Williams joins crowded race to face Gardner

Colorado Sen. Angela Williams on Monday became the latest candidate to enter the Democratic field for U.S. Senate.

The Denver resident filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for U.S. Senate next year, joining 10 other Democrats hoping to take on, and defeat, Sen. Cory Gardner in 2020.

“For me, politics is personal,” Williams said in a statement. “Throughout my career in public service and in the private sector, I’ve been driven by the values of hard work, honesty, and standing up for others. Those are the values I want to take to the United States Senate.”

In a video announcing her Senate run, Williams touted her work on business issues. This year, she sponsored a bipartisan bill to allow kids to operate lemonade stands without licenses and permits. The bill, which is now law, was in response to an incident in northeast Denver.

Williams also led an unsuccessful effort to end the death penalty in Colorado in the 2019 legislative session.

Gardner, a Yuma Republican, is expected to face one of the toughest re-election fights of 2020 in a state that has trended Democratic in recent years. Democrats, however, have lacked a high-profile candidate, resulting in a crowded field of hopefuls joining the race in recent months.

Williams’ entry comes as national Democrats are urging former Gov. John Hickenlooper to ditch his longshot presidential bid for a Senate race. As recently as Sunday, Hickenlooper has said he has no interest in being a senator.

Williams represents northeast Denver, including the area around Denver International Airport, in the Colorado Senate. She previously represented much of that area in the Colorado House. She is the first current elected official to join the Democratic race for U.S. Senate.