Brittany Pettersen

Brittany Pettersen
Born	Brittany Louise Pettersen 6 12, 1981
Birthplace	Jefferson County, Colorado, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for Colorado's 7th congressional district
Education	Metropolitan State University of Denver (BA)
Children	2
Website	[Official House website Official site]

Brittany Louise Pettersen (born December 6, 1981) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Colorado's 7th congressional district since January 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented the 22nd district in the Colorado Senate from 2019 to 2023 and the 28th district in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. Born and raised in Jefferson County, Colorado, Pettersen built her political career around issues including housing affordability, substance abuse policy, and water infrastructure. She succeeded retiring longtime congressman Ed Perlmutter after winning the 2022 general election for the newly redrawn 7th congressional district, which encompasses suburban communities west and south of Denver. In Congress, Pettersen has focused on bipartisan legislation addressing housing shortages and rural water security, advancing multiple bills through the House. Her path to public office was shaped in part by personal experience with her mother's opioid addiction, a background she has spoken about publicly in connection with her legislative work on substance abuse and mental health policy.

Early Life

Brittany Louise Pettersen was born on December 6, 1981, in Jefferson County, Colorado. She grew up in the suburban communities west of Denver. Pettersen has spoken publicly about the impact of her mother's struggle with opioid addiction on her childhood and family life, an experience that would later inform her legislative priorities around substance abuse prevention and treatment.

Pettersen's upbringing in Jefferson County grounded her in the community she would eventually represent at every level of Colorado government — from the state House, to the state Senate, to the U.S. Congress. Jefferson County, one of the most populous counties in Colorado, is part of the Denver metropolitan area and has long been considered a politically competitive suburban region.

Education

Pettersen attended Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Metropolitan State University of Denver is a public university located in downtown Denver that serves a diverse student population, including many nontraditional and first-generation college students.

Career

Colorado House of Representatives (2013–2019)

Pettersen began her career in elected office in 2013 when she took office as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives, representing the 28th district. She succeeded Andy Kerr in the seat. During her tenure in the state House, Pettersen worked on a range of policy areas. She was involved in debates over criminal justice policy, including discussions surrounding death penalty legislation in Colorado.

Prior to her election to the state legislature, Pettersen was involved in civic engagement work. She had connections to New Era Colorado, a nonpartisan organization focused on engaging young people in the political process.

Pettersen served three terms in the Colorado House of Representatives, from January 9, 2013, to January 4, 2019. She was succeeded in the 28th district seat by Kerry Tipper.

First Congressional Campaign Attempt (2017)

In 2017, Pettersen launched a bid for Colorado's 7th congressional district after incumbent Ed Perlmutter initially signaled he would not seek reelection to pursue a run for governor of Colorado. However, Perlmutter reversed his decision and announced he would seek reelection to his congressional seat instead of running for governor. In response, Pettersen ended her congressional campaign. She subsequently shifted her focus to running for the Colorado Senate.

Colorado Senate (2019–2023)

Pettersen was elected to the Colorado Senate representing the 22nd district and took office on January 4, 2019, succeeding Andy Kerr, who had also preceded her in the state House. Her time in the state Senate was marked by legislative activity on a number of fronts, including substance abuse policy, mental health, and gun safety legislation.

During the 2020 legislative session, Pettersen gave birth to a child while the legislature was in session, drawing media attention. The event was noted in reporting by Colorado Public Radio, which placed it in historical context by noting it was not the first time a Colorado lawmaker had given birth during a legislative session.

In 2019, Pettersen faced a recall effort. The Colorado Secretary of State's office documented that a recall petition was filed against her in Senate District 22. The statement of grounds for the recall was filed with the Secretary of State's office. The recall effort was reported on by The Denver Post alongside a similar effort targeting state Representative Pete Lee. The recall effort ultimately did not succeed, and Pettersen continued serving in the state Senate through the end of her term in January 2023.

Pettersen was succeeded in the Colorado Senate's 22nd district by Jessie Danielson.

2022 U.S. House Campaign

In January 2022, following the announcement by Ed Perlmutter that he would retire from Congress, Pettersen launched her campaign for Colorado's 7th congressional district, which had been significantly redrawn following the 2020 census. The newly drawn district included portions of Jefferson County and extended to encompass other suburban and exurban communities.

Pettersen filed as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission. In the general election, she faced Republican candidate Erik Aadland. Pettersen won the race, securing the seat for the Democratic Party.

U.S. House of Representatives (2023–present)

Pettersen took office as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 7th congressional district on January 3, 2023, succeeding Ed Perlmutter. In Congress, she has focused on several policy areas, including housing affordability, water infrastructure, and constituent engagement.

Housing Legislation

Pettersen has made housing affordability and supply a central focus of her congressional work. In February 2026, the House of Representatives passed three pieces of bipartisan legislation led by Pettersen aimed at addressing the national housing shortage. The passage of these bills was further noted as part of a broader legislative package to address housing affordability.

Water Infrastructure

In February 2026, Pettersen and Representative Jeff Hurd (CO-03), a Republican, led the Colorado Congressional delegation in introducing bipartisan legislation to expand federal water infrastructure funding. The bill, designated H.R. 7631 and titled the Rural Water Security Act, focused on water infrastructure needs for Colorado's rural communities.

Constituent Engagement

Pettersen has held regular town hall events to engage with constituents in the 7th congressional district. In January 2026, she hosted a telephone town hall that drew participation from nearly 8,000 Coloradans, during which residents raised concerns about federal budget cuts, health care, and other issues.

In December 2025, Pettersen issued a year-end update for Fremont County constituents, addressing challenges facing families in Colorado.

Tariffs and Trade Policy

In February 2026, Pettersen was among Colorado lawmakers who reacted publicly after the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling rejecting certain tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on imports from multiple foreign countries.

Personal Life

Pettersen resides in the Denver metropolitan area in Jefferson County, Colorado, the community where she was born and raised. She has two children.

Pettersen has been in a relationship with Ian Silverii, who served as executive director of ProgressNow Colorado, a progressive advocacy organization. Their relationship was reported on by Colorado Politics.

Pettersen has spoken publicly about her mother's battle with opioid addiction, an experience she has cited as formative in shaping her approach to substance abuse and mental health policy during her legislative career.