I am, We are

"My name is David Ortiz. For those that don't know me, I'm a 3rd Generation Service member ... I'm a first generation American on my mom's side ... and my whole life has been about public service. ... Public service is my addiction, and you all decided to put me here. Thank you so much. ..."

Yesterday, Representative Ortiz outlined his new agenda in a legislative town hall. Representative Ortiz's bills are largely focused around ...

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Colorado has elected its first lawmaker who uses a wheelchair, but the 130-year-old Capitol building where he'll work is not totally accessible. Colorado Public Radio's Bente Birkeland reports on changes that are now underway, changes that some say are long overdue.

BENTE BIRKELAND, BYLINE: Democratic Representative-elect David Ortiz has had to make a lot of changes in the last eight years. The U.S. Army veteran survived a catastrophic helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

DAVID ORTIZ: So as you pull up in the driveway, you'll notice right away that there are two concrete ramps - one that...

Soon Colorado will get its first state lawmaker known to use a wheelchair. Democrat David Ortiz was elected by voters in south Metro Denver and will be sworn into office in January. But the Capitol building, where he'll work and where he's supposed to interact with his colleagues and the people he serves, is not fully accessible to him.

His election has jumpstarted some changes to the 130-year-old building that some say are long overdue.

“Obviously the most urgent thing was to make sure I could at least do my job,” Ortiz said.

The former aviator survived a ...

Democrat David Ortiz has succeeded in his race to become the first out bisexual lawmaker in Colorado. Ortiz was standing for the state’s 38th District.

Ortiz, 38, is a former helicopter pilot with the U.S. military. He survived a crash while serving in Afghanistan that left him paralyzed from the waist down and put an end to his military career. Since that time, he has found a new calling as an advocate for disabled veterans and as a champion for equality. His victory also makes him the first wheelchair user elected ...

What motivates you to run for office?

The short answer is to empower others the way others have empowered me. Whether that’s through the example of their life like my grandfather who was an infantryman in WWII, my dad who was an Air Force Academy grad of ‘79, or my mother who migrated from Mexico when she was only 15 years old. It was those values around tenacity, selfless service, and ...

David Ortiz secured a decisive victory in the Democratic primary for Colorado state House District 38 in the party primary election that ended June 30, with a nearly 2-1 advantage over rival Candice Ferguson in unofficial ...