A decorated Vietnam veteran and longtime union representative will run for Colorado Senate District 13, giving Sen. John Cooke, R-Greeley, a Democratic opponent.

Phil Kelley, 68, moved to Colorado in 2015 after living in northern Indiana. He worked 30 years at General Motors and was active in the United Auto Workers Union, serving as a member of the executive board for his local chapter, according to a news release announcing Kelley’s candidacy.

Before his career in the auto industry, Kelley said he joined the Army, and was a door gunner and crew chief of a UH-1C Huey gunship. Kelley earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star and three air medals.

After returning home, Kelley became politically active and sought to stop the Vietnam War, he said.

He has been actively involved in Democratic politics since.

“I realized that I could no longer just sit on the sidelines and vote – it just wasn’t enough,” Kelley said in the release. “I felt I had to step up, and this time instead of putting on a uniform, it was time to run for the state Senate, where I will fight the forces that are leading our state in the wrong direction.”

Kelley’s road won’t be easy, as he goes against Cooke, a former Weld County sheriff who won election in 2014 over his Democratic opponent by nearly 30 percentage points.

Kelley was a Bernie Sanders supporter in 2016, serving as a local, county and state delegate in Colorado, and he said he’s upset about the direction of the country.

“Over the last year and a half, I have become absolutely horrified at what has been done to the country I love so much after defending her so many years ago,” Kelley said.

Kelley said he’s campaigning on a number of issues, including the environment, gun regulations, infrastructure and fracking. He also would take a stand against discrimination.

“It’s time we had a working person represent working people,” Kelley said. “That’s the way the founding fathers wanted it.”