Republican Tom Tancredo represented South Jeffco in Congress for 10 years after first winning the seat in 1998. His successor, Aurora Republican Mike Coffman, has been in office for less than three months - and the potential challengers already are lining up.
One is John Flerlage, a South Jeffco Democrat who says he's the only one who can go toe to toe against Coffman and win.
"I cede nothing on security or economics as a Democrat," Flerlage said during an interview at a South Jeffco Starbucks on March 4.
If anyone can battle Coffman on national security issues, an ex-Marine with years of military experience, it might be Flerlage.
He, too, is an ex-Marine. Flerlage served 22 years in the Marine Corps (11 on active duty and 11 in the Reserves) before he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2000. During his Marine years, he flew the F/A-18 Hornet and A-4 Skyhawk, and was eventually placed in leadership positions to train young pilots in world affairs, strategic commitments and other tactical aircraft at the Marine aviation advanced tactics school. In the 1990s, he flew support missions in support of NATO operations in Bosnia.
After he retired from the Marine Reserves in 2000, Flerlage went to work at Delta Airlines, where he is now a captain and flies long-haul international flights.
Flerlage has at least one hurdle to clear before he can even match toes with Coffman - Democrat David Canter has also announced plans to run in CD-6.
