February 17, 2012 07:39 PM UTC

Brittany Pettersen to Kick off HD-28 Campaign Tonight

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• by: Colorado Pols

Brian Carroll, heretofore the only candidate vying for the Democratic nomination in HD-28, is about to get some company.

Democratic activist Brittany Pettersen this week announced her entrance into the HD-28 race. She’ll be kicking off her campaign tonight at the Paradise Cove restaurant in Lakewood.

From Pettersen’s campaign:

Lakewood, CO-Today, Lakewood resident Brittany Pettersen officially kicked off her Democratic campaign for State House District 28.

“I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Colorado House of Representatives”, said Pettersen. “I was born in Colorado, I’ve lived in Jefferson County nearly my entire life, and I bought a house and made a home here in Lakewood. I want to give back to Colorado and make sure that our state government is listening and accountable to the needs of the people in Lakewood.”

Pettersen has overcome a background as an at-risk youth, put herself through college, and has traveled and volunteered around the world in a school and orphanages with underprivileged children. She currently works for the nonpartisan organization, New Era Colorado, a non-profit dedicated to engaging youth in government and politics.

“I know what it’s like to struggle and survive in tough times,” said Pettersen. “I know and Lakewood families know what it means to persevere. They deserve to know we have a state government that listens to them, that works together to get our economy moving and invests in Lakewood classrooms and local small business growth.”

Pettersen, a lifelong Democrat, understands the need for a collaborative government, working together to improve our schools, supporting technology innovation and find job-creating solutions.

“Good ideas don’t need a party label. As state representative, my focus is going to be on ending partisan gridlock and solving problems in ways that help strengthen Lakewood families and our neighborhood,” she said.

Pettersen plans on running a grassroots campaign and looks forward to conducting a district listening tour in order to hear the concerns of her neighbors. She will be hosting a series of meet-and-greets, as well as knocking on doors through the neighborhoods in HD-28.

“My story is just one of thousands across Lakewood and House District 28. I’m going to take my neighbors’ stories and be their voice at the State Capitol.”

Pettersen was a staffer on James Mejia’s failed bid for the Denver Mayor’s office last year and presently works at the nonpartisan (but nonetheless progressive) New Era Colorado.

Her entrance into this race demonstrates just how reluctant area leaders are to line up behind the candidacy of Brian Carroll since his ill-informed primary challenge against Representative Andy Kerr.  Unlike Carroll, who splashed onto the political scene last year only through his campaign against Kerr, Pettersen is a familiar face to Democratic activists, staff, and donors. She should have little difficulty convincing the Democratic establishment to coalesce behind her, much to Carroll’s chagrin.

One of the more potent arguments presumed Republican candidate Amy Attwood had against Brian Carroll was the same argument Kerr used to question the veteran’s primary campaign: Carroll has no history in the area and his campaign for public office appeared motivated by personal, not community, interests. Pettersen, on the other hand, has a history working with civic issues and should be a familiar face to many of Lakewood’s movers-and-shakers. She’s likely a more formidable candidate against Attwood as a result, although we think Attwood still has an edge over both Pettersen and Carroll at present.

Another interesting aspect to Pettersen’s campaign narrative is her relationship with consultant Andy Szekeres. Szekeres, who worked with Pettersen on the Mejia campaign, encouraged Carroll to jump into the HD-28 primary against Kerr. He’s likely still pulling some strings on political newcomer Carroll’s campaign – campaign manager Aaron Cohen is CEO of Szekeres’ 3PG Consulting. If Kerr’s incumbency didn’t motivate Szekeres to tell Carroll to back down, however, we doubt his existing relationship with a former colleague will have any impact.

This is politics, after all.