My Story:

As a pharmacist in the Critical Care Unit of a Level One Trauma Center, I have helped take care of patients during their most desperate hours. Now I would like to help care for all of Colorado and our nation. For the first time, there is a nationwide push to have more scientifically trained citizens run for positions in government. I believe as a pharmacist I am uniquely qualified to address many of the issues facing our nation including health care reform, prescription drug prices, and the opioid epidemic.

Senator Cory Gardner has willfully turned his back on his constituents. He has voted to confirm all of Donald Trump’s appointees even when they have proven grossly incompetent for the position nominated. He has disrespected voters by calling us who voice concern “paid protesters.” We need someone who will listen to our voices and it would be my honor to serve for Colorado.

My Background:

I am first in my family to attend college, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Northern Colorado in 2002. During my undergraduate studies, I worked as a pharmacy technician and found my calling as a pharmacist. I received my Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wyoming in 2006 and completed a one-year pharmacy residency in Spokane, Washington the following year. Colorado is the only place that has felt like home to me and I was happy to return to Denver and begin my career in 2007.

I have enjoyed the last 10 years as a Critical Care Pharmacist at a Denver area hospital where I continue to strive to achieve excellence and demonstrate leadership. In addition to my daily role, I also serve as my department's Pharmacy Residency Director, eager to facilitate future generations of pharmacy leaders. Now I want to continue to serve patients in Colorado by working to ensure no one needs to worry about the affordability or access to healthcare.

Personal Life

I have been married for 5 years to Christine Rost, a records manager for a midstream oil and gas company in Denver. With multiple family members in the oil and gas industry, I understand the challenges in the field and the way that companies are transforming into energy companies. We have an 11-year- old Toy Poodle and a 2-year- old Irish Wolfhound that make up our family.

My interests are varied. My wife and I enjoy attending pop culture and comic conventions such as Denver Comic Con. I run in my spare time to stay fit and relieve stress, and completed the Colfax Marathon last May. My other hobbies include photography, quilting, and playing tabletop games with friends.

My Principles:

*Facts are Facts and The Truth is The Truth:

Hard science isn’t up for debate and carbon dioxide will continue to make our planet warmer, whether our current EPA Secretary believes it or not. The scientific consensus is that planet warming is a man-made problem to the point of defining a new epoch because of man’s impact on the planet. We must let facts define our policies, and not have our beliefs define the facts.

*Healthcare is a Human Right:

Most developed societies have acknowledged that everyone, no matter their ability to pay, deserves healthcare. I believe access to healthcare, whenever you need it and without it ever leading to financial ruin, is synonymous with the right to liberty. Working in the ICU I have seen too many patients admitted for Diabetic Ketoacidosis after being unable to afford their insulin. This leads to catastrophically expensive hospital stays that are written off by the hospital or absorbed into costs of other care. We all end up paying in the end; wouldn’t it be better for everyone if we just had to pay for their insulin?

*Women’s Equality:

I stand with Planned Parenthood. I believe in a woman’s right to choose. Beyond that, I believe there are many other women’s health issues that deserve more attention such as postpartum depression and removing taxes on feminine hygiene products. Pay inequality needs to end. Women should not be making 80% of what men in the same position make, and the fact this is still being debated appalls me.

*Civil Rights:

I support the Black Lives Matter movement and all of its guiding principles. I abhor racism in all its forms and will stand firm against this renewed movement of white supremacy. The current administration’s treatment of Muslims betrays the values I believe make this country great. We are a better country because of immigrants and should be welcoming them, not closing our doors.

*The Arts:

I’m a daily listener and supporter of public radio, and art is what tells the story of our society and its individual people. The discussions in congress to defund the NEA and public radio are unconscionable.

*Campaign Funding and Citizens United:

Senator Cory Gardner spent $17 million on his first Senate election campaign. The reason the wealthy are over represented in our nation’s government is that only the wealthy can afford to campaign.

Related to Citizens United, corporations are not people and money is not speech. As a country, we should all be concerned when our politicians accept large sums of money from corporations and then vote in those corporation’s interests. In the medical profession attention is paid to the amount of money and handouts that are given to physicians and pharmacists, and laws are put in place to moderate those handouts. There are volumes of studies reporting concerns over the prescriptions that a physician writes based on drug representative visits. Shouldn’t we be paying just as much attention to legislators?

*Act Ethically:

Pharmacists are the #2 most ethical profession according to a Gallup poll. I have been emboldened by my profession to always act on behalf of what is right for patients and I will continue to do so for constituents.


Show your support for this campaign by endorsing it and sharing why!

  • endorsed

    “I endorse Dustin Leitzel because he will bring sanity back to the United States and he will work hard for EVERY Coloradan, not just the wealthy 1%.”

  • endorsed

    “He is not Cory Gardner”

  • endorsed

    “He seems to be better than what The Party is giving us to run The Government of Our Country. Maybe when I know him better I might have more to say on his behalf. I hope he will support and work with Our Non-Partisan CampaignForTheAmericanPeople.”

  • endorsed

    “Dustin is one of the kindest people I know and I am extremely lucky to know him. I could not imagine a better person to represent me in the Senate. Good luck, Dustin!”

  • endorsed

    “I'm in agreement with everything on the stated platform, and as a fellow bearded Colorado Dustin, I approve this message.”

  • endorsed

    “I wholeheartedly endorse Dustin Leitzel. I have known him for almost 10 years and he is a kind, compassionate, dedicated friend. He is a strong advocate for progressive issues that matter to me and I believe his personal philosophy and ethical standards put him far above the rigmarole of mainstream politics. He is thoughtful and passionate about learning new things and experiencing life to the fullest. These are the qualities of a good leader!”

  • endorsed

    “I have known Dustin for over 10 years and he is committed to making positive change in our state and in the world. His background in science/medicine and his approach to the world as a caring and inspiring individual are what I am most impressed with as he begins this work. Please join me in following him and supporting him.”

March 23, 2017

Help me meet with you

I have been invited to meet with a local, liberal group in Westminster on April 9th and I would like the opportunity to meet with more groups around the state.

I ran an informal poll this week via my Twitter to see where my current followers reside. As I expected the majority were along the Front Range but I was pleased to see that there were at least a few followers in every region of the state I was able to post (Twitter only allows up to 4 options for a survey). I would like the opportunity to start getting out and meeting with my early supporters and their communities. I would like to be able to attend local House District meetings to introduce myself and give them a chance to tell me what they think I should know.

Please consider donating to my campaign in any amount. Through successful fundraising now we can show the state party as well as other supporters we will need in the future that we can win in 2020.

Thank you.

March 20, 2017

Cory Gardner Equals Trump

Fivethirtyeight.com recently introduced a Trump Score to reflect how Senators and Representatives vote with respect to Donald Trump's positions.

As of the last update on 3/16/2017 Cory Gardner has voted in line with Trump's agenda 100% of the time and he is at the top of the Trump Score table.

I am not running solely on the basis of "Reject Senator Gardner" but when his votes and statements go so far afield of what the majority of his constituents believe in I need to call it out.

Please continue to support my campaign. Your contributions will help show the state party and political action committees that I will be a viable candidate to stand up against Senator Gardner in 2020.

Campaign created!

Show your support for this campaign by endorsing it and sharing why!

  • endorsed

    “I endorse Dustin Leitzel because he will bring sanity back to the United States and he will work hard for EVERY Coloradan, not just the wealthy 1%.”

  • endorsed

    “He is not Cory Gardner”

  • endorsed

    “He seems to be better than what The Party is giving us to run The Government of Our Country. Maybe when I know him better I might have more to say on his behalf. I hope he will support and work with Our Non-Partisan CampaignForTheAmericanPeople.”

  • endorsed

    “Dustin is one of the kindest people I know and I am extremely lucky to know him. I could not imagine a better person to represent me in the Senate. Good luck, Dustin!”

  • endorsed

    “I'm in agreement with everything on the stated platform, and as a fellow bearded Colorado Dustin, I approve this message.”

  • endorsed

    “I wholeheartedly endorse Dustin Leitzel. I have known him for almost 10 years and he is a kind, compassionate, dedicated friend. He is a strong advocate for progressive issues that matter to me and I believe his personal philosophy and ethical standards put him far above the rigmarole of mainstream politics. He is thoughtful and passionate about learning new things and experiencing life to the fullest. These are the qualities of a good leader!”

  • endorsed

    “I have known Dustin for over 10 years and he is committed to making positive change in our state and in the world. His background in science/medicine and his approach to the world as a caring and inspiring individual are what I am most impressed with as he begins this work. Please join me in following him and supporting him.”