Old Snowmass’ U.S. Congressional candidate discusses running points

Alex Kelloff is not your typical congressional candidate. 

A fourth generation Coloradan, Kelloff split time growing up between his mother’s roots in Carbondale and Grand Junction, his father’s in the San Luis Valley and Alamosa, and Northern Virginia, where he went to public school. He currently resides in the Aspen area and continues to build a family home in Old Snowmass. 

He puts his hat in the U.S. congressional ring to uphold democratic values he thinks the current political climate lacks, vying as a Democrat for the 3rd Congressional District seat in the November 2026 election, currently held by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Grand Junction.

“I think those values are what I grew up with — it was hard work, it was looking after your neighbors, it was being part of your community, being a citizen, upholding the rule of law,” Kelloff said.

His father was a cancer researcher at the National Cancer Institute, and his mother spent years of her life working for the Smithsonian. 

“I very much grew up both the child of public servants … and also the product of the public school system,” he said. 

Kelloff himself brings with him to the political arena a unique background in business and telecommunications. He co-founded Armada Skis in 2002, one of the first freestyle-ski oriented brands, before he helped start SDC Capital Partners, a global digital infrastructure investment company. 

As he begins his campaign for the 3rd Congressional District seat, Kelloff has outlined his running points to The Aspen Times. 

Protect public lands and water resources

Kelloff said he wants to ensure local officials keep the rights to manage their public lands, safeguarding their authority from Washington D.C. overreach.

“I think the local officials that live and breathe where they live and understand the implications, they should be the ones in charge of making these decisions and how they would manage those resources,” he said. 

Protecting water resources through updated infrastructure is also a top priority of his. He said much of the district’s water infrastructure, in particular reservoir and dam infrastructure, is crumbling, particularly with regards to the Colorado Basin and Upper and Lower Basin.

He highlighted the risk of losing power to the federal government if states that share water sources can’t agree on how to manage their resources.

“The climate is changing. It’s creating risk. It’s reducing the water supply that we have, both in groundwater and surface water,” he said. “And these are major issues, particularly for our farmers and ranchers in the South.”

Strengthen the economy by creating jobs

Kelloff said his background in the telecommunications industry, which helps provide affordable communication services, has prepared him to support workers and update infrastructure.

“I understand how to build things,” he said. “I understand how to put people to work to do that and create good jobs, which will lower the cost of living overall.”

If elected, he seeks to revamp antiquated infrastructure in the district. He said his time at SDC Capital Partners has given him the experience he needs to do so. He and his firm partnered with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a publicly-owned highway that spans Pennsylvania, to build a new telecommunications network along the road with fiber optic cables, helping the highway to implement electronic tolling and digital signage. 

“This is a powerful use of public, private partnership that I’ve been directly involved with, and we’ve been quite successful with it,” he said. 

One of the projects Kelloff might focus on is expanding the Grand Junction airport, which he noted is a major crossroads for the Western Slope. 

“Which will expand outdoor (recreation) opportunities, expand tourism, and tourism is a big part of the Mesa County economy,” he said.

Improve educational opportunities

Kelloff said he strives to invest in future generations, specifically in the midst of recent actions taken by the Trump administration to defund education.

“We’re not educating the next generation, and if we’re not doing that, we run the risk of not preparing people for the workforce, for society at large, etc.,” Kelloff said.

Specifically, he would like to see a reinvestment in civic education for young people.

“I think if you live in this district, in this state, in this country, you should understand the country you live in and how it functions,” he said.

From an investment standpoint, he said properly funded educational programs, or “investing in our children,” will yield a much higher return than making cuts. He emphasized the need for a strong K-12 education, pre-and post-school programs, and teacher education.

“I view these as not government handouts, they’re investments in the future of the country,” he said, “and if we’re not making these investments, we’re going to be much worse off.”

Recent endorsement 

John Salazar — the last Democrat to hold the 3^rd congressional seat, which he relinquished in 2011 — endorsed Kelloff in mid-July.

“Alex gets it — he knows what matters here. He’s committed to protecting rural communities and our water, so that we don’t lose what is our lifeblood. I’m a farmer and a rancher, and that’s how I make my living,” Salazar said in a press release. 

“Alex is a moderate, interested in jobs, the economy, and health care,” he added, saying, “I think people understand that this country should not be divided by partisanship, and I believe Alex is able to deliver that message — like my brothers and I did successfully in the past.”

This is part one of a two part series with Kelloff. The second part will be featured in the Sunday edition of The Aspen Times.

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.