Lisa Grace Kellogg, a Republican, is challenging state
Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh

 By ANTHONY A. MESTAS      THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

 WALSENBURG - An attorney and publisher of a small Southern Colorado newspaper is challenging State Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh, for the Colorado 64th District House seat.

Lisa Grace Kellogg, a Republican, wants to represent the district which covers Baca, Bent, Prowers, Otero, Huerfano and Las Animas counties. Kellogg, 39, and her husband, former Denver Broncos player, Mike Kellogg, own Major's Ranch in Huerfano County where they breed Rocky Mountain horses. The couple also owns the 125-year-old Huerfano County World newspaper in Walsenburg.

Kellogg earned her bachelor's degree from University of Southern California and juris doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law.

After graduation, she became an associate with Lemieux & O'Neill, a law firm which specializes in water law. Later, she established her own firm specializing in media law. In 2008, she purchased the Huerfano County World just one week before it was scheduled to close due to the ill health of its former owner.

Kellogg said that as publisher of the newspaper she has been in a position to see how citizens in District 64 are being represented. She said citizens are not having their interests represented properly.

In the barren lands in Huerfano County near Walsenburg, some farmers and ranchers report they are seeing water wells running dry or becoming contaminated and homes being evacuated because of methane gas drilling.

Kellogg said that she was inspired to run for the seat after her newspaper ran a series of articles about citizens impacted by drilling.

"In a picture one of our photographers captured, there was a farmer on his land looking off into the distance and he just has this look on his face, sheer utter devastation. It broke my heart," Kellogg said.

"In talking to the farmer later he told me that he had approached the current representative on numerous occasions and nothing ever came of it."

Kellogg said if elected she wants to help promote small business and the local economy. She said there is a need to explore natural resources, but companies who engage in drilling activity must do so responsibly.

"I am totally in favor of exploring our natural resources but it just can't be at the expense of our environment," she said.

Kellogg said that she also wants to protect ranchers that are battling over the possible expansion of the Pinon Canon Maneuver Site in Las Animas County.

She said she strongly believes in individual rights and that government seizing land from citizens is wrong.

"The real issue is whether or not government should be able to seize land from a citizen. I just don't think that is a precedent that we want to set," Kellogg said.