Meet A.J. Zimpfer
My Reason to Run
My youngest just turned one and still hasn’t quite figured out how to sleep through the night. I’ve spent many late nights awake, rocking him and scrolling through the news. In those quiet hours, I’ve watched the dismantling of our government, the loss of life from cuts to international aid, the genocide in Gaza, and the growing disregard for the future of our planet.
And through all of it, I’ve held this precious, sleeping child in my arms and thought about the world he’s inheriting. I realized I couldn’t just watch anymore. I didn’t believe Senator Hickenlooper was showing the strength or urgency needed to protect the children suffering now, or to safeguard the future for mine. I knew I had to do something.
I want my two kids, and all kids, to grow up in a country built on opportunity, stability, and compassion. A place where no one worries about whether our planet will remain livable, where political division isn’t a constant, where no one fears going broke to get healthcare, and where hard work is rewarded with dignity and security.
About Me
I grew up in a community where people looked out for each other. Neighbors helped neighbors, and everyone knew that when one of us did well, it made things better for everyone. From an early age, I tried to make sense of a world that didn’t always live up to that idea, how to treat others the way you’d like to be treated in a system that often rewards the opposite. It taught me to value people and community above all else.
I came to Colorado after college, drawn by the promise of the West: the space, the land, and the spirit of independence. It’s where I met my wife, built lifelong friendships, and started a family. These are my people, and this is where I want my kids to grow up.
As an accountant, I’ve spent years working with large corporations, and I’ve seen how our economy too often puts profits over people. I’ve watched good workers get laid off, jobs sent overseas, and small businesses buried under unnecessary complexity that no one can realistically keep up with. I’ve also seen how this same mindset creeps into healthcare, where the pull of Wall Street can overshadow the human side of the work.
Outside of work, I coach my kids’ soccer team, I’ve volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and spend as much time as I can with my family—gardening, hiking, climbing at the rec center, or just being with our neighbors. Those moments remind me what really matters.
Colorado embodies the best of that spirit. Out here, we help our neighbors—Democrat, Republican, or Independent—it doesn’t matter. We only lose that when we start listening to the faceless voices that tell us to blame each other instead of working together.