Kennedy tosses hat for HD 23 (Colorado Statesman)

Excerpted from Wayposts by the Colorado Statesman (April 10, 2015)

Former Jefferson County Democratic chair Chris Kennedy announced last week that he’s running for the House District 23 seat that will be left open next year when state Rep. Max Tyler, D-Lakewood, faces term limits.

Kennedy, who ran U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s campaign in the last election, has worked at the Capitol for Tyler and for state Reps. Millie Hamner, Jeanne Labuda, Matt Jones and for Mark Ferrandino when the Denver Democrat was speaker. He worked as a structural engineer before turning his attention to politics and government.

“I’m running for the Colorado House of Representatives because I want everybody to have the kinds of opportunities I’ve had — to work hard and pursue their dreams, whatever they may be,” Kennedy said in a statement announcing his candidacy, adding that he “would be honored to keep working hard to preserve and grow the middle class and our beautiful state for the next generation of Coloradans.”

The Lakewood-based seat leans Democratic. Tyler won his last election over Republican nominee Jane Barnes by 10 points and defeated Republican challenger Rick Enstrom in 2012 by 7 points.

Read the full story at ColoradoStatesman.com.

Chris Kennedy files to run for Rep. Max Tyler’s Jeffco House seat (Denver Post)

by Lynn Bartels (April 1, 2015)

Chris Kennedy, who knows all things Jeffco, has filed to run for the House seat now held by a fellow Democrat, Rep. Max Tyler.

“I guess it’s time to work on growing my white mustache,” Kennedy joked, referring to Tyler’s signature look.

Kennedy has worked at the state Capitol, served as Democratic chairman for Jefferson County and last year ran U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s successful re-election campaign (no offense to Kennedy but at this point Perlmutter is so popular in the 7th Congressional District the campaign practically runs itself).

“I am incredibly proud of the work I did to support legislators like Max Tyler and Ed Perlmutter who fight every day to grow the middle class, invest in our public education system, expand our renewable energy economy, and ensure equal rights and opportunities for all,” Kennedy said in his announcement.

Both Kennedy and Tyler live in Lakewood.

At the Capitol, Kennedy worked for Tyler in 2010, Reps. Millie Hamner and Jeanne Labuda in 2011, Tyler and Rep. Matt Jones in 2012, and former Speaker Mark Ferrandino.

Read the full article at DenverPost.com.