State Rep. David Ortiz, a Littleton Democrat, announced Wednesday he will not seek a third term in Colorado House District 38.

In a statement issued by the House Majority Project, Ortiz said: “Second only to serving in our armed forces and serving with some of the most amazing humans this country has to offer, serving the people of House District 38 has been a privilege and honor.”

“Ableism and lack of access has made it difficult to serve but the sacrifices have been worth it,” he continued, “That being said, after much reflection, I’ve decided not to run for reelection so that I can enjoy some of the freedoms that I’ve fought for and defended.”

Ortiz was first elected in 2020 and is the first, and so far only, wheelchair user to serve as a Colorado lawmaker. That prompted the beginning of changes to make the House chambers more accessible, such as installing a wheelchair-accessible elevator so that he could preside over House sessions. 

Ortiz is a veteran of the Army where he served as a helicopter pilot. On June 21, 2012, while flying over the Khost province south of Baghran in Afghanistan, his helicopter crashed. He was paralyzed from the waist down in that accident.

A native of Rapid City, South Dakota, his injuries led him to Craig Hospital in Englewood and a new career path, as a legislative advocate for the United Veterans Committee of Colorado.

He told Colorado Politics in 2022: “I think I’ve been through enough trauma and trials in my life to know you can make all the plans you want and life can have a different outcome for you. And you just have to make the most of it. That’s the way I’ve learned to live my life is, and that makes it sound serious. I will always find joy where I’m at. I will make the most out of the situation I find myself in and find joy and try and serve others and help others, no matter where I’m at.”

Ortiz’s election to the Colorado House was groundbreaking for disability advocates.

Julie Reiskin, co-executive director of the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, said in May that when there legislators like Ortiz who have that direct lived experience, it helps in a way that is just totally impenetrable from the outside.

“It means everything. It’s also the optics. When someone in a wheelchair is at the Capitol, these are people who are part of the business of the Capitol,” Reiskin told Colorado Politics.

House Speaker Julie McCluskie of Dillon said Ortiz “has made tremendous sacrifices for our country, a legacy of service he continued with his time as a state representative for House District 38.”

“With Representative Ortiz’s leadership, Colorado has passed landmark legislation to improve basic access for people with disabilities, bolster services and support for veterans, and build more housing that Coloradans can afford,” she said. His advocacy at the Capitol has ensured these critical issues are always front and center, and even after his term ends, I know he will continue fighting for equity at every level.” 

Editor’s note: a previous edition said Ortiz served in the Air Force, not the Army.