Summary
Current Position: US Representative of CO-07 since 2023
Affiliation: Democrat
District: western parts of the Denver metropolitan area, including Golden, Lakewood, Arvada and Broomfield, along with the central Colorado counties of Jefferson, Park, Teller, Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer.
Upcoming Election:
Brittany Louise Pettersen previously served as a member of the Colorado Senate from the 22nd district from 2019 to 2023, and in the Colorado House of Representatives, representing the 28th district from 2013 to 2019.
OnAir Post: Brittany Pettersen CO-07
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Latest News
About
Source: Government
Brittany Pettersen is the Representative for Colorado’s Seventh Congressional District in the United States Congress. She was elected in 2022, becoming the first woman to represent the Seventh District, which comprises Jefferson, Broomfield, Lake, Park, Teller, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer counties. She is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, where she serves on the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance and the Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions.
Rep. Pettersen was born and raised in Jefferson County, Colorado. Even though she faced a lot of challenges growing up, because of her access to great public schools and teachers who believed in her, she became the first in her family to graduate both high school and college. Rep. Pettersen attended the Metropolitan State University of Denver where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
Before coming to Congress, Rep. Pettersen served in the Colorado state legislature for a decade. While there, she sponsored and passed legislation ranging from gun safety measures to one of the country’s strongest Equal Pay for Equal Work laws to protecting access to reproductive healthcare to lowering health insurance premiums for Coloradans. Rep. Pettersen also advocated for greater investments in the state’s mental health and substance abuse disorder treatment programs, after seeing firsthand the devastating impacts of the opioid epidemic through her own mother’s decades-long addiction.
Rep. Pettersen lives in Lakewood with her husband, Ian, their young son, Davis, and their rescue dog, Ollie.
Personal
Full Name: Brittany Pettersen
Gender: Female
Family: Husband: Ian; 1 Child
Birth Place:Littleton, CO
Home City: Lakewood, CO
Source: Vote Smart
Education
Graduated, Political Science, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Political Experience
Representative, United States House of Representatives, Colorado, District 7, 2023-present
Former Majority Whip, Colorado State House of Representatives
Senator, Colorado State Senate, District 22, 2019-2022
Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Colorado, District 7, 2022
Representative, Colorado State House of Representatives, District 28, 2013-2019
Candidate, Colorado State Senate, District 22, 2018
Professional Experience
Field Director, New Era Colorado, Nonprofit
Offices
Washington, DC Office
1230 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2645
Lakewood District Office
550 S. Wadsworth Blvd.
Suite 400
Lakewood, CO 80226
Contact
Email: Government
Web Links
Politics
Source: none
Election Results
To learn more, go to the wikipedia section in this post.
Finances
Source: Vote Smart
Committees
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New Legislation
More Information
Services
Source: Government page
One of my most important jobs as your member of Congress is helping Coloradans solve problems with federal agencies. My team has already helped hundreds of residents in Colorado’s 7th Congressional District with passports, the IRS, veterans benefits, Medicare and Social Security, immigration, and more. If you need assistance, give us a call at 303-274-7944 or fill out this form.
Expediting Passports for Constituents Abroad
“We were stuck in Mexico with a family member (US citizen) stuck in southern Mexico needing life-saving medical care. We waited all week trying to find help. When we reached out to Rep Pettersen’s office, Alma took our case and expedited it- getting us emergency passports within 24-hours so our family member could fly back to the US for life saving care.”
– Erika from Lakewood
Navigating the State Department
“I had been contacting the State Department trying to get the status of my daughter’s passport as it had not yet arrived and we were set to leave for an international trip within three days. I contacted Brittany Pettersen’s office and within 24 hours they had located the passport application, found that it was not going to be processed in time, and got me an appointment that the state department was unable to set up by itself, to get my daughter’s passport completed the next day. Brittany’s office literally saved our trip and allowed us to have our family vacation.”
– Nick From Lakewood
Helping Small Business Owners
“For the past nearly 2 years we have been trying to appeal a pending business civil penalty with the IRS to no avail. We’d also had help from our CPA’s in addressing the situation, but still no resolution. We felt that part of the problem with this was the fact that the postal service has not been delivering mail timely and we believe that was part of the challenge with our case. We contacted Representative Pettersen’s office and we have had the most excellent support and help that resulted in our being able to get this IRS claim solved and in our favor. As small business owners, having them positively resolved has lifted a great stressful and potential financial burden off of our shoulders and that is really huge!”
– Chris and Tammi from Cañon City
Prioritizing Constituents
“It’s always appreciated to have our leadership take action for any and all problems in a timely, organized and fast manner. Love all the work and the consistent communication I have received.”
– Nakita from Westminster
Helping with Family Trips
“I called in to Brittany Pettersen’s office for help with a passport issue. My wife’s passport application was stuck in the system, my family had an international trip upcoming in a week, and I was getting no help with the passport status through the regular channels. Without team Pettersen’s efforts, my family and I would have been out of luck on our fully booked international trip. Thank you!”
– Yonatan from Divide
Military Academy Nominations
“You assisted our daughter to receive her full appointment to the USNA which she very quickly accepted. Everyone I spoke to in your office were hands down AMAZING!! There are no words to properly express our gratitude to all of you! You have changed a life and made an incredible impact in our daughter’s life as well as to our country by helping her pursue her goal to serve our country as a future officer in the Navy.”
– Michelle from Arvada
Navigating the IRS
“I have never experienced such a positive and helpful response from any elected official or their staff ever in my 51 years. I worked with Team Pettersen on an issue with the IRS and the help I received was remarkable. I am so grateful and appreciative. Thank you very much!”
– William from Lakewood.
Expediting Passport Cases
“My son accidentally washed my passport. I had 2 international trips planned and was concerned that I would not be able to get my passport renewed in time. I contacted US Representative Brittany Pettersen to ask for assistance. Their Constituent Services Representative contacted the passport office, gave me frequent updates on the situation, and facilitated the change in status for my passport from expedited to urgent. I could not be more pleased with the help I received.”
– Shana from Lakewood
Help with Your Refund
“I had been trying to get my IRS refund for an entire year. Your office was very positive and professional in helping me clear up this issue. I was surprised by how your office was in contact with me on a regular basis simply to keep me informed. Thank you so much for finally getting me my refund. After waiting a year and a half, THANK YOU”
– Julie from Golden
Serving Coloradans
“The team went above and beyond anything I had expected. They truly cared about helping me. This may have seemed like a small thing to them but it meant the world to me and my family. I am grateful for all the assistance provided.”
– Nathan from Arvada
Making Your Trip Happen
“When my daughter’s passport was not going to come in time for our family trip, I contacted Brittany Petteren’s office to see if I could get an advocate. I received a phone call within hours of contacting. She kept me posted throughout the day and by the next morning the passport was mailed out. I am beyond grateful for her help with this matter and now my family can finish packing without the stress of worrying about the missing passport.”
– April from Lakewood
Helping with IRS Cases
“I was having difficulty getting an overpayment refund from the IRS and had called the IRS for 18 months, being told to just wait longer. I decided to contact Rep. Pettersen’s office to see if they could help in anyway. A staffer assured me they would do everything they could to help. I had a refund check within 3 weeks! I never thought a representative’s office could help, but they provided immediate results!”
– Kyle from Pine
Solving Medicare Delays
“I reached out to Rep. Pettersen’s office when I had an issue with being denied for Medicaid based on incorrect information. I couldn’t get through to Medicaid myself, despite several calls to the county department of human services, but the Pettersen caseworker who helped me was able to get my case successfully resolved in a matter of weeks. Now I don’t have to worry about losing coverage for the mental and physical health services I need and the medications I take daily to be able to function. This is a huge weight off my shoulders!”
– Denise from Lakewood
Securing Survivor Benefits
“I was having difficulty for 6 months receiving the change in my Social Security Widows Insurance Benefit following the death of my husband this past February and this left me with a significant financial hardship. I contacted Brittany Pettersen the US Rep for 7th Congressional District of Colorado regarding this issue and a staffer immediately resolved this issue. I am very grateful to you for your assistance in this matter.”
– Shirley from Littleton
Getting Your Refund
“In 2019 I overpaid the IRS by a substantial amount due to an egregious error in by my old accountant. My new accountants resubmitted the tax return in 2020. It’s 2023 and due to the diligence of this office I received my refund plus 4 years of interest from the IRS. My sincerest thanks for the efforts on my behalf. You’re awesome.”
– Deborah from Broomfield
Helping with Student Loans
“I reached out to Representative Pettersen’s office when my Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) application was denied due to a documentation discrepancy. I received a response from a staffer who put in an inquiry with the Department of Education, which ultimately resulted in a detailed account review. I received on-going correspondence and updates from Representative Pettersen’s office and learned today that my student loans have been forgiven through PSLF! I am so grateful for your efforts and support during a trying time!”
– Erin from Westminster
Quickly Resolving Cases
“When all else failed contacting our embassy regarding an urgent, non-immigrant visa, Rep. Pettersen’s staff was able to make it happen and confirmed its status for us all within less than a week. They constantly kept us updated. Can’t thank you enough! It’s amazing to know that you are truly invested in all cases that come your way.”
– Maia from Arvada
Navigating the IRS
“I contacted Rep. Pettersen’s office regarding a complicated issue that a client was having with the Internal Revenue Service. This issue went back about ten years so any standard methods of my contacting the IRS had reached the statute of limitations. Rep. Pettersen’s office promptly contacted the IRS and was able to reopen the case. Through the efforts of her staff and her, my client’s amount owed was reduced to zero as it should have been in the first place.”
– Bob from Cañon City
Addressing Postal Concerns
“I had trouble with my mail. Post office said my address was invalid and nothing could be done. I called Rep. Pettersen’s office who advised me that someone from the Postal Service would get in touch with me. This happened within a couple of days and a couple of days later the problem was resolved. I really appreciated the quick response from everyone.”
– Warren from Leadville
District
Source: Wikipedia
Colorado’s 7th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. Formerly located only in the northeast part of the state, the district now encompasses the western parts of the Denver metropolitan area, including Golden, Lakewood, Arvada and Broomfield, along with the central Colorado counties of Jefferson, Park, Teller, Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer.
The district has been represented by Democrat Brittany Pettersen since 2023.
Wikipedia
Brittany Louise Pettersen (born December 6, 1981)[1] is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Colorado’s 7th congressional district since 2023. She previously served as a member of the Colorado Senate from the 22nd district, and in the Colorado House of Representatives, representing the 28th district. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Education
Pettersen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the Metropolitan State University of Denver.[2]
Early political career
Before running for state representative, Pettersen worked for New Era Colorado, a nonprofit progressive political advocacy group that works to increase youth participation in politics and the government process.[3][4]
2013 legislative session
In 2013, Pettersen opposed a repeal of the death penalty in Colorado.[5]
2019 recall effort
In July 2019, the Colorado secretary of state approved the circulation of a recall petition against Pettersen. The recall’s organizers had until September 16, 2019, to gather 18,376 signatures to put the recall on the ballot, but on September 10 they announced that they were abandoning the effort and not submitting signatures.[6][7] The recall petition stated that Pettersen should be recalled because she supports taxpayer-funded heroin-injection sites, and because she supported SB 19-042 (the National Popular Vote bill), SB 19-181 (Comprehensive Oil and Gas Reform), HB 19-1032 (Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education), and HB 19-1177 (the Red Flag bill that allows a judge to prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm).[8]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2018
On April 9, 2017, following Ed Perlmutter‘s announcement that he was running for governor of Colorado, Pettersen announced her candidacy for Colorado’s 7th congressional district.[9] After Perlmutter reentered the congressional race, she ended her campaign.[10] In 2018, Pettersen ran for and won Colorado Senate District 22.
2022
After Perlmutter announced that he would retire from the United States House of Representatives after the 2022 legislative session, Pettersen declared her candidacy for Colorado’s 7th congressional district.[11][12] She was elected in November with over 56% of the vote.[13]
2024 presidential nominee
On July 12, 2024, Pettersen called for Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 United States presidential election.[14]
Committee assignments
For the 118th Congress:[15]
Caucus memberships
Electoral history
| Year | Office | Party | Primary | General | Result | Swing | Ref. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | P. | Total | % | P. | ||||||||
| 2012 | State House | Democratic | 2,985 | 100.0% | 1st | 19,603 | 52.71% | 1st | Won | Hold | [18] | ||
| 2014 | Democratic | 3,042 | 100.0% | 1st | 16,356 | 54.98% | 1st | Won | Hold | [19] | |||
| 2016 | Democratic | 3,781 | 100.0% | 1st | 22,431 | 55.58% | 1st | Won | Hold | [20] | |||
| 2018 | State Senate | Democratic | 16,066 | 100.0% | 1st | 42,747 | 58.16% | 1st | Won | Hold | [21] | ||
| 2022 | U.S. House | Democratic | 71,497 | 100.0% | 1st | 204,984 | 56.38% | 1st | Won | Hold | [22] | ||
| Source: Secretary of State of Colorado | Election Results | |||||||||||||
Personal life
In 2017, Pettersen married Ian Silverii, the executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, at the Colorado Governor’s Mansion.[23] Pettersen and Silverii have one child.[24]
References
- ^ “Colorado New Members 2023”. The Hill. November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ “Brittany Pettersen’s Biography”. Vote Smart. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ “Colorado House Democrats”. Archived from the original on February 28, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
- ^ “New Era Colorado”. Ballotpedia.org. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ Stokols, Eli (March 26, 2013). “Death penalty repeal effort blocked by two Democrats”. Fox 31 Denver. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
- ^ “Recall Petitions”. Colorado Secretary of State. State of Colorado. 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- ^ Staver, Anna (September 10, 2019). “2 more recall campaigns against Colorado Democrats fail”. The Denver Post. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
- ^ “Recall statement of grounds” (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- ^ “Democrat Brittany Pettersen launches run for ed Perlmutter’s congressional seat – the Colorado Statesman”. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
- ^ Paul, Jesse (August 21, 2017). “Brittany Pettersen ends her congressional campaign”. Denverpost.com. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
- ^ Luning, Ernest (January 11, 2022). “Democrat Brittany Pettersen launches bid for 7th CD seat held by retiring US Rep. Ed Perlmutter”. Colorado Politics. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ “Brittany Pettersen is running for the Colorado congressional seat being vacated by Ed Perlmutter”. The Colorado Sun. January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ Kang, Hanna (November 9, 2022). “Results: Democratic state Sen. Brittany Pettersen defeats Republican Erik Aadland in Colorado’s 7th Congressional District election”. Business Insider.
- ^ “Colorado Rep. Brittany Pettersen calls on Biden to drop re-election bid”. Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
- ^ “Brittany Pettersen”. Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ “Endorsed Candidates”. NewDem Action Fund. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^ “Committees and Caucuses | U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen”. pettersen.house.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
- ^ “2012 Abstract of Votes Cast” (PDF). coloradosos.gov. Denver: Secretary of State of Colorado. 2012. pp. 75, 118. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ “2014 Abstract of Votes Cast” (PDF). coloradosos.gov. Denver: Secretary of State of Colorado. 2014. pp. 79, 118. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ “2016 Abstract of Votes Cast” (PDF). coloradosos.gov. Denver: Secretary of State of Colorado. 2016. pp. 72, 113. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ “2018 Abstract of Votes Cast” (PDF). coloradosos.gov. Denver: Secretary of State of Colorado. 2018. pp. 70, 112. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ Primary election:
- “2022 Abstract of Votes Cast: Primary Election Results” (PDF). coloradosos.gov. Denver: Secretary of State of Colorado. 2022. p. 3. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
General election:
- “2022 Abstract of Votes Cast: General Election Results” (PDF). coloradosos.gov. Denver: Secretary of State of Colorado. 2022. p. 4. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ Luning, Ernest (July 1, 2017). “State Rep. Brittany Pettersen and ProgressNow’s Ian Silverii get married at Colorado governor’s mansion”. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- ^ Birkeland, Bente. “The First Time A Colorado Lawmaker Gave Birth During Session Wasn’t Last Sunday, It Was Decades Ago”. Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
External links
- Representative Brittany Pettersen official U.S. House website
- Brittany Pettersen for Congress campaign website
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
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