Joining a Republican primary field that is getting more crowded by the week, El Paso County Commissioner Peggy Littleton on Wednesday announced she’s in the running to challenge U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, with a name change to boot.

“In 2010, Sen. Bennet said it’s time to give Washington a wake-up call,” says Littleton – who now chooses to be “Peg Littleton” rather than Peggy – in a video launching her bid. “Instead, Bennet crawled right in bed with them.”

She told the Colorado Springs Gazette’s Megan Schrader she had opted for the name change to coincide with her sought change of public office, “I’m no longer Peggy Littleton, county commissioner,” she said. “Now I’m Peg Littleton U.S. Senator.”

Beyond the change in reference, she blasted Bennet for voting with President Barack Obama 98 percent of the time, according to Congressional Quarterly, and charged that the Democrat “betrayed Coloradans by voting for the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal.”

Littleton isn’t ceding any ground to her GOP primary rivals, saying she plans to campaign on “fearless conservative principles” and maintains that she can take the fight to Bennet on national security issues as well as any of the other 10 declared Republican candidates. Claiming she was the first in the state to “sound the alarm” on federal Common Core education standards, Littleton also points to her terms on the State Board of Education and as a charter school teacher.

Candidates in the race include state Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton, state Rep. Jon Keyser, R-Morrison, former Aurora Councilman Ryan Frazier, Colorado Springs businessman Robert Blaha, Jefferson County Commissioner Don Rosier and tea party activist Charlie Ehler.

Littleton is the fourth Republican from El Paso County to jump in the race and the third county commissioner — fellow candidate Darryl Glenn checks both boxes — but she also points out that she’s the only woman running.

“I’m not going to be anyone’s yes man,” she says.

Campaign manager Dede Laugesen vowed that Littleton “will rise to the top and be one of those top-tier candidates.”

“She was looking at the field of candidates and realized she is a highly experienced candidate, that she felt she needed to give the voters of Colorado the option,” Laugesen told The Colorado Statesman. “She has experience fighting corrupt government and working in the largest county in Colorado, representing a constituency at least as large if not larger than any of the other candidates who have already put their name in the hat.”

Littleton says she was the first El Paso County commissioner to call for the county’s scandal-plagued sheriff to resign, and she also led the charge to restore a two-term limit to the county commission. She also served on the State Board of Education at the same time Bennet was Denver Public Schools superintendent, before he was appointed to the Senate seat in 2009.

“She has experience working with Michael Bennet and knows who he is and believes he needs to be beat,” Laugesen added.

Colorado Republicans pick a Senate nominee in a June 28 primary. Candidates can make the ballot via the GOP state assembly, winning at least 30 percent of delegate votes, or by petition. Littleton and Neville have said they plan to pursue the nomination through the caucus and assembly process, while the Keyser, Frazier and Blaha campaigns have said they are still deciding which route to take.

“A petition would favor someone such as Blaha or Keyser, who aren’t seeking the very conservative grassroots vote. Peggy respects the process and feels the state assembly is the right place to be,” Laugesen said. “Peggy is well known in Colorado for her conservative values. She is well liked by the base and she has been elected several times in a district that is purple,” she added, echoing a point made by Neville, who ousted a Democratic state senator in a swing district. (Littleton’s El Paso County commissioner district is roughly evenly divided between Republican, Democratic and unaffiliated voters.)

Colorado Democratic Party spokesman Andrew Zucker celebrated the entry of Littleton into the race and even got in a reference to the Denver Broncos in his statement.

“There are now 11 Republicans running for Senate in Colorado, making this the most crowded primary in the country,” he said. “There are enough Republicans running to field a starting 11 against the Broncos on Sunday, and as they duke it out in the country’s most crowded and divisive primary, Michael will continue to work across party lines to take on Washington dysfunction and get things done for Colorado.”

— ernest@coloradostatesman.com