Democratic congressional candidate Alex Kelloff says his campaign is focused on lowering the cost of living, protecting rural communities and restoring what he describes as missing representation for western and southern Colorado.
Kelloff, who launched his campaign in spring 2025, is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd in November. He faces fellow Democrat Dwayne Romero in the June 30 primary.
The Herald interviewed Kelloff via Zoom to discuss his background, policy priorities and why he believes he is best positioned to flip Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District.
Kelloff, who has never previously held elected office, described himself as a businessman with more than 30 years of experience in telecommunications and infrastructure development.
“I think I have something to contribute with respect to that business experience,” he said.
He said much of his work focused on expanding physical infrastructure into rural communities, including laying fiber-optic cable and improving internet access.
Kelloff repeatedly returned to affordability as the defining issue facing voters in the district. He pointed to rising housing costs, utility bills, fuel prices and healthcare expenses as major burdens facing working families across rural Colorado.
He argued that increasing infrastructure investment and encouraging small-business growth could help lower costs long term.
“What I’m focused on is creating good jobs through small business formation,” Kelloff said. “A lot of that job creation can get back to building and maintaining our physical infrastructure.”
Healthcare was another major focus of Kelloff’s campaign pitch. He criticized cuts to Medicaid and the expiration of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, arguing that rural communities have been disproportionately harmed.
“We need elected representatives in Washington that actually understand and represent our interests and values in rural America,” he said.
He said protecting rural hospitals is especially important in a district spread across much of western and southern Colorado.
“If we don’t have rural hospitals, then we’re not going to have farmers and ranchers,” Kelloff said.
He emphasized public lands and water rights, arguing that outdoor recreation and agriculture remain central parts of the district’s economy.
Kelloff entered the race nearly a year earlier than his primary opponent and said he has spent much of that time traveling throughout the district and speaking directly with voters. He said he visited all 27 counties in the district before the end of 2025.
He contrasted his campaign with Romero’s later entry into the race.
“You don’t show up late for work,” Kelloff said.
He argued that his campaign platform was shaped during months of conversations with constituents across the sprawling district.
“We launched this campaign early so we could learn from and listen to the constituents of the district,” he said.
Kelloff also highlighted his family’s long history in southern Colorado. He said his great-grandfather immigrated to Trinidad in 1893 and that generations of his family operated grocery stores and other small businesses throughout the region.
He acknowledged that he did not grow up in the district itself, but said his family’s history in southern Colorado shaped his connection to the area and informed many of the values he now campaigns on.
“My whole upbringing was informed by the values that my parents grew up with in this district,” Kelloff said.
While he acknowledged the district’s Republican lean, he argued that frustration with current leadership has created an opening for Democrats.
“Do you feel better off today than you did 15 months ago?” Kelloff said he often asks voters on the campaign trail. “Resoundingly, the answer is no.”
He said winning in CD3 requires candidates to engage with voters across the political spectrum, including independents and Republicans.
“You’ve got to go meet people where they’re at,” he said.
Jake Mittleman, a junior at American University in Washington, D.C., is an intern for The Durango Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].
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