Jeffco Transcript 012022

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Week of January 20, 2022

JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

JeffcoTranscript.com

VOLUME 38 | ISSUE 26

Brittany Pettersen to run for Perlmutter seat Democratic State Senator hopes to keep seat blue BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

acknowledged that in mid-terms, it’s difficult for the party holding the presidency to maintain control of the House, but said voters of the district are smart and will give their support to a thoughtful, well-informed candidate. He also believes voters will be able to see positive change happening all around the district when several infrastructure projects slated for the area are underway. “I think it’ll show that money is being put to good use for projects that will benefit them (district residents) in the future,” he said. Climate change and wildfire mitigation are at the top of the list of challenges Perlmutter says the district will continue to face.

Brittany Pettersen, Democratic State Senator from District 22, wants to be the first congressional representative from a newly re-drawn District 7 when the votes are counted in November. Pettersen, who’s served in both the Colorado House and Senate, announced her intent to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Ed Perlmutter just one day after he said he wouldn’t seek reelection in this year’s midterms. In her Twitter announcement, Pettersen said she’s running to continue Perlmutter’s legacy in the district. And in a subsequent interview, she said Perlmutter knows there are people ready to step up to fill the seat and that it’s more competitive, but definitely winnable. “These are the types of races that I have always run in. This is at a larger scale, but why I have always outperformed my district and won by significant margins is because of my story,” she said. “Because I’m a candidate that’s relatable. I’m a regular person and the issues that I’ve worked on have really been fighting to make their (her constituents’) lives better.”

SEE PERLMUTTER, P2

SEE PETTERSEN, P2

Congressman Ed Permutter speaks at the Sept. 8, 2021 ground breaking ceremony for Adams County’s new Veterans Memorial PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR being built in the Riverdale Regional Park.

Perlmutter says he won’t seek reelection Democratic Congressman to retire after seven terms BY BOB WOOLEY BWOOLEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) is retiring from Congress at the end of his current term. In an announcement, Perlmutter said it was time to pass the torch to the next generation of leaders. “After much thought and consideration, I have decided not to run for reelection. I have loved representing my friends, neighbors and fellow Coloradans in the Congress of the United States of America. I will

miss meeting voters of the new 7th District — it is truly the most beautiful district in America. It’s got the best of Colorado in it,” Perlmutter said. The statement also highlighted some of the work he’s most proud of, including helping to expand renewable energy research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, working to grow Colorado’s aerospace community, including securing funding for the Orion project and pushing forward with human space exploration, and increasing awareness of the public safety risk a cash-only cannabis industry creates in Colorado and across the country. In a separate interview, Perlmutter said predictions of a “red wave” in the coming mid-terms didn’t have an impact on his decision. He

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 18

THE FRIENDLY SKIES

Young Eagles all about kids and aviation P14


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