Vets advocate announced Dem bid for Gardner’s Senate seat

Pottratz is an electronics technician for Halliburton

A veterans advocate from Grand Junction announced Sunday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Sen. Cory Gardner’s seat in the 2020 election, the second person with no experience in elected office to challenge the Republican senator.

Keith Pottratz, 31, will seek the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat, according to a news release he sent Sunday afternoon. Pottratz works as an electronics technician for energy giant Halliburton Company.

“We need politicians who are working for the American people not the bottom line or what’s in their bank account,” Pottratz wrote on his campaign website. “We need more outsiders who can bridge the gap in politics and usher in the age of bipartisan cooperation.”

Pottratz, who was born in Thornton, volunteers for the nonprofit Wings and Warriors, which provides services dogs to veterans and community members, and Operation Code, a nonprofit that helps veterans find jobs in tech. Pottratz worked for more than five years in the U.S. Navy, according to the release.

“There is no reason why veterans should feel like they cannot seek help and we need to make it clear to them that they are not alone and that we are here to help and support them,” Pottratz said in the release.

His campaign will focus on programs that help homeless veterans, women’s health rights and equality for the LGBTQ community, the release said.

“I’m announcing my campaign now so that the voters of Colorado can get to know me, my issues and really learn about the kind of guy I am,” he said in his release. “I recognize that this is going to be a huge race and there are a few Democrats who are also eyeing the nomination from the Democratic Party to run against Corey (sic) Gardner.”

Denverite Lorena Garcia announced on Nov. 27 that she would seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for Gardner’s seat, the first challenger to announce. Garcia is the executive director of the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, a nonprofit that aims to help Latino students by educating their adult family members.

The field of Democratic candidates is expected to be large, political experts previously told The Denver Post.