With the top two political parties dominated by their most extreme members, Tim Veldhuizen wants to give Colorado’s 4th Congressional District a reasonable alternative next November.
The longtime Loveland business owner is launching an unaffiliated bid for the U.S. House seat held by Rep. Lauren Boebert, arguing that today’s two-party politics has grown increasingly polarized, unproductive and out of step with most voters.
“I just want to live in a nicer country,” Veldhuizen said of his candidacy. “It really just comes down to that. I feel like both parties have become so crazy — so separated from each other in their policies — and politically and governmentally, we’re just not getting things done. I think there’s a better way forward.”
A lifelong Loveland resident for all practical purposes, Veldhuizen came to Loveland at a year-old in 1963, when his father was hired as a guidance counselor and track coach at Loveland High School, a job he would hold for more than 30 years. When Veldhuizen was later a student there, having his dad around sometimes had its drawbacks.
“Any other kids could get away with stuff, but not me,” he said, laughing.
After high school, Veldhuizen traveled around Europe and earned a degree from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. He then returned to Loveland and got a job at the former Summit restaurant, launching a career that would span more than three decades.
Along the way, he launched several local establishments, including The Chop House and McGraff’s American Grill, and he also built what was originally Chuy’s (now The Pourhouse).
Now retired from the restaurant industry, Veldhuizen currently owns and operates Colorado Farmhouse Cheese Company, using techniques he learned during his travels in Europe.
Veldhuizen does not have any experience holding public office, but said his years of advocating in Congress on behalf of the Colorado Restaurant Association gave him a window into how Washington works.
“The first time I went out, I was a little bit awestruck,” he said. “And I quickly realized that everybody out there, they’re just people … there’s no magic in it.”
Veldhuizen acknowledged that it might take a little magic to persuade voters that an independent candidate can win in a district dominated by the major parties.
First, he has to make the ballot, but his unaffiliated status means he won’t face a primary election, unlike the party candidates. Instead, Veldhuizen needs to collect 1,500 valid signatures from registered voters in the district during a petition window that begins in March.
Once that hurdle is cleared, the race is on for the November general election. The candidate calculates he can win a three-way race by securing 38% of the vote, a figure that seems “doable.”
“That’s going to be my biggest challenge — to convince the people that are looking for an option that I can be a viable option, that I can win, and that I can make good decisions for them,” he said. “I want to meet a lot of people, listen to what they have to say, and help try and find solutions.”
For Veldhuizen, finding solutions starts with pushing for practical compromises instead of partisan purity tests, especially on issues like immigration, where he argues the country has lurched between two unworkable extremes.
He described Boebert as “fanatical” about deportation, and said a mass roundup would “throw out the baby with the bath water” by gutting industries that depend on immigrant labor, like construction, hospitality and agriculture.
At the same time, Veldhuizen said he does not support what he called lax enforcement under President Joe Biden, describing it as “a free-for-all,” and arguing that the answer lies in a middle-ground solution neither party has been able to deliver.
“There should be — and easily could be — a system in place that would allow people to come in, work legally and be a part of the community rather than hiding,” the candidate said. “It’s a problem that has been going on for 80 years. There have been attempts to fix it — but, again, because the two parties are so far apart, they can’t get agreement.”
Beyond immigration, Veldhuizen said he expects the election to turn on “affordability” — what he calls the fundamentals of the economy — and he wants Congress to focus on easing cost pressures on households and rural producers.
He said health care is also a priority, warning that the lapse of certain Affordable Care Act subsidies “is going to be painful for people” and arguing the country needs a long-term system that isn’t driven by profit.
He also criticized tariffs that he said squeeze Colorado agriculture and emphasized water protections for farming in a state where supplies are limited.
As he begins campaigning, Veldhuizen said is looking forward to meeting voters across the district and making the case that a middle-lane candidate can be viable.
“If I can contribute positively to this, I want a shot,” he said. “If the population agrees, you’ve got a job. If they don’t, I’ll go back to making cheese. But the overriding opinion is the two parties are too extreme — and most people are looking for a middle option.”
For more information about Veldhuizen and his campaign, visit Tim4CO.com.
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