteer post is responsible for organizing Democratic voters in the district and supporting candidates.

They are not allowed to use their title or party resources to back one Democrat over another in a primary. Democrats Rebecca Cranston and Ralph Trenary are both seeking the nomination to Senate District 15, which encompasses the non-Fort Collins parts of Larimer County.

A post from Massaro's Facebook account advertising an event for Trenary called him "more than a pretty set of bare legs with no substance above them" and praised his knowledge of local issues.

On Saturday morning, a day after Cranston notified the party of the post, the Larimer County Democratic Party Board unanimously voted to ask Massaro to resign. While she hasn't responded, Thompson wrote in a statement they "look forward to receiving her resignation" and are reviewing other options for removing her from the party's executive committee.

"This egregious sexist language is unacceptable for anyone, let alone a party officer, and goes against the very core values for which the Democratic Party has fought and continues to fight," Thompson wrote in a statement. "It also is a potential violation of her responsibility to support all Democratic candidates in Senate District 15, and therefore we cannot be confident that she will faithfully fulfill her role as SD-15 Chair.

Phone calls from the Coloradoan to Massaro went unanswered. In a brief phone conversation, her husband said they have no comment.

Cranston in an email called the kerfuffle about the post a "distraction" from the issues facing Northern Colorado and the race, such as affordable housing and transportation.

"I appreciate the swift denunciation by my opponent and the leadership at the Larimer County Democrats to a remark that was in poor taste," Cranston wrote. "We're all learning how to be better. It's a long, ugly legacy of sexism we're contending with. I hope we can all remember to denounce the comment and the objectification it represents, but not the person. We have to learn how to heal and move forward."

Trenary said in a statement that he plans to continue his personal commitment to running a smear-free campaign and encourages his supporters to do the same.

"I was instantly shocked and disappointed when I was told what had been posted on Facebook,” Trenary said in a statement. “Nearly to the point of being speechless. I was assured that the county party would take the appropriate action. I must trust them to complete that task and stay out of their way.”

Republicans Nicholas Morse and Rob Woodward are vying for the Republican nomination for the seat. The seat is held by Republican Sen. Kevin Lundberg. Lundberg is term limited from running again and is seeking the state treasurer position.

This story has a correction: Massaro indicated to Larimer County Democratic Party Chair James Thompson that she would resign, though she has not yet submitted paperwork.

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