AURORA, Colo. — Former Republican Rep. Mike Coffman has joined the race to become the next mayor of Aurora, 9NEWS learned Thursday.
Coffman, 63, had served Denver’s suburbs in Colorado’s 6th Congressional District for a decade before losing to Democratic Challenger Jason Crow in November.
Coffman told 9NEWS he promises to “address the challenges of affordable housing, transportation and public safety.”
Aurora’s current Mayor, Bob LeGare, was voted into office last June following the death of Mayor Steve Hogan in mid-may. LeGare had previously stated he would not run for the seat in 2019.
Coffman has a long history of military and political service. He enrolled in the U.S. Army in 1972 before graduating from high school. He attended the University of Colorado on the GI Bill and served as an officer in the Marines after graduation.
Coffman was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1989 and served in that chamber until 1994. In 1994, he was elected to state senator and served until January 1999, when he left the legislature to become Colorado State Treasurer.
Coffman served two stints as treasurer. He was first elected in 1998 and reelected in 2002, when he resigned to serve in Iraq with the Marines. Upon completion of his duties in Iraq, Coffman was reappointed State Treasurer in 2006.
In November 2008, Coffman was elected Colorado Secretary of State, and served in that role until 2009, when he departed for Washington, D.C., to serve in Congress.
Coffman is just one of a handful of candidates expected to run in Aurora’s non-partisan mayoral election in November.
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