Business consultant James Shelton on Feb. 14 announced he will seek the Democratic nomination for Colorado House District 49, which covers much of northern Larimer County.
The seat is currently held by Rep. B.J. Nikkel, R-Loveland. She is not running for re-election because last year’s redistricting maps placed her residence outside the district.
Although Shelton is running as a Democrat, he said in a prepared statement that he intends to transcend traditional party politics.
“The issues facing rural Northern Colorado are not red or blue, and they don’t affect just Independents, Republicans, or Democrats; they impact us all,” Shelton said. “Solutions need to be brainstormed and collaborated. We need to seek out the facts, gain perspective, draft a plan and attack the issue, not the other party, or each other. Most breakthroughs will happen when we work together and the best ideas come from bipartisan groups not partisan individuals.”
Perry Buck of Windsor, wife of former U.S. Senate candidate and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat. She is the only other announced candidate.
In his statement, Shelton claims he has directly contributed to the creation of more than 200 jobs in Larimer County through “strategic planning, operations, retail, marketing, sales and business intelligence” for start-up businesses offered by his firm Pathway Plans.
Shelton lives in Berthoud with his wife, Kate, and their 2-year-old son Morgan.
More information on Shelton’s campaign can be found online at http://sheltonforcolorado.com.
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