DENVER – NARAL Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights group and a leading progressive political advocacy organization, on Tuesday endorsed former University of Colorado Regent Joe Neguse, one of two Democrats running for the 2nd Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, a candidate for governor. Neguse has also won the support of Nederland Mayor Kristopher Larsen, a former primary rival.

“Joe Neguse’s voice is needed in Washington to represent Colorado’s pro-choice values,” said Ilyse Hogue, NARAL’s national president, in a statement. “We know he will be a champion for reproductive rights, and we’ll work hard to get him elected.”

Neguse, an attorney and former executive director of Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies, is facing Mark Williams, a former chair of the Boulder Democratic Party, in a primary. He said in a statement that he looks forward to “fighting alongside NARAL in the fight for reproductive freedom and protecting the right to choose.”

Nuguse was the Democrats’ 2014 nominee for secretary of state. If elected, the 33-year-old son of Eritrean immigrants would be among the youngest members of Congress and would be the first African-American sent to Congress from Colorado.

Williams has submitted petitions to qualify for a spot on the June 26 primary ballot and is also going through the assembly process. Neguse is just pursuing the ballot via the district assembly, which convenes April 13 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield on the eve of the Democrats’ state assembly at the same location.

Republican Peter Yu, a political newcomer, and independent candidate Nick Thomas are also running for the heavily Democratic seat.