ALAMOSA — When Alex Kelloff decided to run for the Congressional seat representing Colorado’s Third District, it wasn’t a decision made as part of fulfilling a personal goal. It was a decision driven by what he saw happening around him.

In addition to being a resident of Carbondale, this part of the state has always held significant value. On his paternal side, Kelloff’s great grandfather and three brothers came to Colorado to mine coal in 1893, working mines around the Trinidad area. Then, in 1933 during the Great Depression, Kelloff’s grandfather started Kelloff’s Market with stores in La Jara, Antonito and La Junta, which were ultimately run by Kelloff’s uncles while his father studied to become a doctor.  Meanwhile, Kelloff’s other grandfather – who was a carpenter and builder – moved to the Vail area in 1962 to build houses. His parents were married 60 years ago in Aspen.

With such deep familial roots in the San Luis Valley, Kelloff knew the 2024 election could bring some big challenges to this part of the state.

“I was…surprised when Donald Trump won the election in 2024,” he recently told the Valley Courier. “And I was really concerned.”

Kelloff knew what President Trump had said he wanted to do during his campaign and, with a Republican House and Senate, he knew Trump had a good chance of getting those things done. But after a few short months of realizing that even CD-3’s representative would not push back on Trump’s agenda, he felt it was time to do something.

So, Kelloff took a step back from a 30-year career largely spent in telecommunications, building out physical infrastructure and bringing internet, cell phone towers and wireless networks to underserved and rural communities. And then, last spring, Kelloff – a political newcomer – announced his candidacy for office. He’s been at it full time ever since.

“This is my job now,” he says. “I’m not drawing a salary. I’m working full-time to get elected to represent the people in this district that has been my family’s home for generations.”

Kelloff ticks off his list of priorities, starting with affordable housing. “Alamosa has one of the worst ratios in the state of average wage versus average cost of housing,” he said.  “Affordable housing is crucial in communities like here.”

Job growth is another priority. Specific to his background in telecommunications, Kelloff sees potential for telecommunication keeping, attracting and retaining people working in rural areas through digital commuting.

He’s also greatly concerned about the future of rural hospitals – a huge part of rural economies – as a result of “Jeff Hurd’s plan” for Medicaid. He thinks telecommunication and “critical infrastructure” can support the continued provision of services.

But he also admits to being stunned that Hurd would willingly jeopardize rural hospitals, especially after “committing to not cut” Medicaid.

“What was he thinking?” Kelloff says. “Thirty percent of this district is on Medicaid, and it’s even higher in the Valley. Delta has shut down their emergency room and OB/Gyn department. Others will probably follow, and Jeff Hurd even has people in his family who are in health care.” He just shakes his head.

Kelloff’s also committed to creating good paying jobs around physical infrastructure – such as roads, bridges and water storage- but also around clean energy.

“I think it’s terrible what this administration is doing – and that Jeff Hurd supports – in stopping solar projects.” According to data recently released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, solar industry is responsible for 60% of the jobs in the renewable energy sector and twice the number of jobs in oil and gas.  

Kelloff also brings up the issue of public lands.

In March, Hurd proposed legislation based on a report taken right out of Project 2025, that, Kelloff says, advocates selling off large amounts of public land for natural resource extraction like oil and gas.

“Hurd and big oil talk about how important extraction is to the economy but, in this district, outdoor recreation is a much larger economic industry for public lands,” he says. “What I see across the district is Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leases land to oil and gas for 20 years that has never been drilled. Of course it’s never been drilled!  There’s a surplus of oil and gas. But it’s also leased at rates from 1920. That means Hurd is supporting taxpayer subsidizing oil and gas tying up public land until it’s profitable to drill.  And that’s hurting  our energy sector for growing solar, wind and geothermal.”

Kelloff was asked how to undo some of the actions in the last nine months that concern him, and, he says, the first step is to take back Congress. CD3 is especially vulnerable to the cuts and changes, he says, and has priorities that are different from other regions.

“I also want to stress that Medicaid, SNAP, education, veterans benefits are all investments that have been made in our communities over generations and have supported and allowed people to thrive. We need to get back to that view of things because these investments allow people overall to reap benefits.”

When asked how he would change that perspective, his answer is simple. “Leadership. Communicating across the aisle that these are benefits.”

He also stresses the importance of representing all his constituents.

“My grandfather didn’t care if his customers at the grocery store were Republican or Democrat. They were all his customers,  and they all needed groceries.” He looks at representing voters in that way.

He finally shares what he wants people to know about him. “I’m very concerned about the direction of the country under Trump, Johnson and Hurd. In addition to everything else I’ve talked about, I believe in upholding the rule of law and the future of democracy. My roots have influenced what I believe.”

Without saying his name, he then references Congressman Hurd in one of his last statements. “I also commit to being accessible and staying accessible to constituents after I’m elected.”