Press Release June 28, 2010

Torsten Eckstein, Democratic Candidate for Colorado State Senate District 15 Receives Colorado AFL-CIO and Northern Colorado Labor Council Endorsements

Denver / Larimer County June 28, 2010 -Torsten Eckstein, Colorado State University researcher and small business owner received two important endorsements from labor for his candidacy for Colorado State Senate District 15. Both the Colorado AFL-CIO and the Northern Colorado Labor Council decided this week to support him.

“A strong and educated workforce is a key building block of a strong economy,” Eckstein said. “I am proud to have the backing of both of the Colorado AFL-CIO and the Northern Colorado Labor Council. I will represent the values of the hard working men and women in Larimer County when elected to the Colorado State Senate.”

Torsten Eckstein is running for State Senate because of his passion for providing excellent education to all students, strengthening Colorado’s economy and protecting the natural environment.

By Jeff Stahla Loveland Reporter-Herald

A Colorado State University researcher and small-business man hopes to offer Democratic voters of Senate District 15 an alternative, vowing to focus “on the values of the Democratic Party.” Torsten Eckstein, 48, announced his candidacy Sunday in front of a couple dozen residents in the cafeteria of Conrad Ball Middle School.

The venue choice was not unintentional. Eckstein will compete for the Democratic nomination for the Senate District 15 seat against Rich Ball, the son of the school’s namesake.

“I like Rich,” Eckstein said. However, he said he does not believe Ball represents the “common person” of the district.

“I don’t know where he stands on progressive issues,” he said.

Eckstein said he will focus his campaign on the issues of education, the environment and the economy.

“I believe in the power of education because it was always first in my family,” he said.

The son of two doctors, Eckstein grew up in East Germany. He spoke of his family’s yearning for freedom — even trying to escape twice to the freedom offered by the West.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago, Eckstein was part of a group that pushed for unification quickly, helping to get his father elected to the new parliament.

He came to the United States in 1994, and now researches developments in the dairy industry in addition to his university work. His wife, Julia, is a professor at the university.

Among Eckstein’s other issues of focus will be the environment, and he said he will fight against proposed uranium mining in northwest Weld County and against the proposed Glade Reservoir northwest of Fort Collins. The state needs to protect water quality and encourage conservation, he said.

Attendees were interested in hearing where Eckstein is coming from.

Local Democratic activist Ann Harroun said she attended Eckstein’s announcement after hearing from Ball last month. She said she was encouraged there were more Democratic candidates challenging for the seat.

“There was a time when we didn’t have candidates for anything,” she said.

Kathleen Worthington of Windsor said she had met Eckstein through work on Democratic issues and was interested in hearing more about his thoughts on the green energy economy. She also is encouraged by having a primary.

“Everybody learns from everybody else,” she said.

The winner of the primary, which will be in August, will face Sen. Kevin Lundberg, a Republican who was appointed to office by a vacancy committee. Steve Johnson resigned his post to serve on the board of Larimer County Commissioners.

Torsten Eckstein Running For State Senate Loveland - November 11, 2009 LovelandPolitics.com

Torsten Eckstein will announce his candidacy for State Senate District 15 this Sunday at Conrad Ball Middle School in Loveland. The announcement has been posted to his campaign website. The website shows pictures of CSU Young Democrats preparing campaign signs for Eckstein's announcement in a classroom. This is unusual as party affiliated organizations normally stay neutral during primaries.

A Democrat, Eckstein joins the primary race for his party's nomination to challenge incumbent State Senator Kevin Lundberg. State Senate District 15 encompasses areas around Ft. Collins, the entire City of Loveland and numerous smaller cities between from Estes Park and Weld County.

Eckstein is joining the race after Loveland attorney Richard Ball announced he will also campaign for the party's nomination to challenge Lundberg. The two candidates come from very different perspectives and different worlds.

Richard Ball is a Loveland native whose father, Conrad Ball, was a Larimer County District Court judge for 20 years.
Conrad Ball Middle School, where Eckstein will make his announcement this Sunday, is named after his opponent's father. Richard Ball worked first in real estate before becoming an attorney. His family is well established in the community and is considered among the more prosperous and influential families of Loveland.

LovelandPolitics was told that former State House Republican Representatives from Loveland, Bill Kaufman and Don Marostica, recruited Ball to run during a private discussion. Kaufman is a token Republican who regularly endorses Democrats and Don Marostica now works for Governor Ritter. Some Democratic party activist were disappointed Ball was recruited by two Republicrats who are known more for their centrist pragmatism instead of representing any political point of view. Nonetheless, Ball has attempted to quell concerns by assuring some he really is a "liberal" Democrat. Ball is currently working for a bank and remains active with many charitable organizations throughout the community.

Eckstein was not born into a wealthy or powerful family like his opponent. Born in Communist East Berlin in 1961, Eckstein was a determined student whose mother studied medicine. Eckstein now researches infectious diseases through microbiological research at CSU (Colorado State University) to diagnose Crohn's Disease and help in the cattle industry. He is the founder of Eckstein Diagnostics, a biotech company.

Eckstein states on his campaign website that he is running to promote, "a predictable and balanced budget; a world class education; a robust economy and personal freedom to create the American Dream for all Coloradoans."

A Voice for Small Business Innovation

An article about my company in the Fort Collins Coloradoan about how I'm advancing research for the Colorado cattle industry.

A Champion of Colorado Bioscience

An article about me in Bioscience Colorado about how great Colorado is for biotech firms like mine, Eckstein Diagnostics.