# Colorado's 7th congressional district

Colorado's 7th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. Formerly located only in the northeast part of the state, the district now encompasses the western parts of the Denver metropolitan area, including Golden, Lakewood, Arvada and Broomfield, along with the central Colorado counties of El Paso County, Jefferson, Park, Teller, Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer.
The district has been represented by Democrat Brittany Pettersen since 2023.

## History
### 2000s

The 7th congressional district was created following the 2000 U.S. census and associated realignment and reapportionment of Colorado congressional districts. It formerly consisted of portions of Adams, Arapahoe, and Jefferson counties, see above for the more recent list. The boundaries were drawn by a court after the state legislature failed to agree on a redistricting plan.

## Characteristics

As originally drawn, the 7th was a "fair fight" district that was split roughly 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. The seat's original congressman, Republican Bob Beauprez, gave up the seat in 2006 to run for governor, and was succeeded by Democrat Ed Perlmutter. Since then, a growing Democratic trend in the Denver suburbs allowed Perlmutter to strengthen his hold on the seat.
Redistricting after the 2010 census shifted the district to the more populated portions of Jefferson County, making it slightly more Democratic. The 2020 census has changed the district significantly, absorbing the rural areas in the central portion of the state. While the district takes in much more rural population than before, the bulk of population still lives in Jefferson and Broomfield counties, giving the district a mildly Democratic tilt.

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 52% - 46% |
| 2008 | Senate | Udall 51% - 43% |
| 2010 | Senate | Buck 47.05% - 47.03% |
| 2010 | Governor | Hickenlooper 50% - 9% |
| 2010 | Attorney General | Suthers 58% - 42% |
| 2010 | Secretary of State | Gessler 51% - 42% |
| 2010 | Treasurer | Stapleton 51% - 49% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 51% - 49% |
| 2014 | Senate | Udall 49% - 45% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 47% - 44% |
| 2016 | Senate | Bennet 49% - 45% |
| 2018 | Governor | Polis 53% - 43% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Weiser 51% - 46% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 56% - 42% |
| 2020 | Senate | Hickenlooper 54% - 44% |
| 2022 | Senate | Bennet 57% - 40% |
| 2022 | Governor | Polis 60% - 38% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Weiser 56% - 42% |
| 2022 | Secretary of State | Griswold 56% - 42% |
| 2022 | Treasurer | Young 55% - 42% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 56% - 41% |

## Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Adams County (1)
    Arvada (part; also 2nd and 8th; shared with Jefferson County)
Broomfield County (1)
    Broomfield
Chaffee County (8)
    All 8 communities
Custer County (2)
    Silver Cliff, Westcliffe
El Paso County (1)
    Green Mountain Falls (shared with Teller County)
Fremont County (12)
    All 12 communities
Jefferson County (20)
    Applewood, Arvada (part; also 2nd and 8th; shared with Adams County), Aspen Park, Brook Forest (part; also 2nd; shared with Clear Creek County), Dakota Ridge, East Pleasant View, Edgewater, Evergreen, Fairmount, Genesee, Golden, Idledale, Indian Hills, Kittredge, Lakeside, Lakewood, Morrison, Westminster (part; also 8th; shared with Adams County), West Pleasant View, Wheat Ridge
Lake County (3)
    All 3 communities
Park County (4)
    All 4 communities
Teller County (8)
    All 8 communities

## List of members representing the district

| Name | Party | Years | Cong– ress | Electoral history | District location |
| District created January 3, 2003 ||||||
| Bob Beauprez (Arvada) | Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | 108th 109th | Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Retired to run for Governor of Colorado. | 2003–2013 |
| Ed Perlmutter (Arvada) | Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2023 | 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th | Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Retired. | 2003–2013 |
| Ed Perlmutter (Arvada) | Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2023 | 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th | Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Retired. | 2013–2023 |
| Brittany Pettersen (Lakewood) | Democratic | January 3, 2023 – present | 118th 119th | Elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2023–present |

## Election results
### 2002

United States House of Representatives elections, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Beauprez | 81,789 | 47% |
| | Democratic | Mike Feeley | 81,668 | 47% |
| | Green | Dave Chandler | 3,274 | 2% |
| | Reform | Victor Good | 3,133 | 2% |
| | Libertarian | G. T. "Bud" Martin | 2,906 | 2% |
| | Independent | Stanford Andress (as a write-in) | 109 | 0% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 172,879 | 100% |
| | Republican win (new seat) | Republican win (new seat) | Republican win (new seat) | Republican win (new seat) |

### 2004

United States House of Representatives elections, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bob Beauprez (incumbent) | 135,571 | 55% |
| | Democratic | Dave Thomas | 106,026 | 43% |
| | Constitution | Clyde J. Harkins | 6,167 | 2% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 247,764 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2006

United States House of Representatives elections, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter | 103,918 | 55% |
| | Republican | Rick O'Donnell | 79,571 | 42% |
| | Green | Dave Chandler | 3,073 | 2% |
| | Constitution | Roger McCarville | 2,605 | 1% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 189,172 | 100% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2008

United States House of Representatives elections, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 173,931 | 63% |
| | Republican | John W. Lerew | 100,055 | 37% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 273,986 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

United States House of Representatives elections, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 112,667 | 53% |
| | Republican | Ryan Frazier | 88,026 | 42% |
| | Libertarian | Buck Bailey | 10,117 | 5% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 210,810 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

United States House of Representatives elections, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 182,460 | 54% |
| | Republican | Joe Coors, Jr. | 139,066 | 41% |
| | Libertarian | Buck Bailey | 9,148 | 3% |
| | Constitution | Douglas Campbell | 10,296 | 2% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 340,970 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

United States House of Representatives elections, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 148,225 | 55% |
| | Republican | Don Ytterberg | 120,918 | 45% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 269,143 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

United States House of Representatives elections, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 199,758 | 55.18% |
| | Republican | George Athanasopoulos | 144,066 | 39.80% |
| | Libertarian | Martin L. Buchanan | 18,186 | 5.02% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 362,010 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

United States House of Representatives elections, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 204,260 | 60.42% |
| | Republican | Mark Barrington | 119,734 | 35.42% |
| | Libertarian | Jennifer Nackerud | 14,012 | 4.14% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 338,067 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

United States House of Representatives elections, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 250,525 | 59.1% |
| | Republican | Casper Stockham | 159,301 | 37.6% |
| | Libertarian | Ken Biles | 11,510 | 2.7% |
| | Unity | Dave Olszta | 2,355 | 0.6% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 423,691 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

United States House of Representatives elections, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brittany Pettersen | 204,984 | 56.4% |
| | Republican | Erik Aadland | 150,510 | 41.4% |
| | Libertarian | Ross Klopf | 6,187 | 1.7% |
| | Unity | Critter Milton | 1,828 | 0.5% |
| | Independent | JP Lujan (write-in) | 92 | 0.0% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 363,601 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2024

United States House of Representatives elections, 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brittany Pettersen (incumbent) | 235,688 | 55.33% |
| | Republican | Sergei Matveyuk | 175,273 | 41.15% |
| | Libertarian | Patrick Bohan | 9,697 | 2.28% |
| | Unity | Ron Tupa | 5,271 | 1.24% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 37 | 0.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 425,966 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |