CO-07: State Sen. Brittany Pettersen wants to claim Ed Perlmutter's congressional seat
Veteran state lawmaker and Democrat Brittany Pettersen announced Tuesday that she will vie to replace Rep. Ed Perlmutter in the U.S. House, entering a race that slightly favors Democrats but could prove intriguingly competitive amid a bitter national political climate.
“Getting good people elected to office is more urgent than ever,” said the state senator from Lakewood, who served in the state House as well. “When I see threats to the very fabric of our democracy, the stakes couldn’t be higher.”
Pettersen, 40, is so far the most prominent Democrat to go after the 7th Congressional District seat that’s been held by Perlmutter since 2007. He announced Monday that he plans to retire when his term ends in January 2023.
In her 10 years serving in the state legislature, Pettersen said several issues have risen for her as critical: mental health, gun safety, education and opioid addiction. Her mother became “wildly addicted” to pain pills after hurting her back and it took years to get her the treatment she needed.
It was through my life experiences that I saw how absolutely broken our behavioral services system is,” Pettersen said. “I have taken my story to fight for others.”
She is also proud of her work on getting Colorado’s red flag gun bill passed in 2019. The controversial bill created the legal framework for judges to order the removal of firearms from people they determine to be at risk of harming themselves or others.
https://www.denverpost.com/2022/01/11/brittany-pettersen-congressional-candidate-perlmutter/