New Democrat's entrance in race sets up Aspen-centric primary in U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd's district

Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post on Mar 4, 2026

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The entry this week of an Aspen-area Democrat in the primary to represent vast swaths of Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives sets up a race between two businessmen from the Roaring Fork Valley.

Dwayne Romero on Tuesday announced his candidacy for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District — which covers western and southern Colorado, including much of the Western Slope, the San Luis Valley and Pueblo. Alex Kelloff, a businessman from Old Snowmass, entered the race last April.

Both men aim to unseat freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, a Grand Junction attorney elected to the seat in 2024. In the Republican primary, Hurd faces Hope Scheppelman, a former Colorado Republican Party vice chair who’s now endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Romero, who now lives in Snowmass Village, moved to Colorado in 1997 after serving in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer, during which he was deployed in the Persian Gulf War. He lived in Carbondale for six years before moving to Aspen in 2003. He runs a real estate company in the Roaring Fork Valley called the Romero Group.

He previously served on the Aspen School District’s board, the Aspen City Council, and the boards of the Aspen Fire Protection District and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. He also spent a year as the state’s chief economic development director under then-Gov. John Hickenlooper.

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He emphasized his military service in his announcement as well as his upbringing as the child of a single mom who relied on food stamps to make ends meet.

Kelloff's campaign points to his family's deep roots in western Colorado, which stretch back four generations. Kelloff co-founded Armada Skis and spent the majority of his career working for several large investment firms.

Both Kelloff and Romero pledged to push back against President Donald Trump's administration, including opposing budget cuts to social services.

"I'm running for Congress because Jeff Hurd and Donald Trump have taken too much," Romero said in his first campaign ad.

In 2024, Hurd defeated Democrat Adam Frisch 50.8% to 45.8%. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the 3rd District, which before Hurd was represented by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, as "likely Republican" in this year's midterm election.

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