Brittany Pettersen
District 7 - Democratic Party
How does your experience make you qualified to represent the people?
I grew up here in Jefferson County – it’s the community that gave me every opportunity to build a better life. As an at-risk youth, I was highly unlikely to graduate high school or college, let alone become a Member of Congress. But I had access to great public schools and teachers who believed in me.
That experience has shaped my career in public service. I’ve been fighting for decades, first in the state legislature and now as Member of Congress, to level the playing field and make sure regular people and working families can have that same chance — from passing legislation to curb to the opioid crisis to fighting to lower health care costs to expanding access to child care and addressing the housing shortage.
Today, too many Colorado families feel like the deck is stacked against them. Under Donald Trump, costs are rising and regular people can barely afford to get by. I’m running for re-election to stand up to Donald Trump, keep fighting alongside you for Colorado families as I have for 18 years, and ensure every kid has the same opportunities that I did to build a better life
What are your top policy priorities?
In Congress, I’m fighting to make sure we have a tax system that works for everyone – not just the ultra-wealthy. At a time when affordability is the top concern I hear from families, we should be investing back in the American people so everyone can access quality health care, afford a roof over their head, and get ahead, not just get by.
Health Care: We are facing a health care crisis because Donald Trump and Republicans have decimated Medicaid and refused to extend life-saving Affordable Care Act tax credits. Far too many people can no longer afford the health care they need to survive. I am committed to doing everything I can to rebuild our broken health care system. But it’s not enough to just go back to where we were before. We need to build a health care system that truly delivers for all American people, so no one has to choose between putting food on the table and paying for their prescriptions.
Housing: Colorado families are being squeezed by rising costs and I hear from voters in every corner of the district – from our rural mountain towns to the Jeffco area – that housing is often the number one financial pain point for families. That’s why I have fought to address our housing crisis and led on a number of bills to lower the cost of housing supply, boost construction, and expand access to affordable homes.
Child Care: As a mom, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to access quality, affordable child care. Child care is the best investment we can make in the next generation, and it allows parents to stay in the workforce, grow their careers, and contribute back to our economy. Right now, too many families are paying more for child care than they are for housing or college tuition. I am fighting so every family can find affordable, high-quality care close to home, and so every kid has the chance to thrive regardless of their family’s income or zip code.
What is one issue you think is being overlooked in this race, and how would you address it?
One issue that isn’t getting nearly enough attention is what all of the chaos and dysfunction in Washington means for our kids and their future.
Right now, Donald Trump and Republicans are making decisions that will have ramifications for an entire generation. They’re cutting health care and food assistance, making child care more expensive, and making it harder for families and regular people to get by. At the same time, they’re giving massive tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals in the history of our country while working families foot the bill.
When I talk to parents across Colorado, they worry about whether their children will have the same opportunities they had growing up. I believe our job is to build a country where every kid has a fair chance to succeed, regardless of their zip code or family’s income. That means investing back into working families, not giving tax handouts to millionaires and billionaires. The decisions we make today shape the opportunities available to the next generation, and I refuse to stand by while Donald Trump rips away the promise of the American Dream from our kids.
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