The Durango Herald<\/em> interviewed Romero via Zoom to discuss his background, priorities and vision for the district.<\/p>\n Romero described himself as a candidate rooted in service, pointing to his military career, local elected experience and decades living in the district.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been serving my nation, my state, my communities,\u201d he said. \u201cMy drive is to serve, and that\u2019s not just words.\u201d<\/p>\n Raised in southeast Texas by a single mother who worked minimum-wage jobs and relied on food stamps, he said he carried those experiences with him to the United States Military Academy at West Point and later into business and public office.<\/p>\n Romero said he has lived in Colorado\u2019s 3rd Congressional District for more than 30 years and raised three daughters with his wife. He described his family as having deep military roots, something he said shaped his views on service and public leadership.<\/p>\n He has served in multiple local elected roles, including city council, school board, fire protection district board and water and sanitation district board positions. He also served as Colorado\u2019s appointed economic development director under then-Gov. John Hickenlooper.<\/p>\n On policy, Romero repeatedly returned to affordability concerns, which he described as the dominant issue he hears while campaigning across the district.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. 1 for families these days is affordability. The cost of living, straight up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He criticized rising healthcare costs, housing pressures and economic uncertainty, arguing that working families across rural Colorado are struggling to keep up with everyday expenses.<\/p>\n As the owner of a property management and infrastructure-related business employing more than 100 workers, Romero said he sees those struggles firsthand.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are trying to make rent,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re trying to make mortgage payments. They\u2019re trying to pay for child care.\u201d<\/p>\n He also emphasized public lands and water rights as defining issues for western Colorado. He criticized proposals to sell federal public lands and called for stronger staffing and support for federal land management agencies.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to keep our public lands sacrosanct,\u201d Romero said.<\/p>\n Kelloff entered the race well before Romero, launching his campaign in 2025 and spending nearly a year campaigning across the district before Romero announced his candidacy in March.<\/p>\n The two Democrats have largely focused on similar themes, including affordability, healthcare access, public lands and rural economic concerns.<\/p>\n Romero pointed to his background in local government, military service and business as key differences between himself and Kelloff.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a choice between somebody who has served for 43 years at the national level, state level and local level versus someone who does not have a service record at all,\u201d Romero said.<\/p>\n He also argued that his decades of living in the district and raising a family there made him more connected to voters across western and southern Colorado.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very confident that the district itself will see those differences and make their decision based on those differences,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n In a district where unaffiliated voters make up a large share of the electorate, Romero said successful candidates must focus less on ideology and more on connection and trust.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best way to connect is to demonstrate that you are actually out there to protect them and cover their back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He argued that his decades living in the district, raising a family and serving in local government make him relatable to voters across party lines.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to appeal to all constituencies,\u201d Romero said.<\/p>\n