Representative Donald Glenn Brotzman

Donald Glenn Brotzman (June 28, 1922 – September 15, 2004) was a U.S. Representative from Colorado who served in the United States Congress from 1963 to 1975. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District for five terms during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process and participating in the democratic governance of the nation. As of 2025, he remains the last Republican to have represented Colorado’s 2nd District in the House of Representatives.

Brotzman was born on June 28, 1922, in Sterling, Logan County, Colorado. He grew up in northeastern Colorado, a largely agricultural region, and his early life in a rural community helped shape his understanding of the economic and social concerns of his future constituents. His upbringing in Colorado established a lifelong connection to the state that would define his professional and political career.

Brotzman pursued higher education in his home state, attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. There he studied law, earning a law degree that prepared him for both legal practice and public service. His legal training provided a foundation for his later work in legislative matters, where familiarity with statutory language, constitutional principles, and regulatory frameworks was essential to his role as a lawmaker.

After completing his education, Brotzman entered the legal profession in Colorado, establishing himself as an attorney and becoming active in civic and political affairs. His engagement with local and state issues, combined with his legal expertise, led him into Republican Party politics. Over time, he built a reputation as a capable advocate for Colorado’s interests, which helped propel him toward national office. His early career in law and public life positioned him to understand both the practical and legal dimensions of public policy.

Brotzman was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Republican from Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District and began his congressional service in 1963. He served five consecutive terms, remaining in office until 1975. His tenure in Congress coincided with a transformative era in American history, encompassing the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Great Society programs, and significant shifts in domestic and foreign policy. As a member of the House of Representatives, he participated in debates and votes on major national issues, represented the interests of his Colorado constituents, and contributed to the legislative process through committee work and floor deliberations.

During his years in Congress, Brotzman’s role as a Republican representative from a diverse and changing district required balancing local concerns with national priorities. He worked within the framework of his party’s positions while addressing the needs of Colorado’s communities, including economic development, infrastructure, and the evolving environmental and energy issues that were increasingly important in the Mountain West. His service reflected the broader currents of mid-20th-century American politics, in which Western states were gaining greater influence in national decision-making.

Brotzman left Congress in 1975 after twelve years of continuous service. In the years that followed, he remained associated with public affairs and the legal and political communities shaped by his long tenure in office. His legacy in Colorado politics is marked not only by the length of his service but also by the historical distinction that, as of 2025, no other Republican has succeeded him as the representative of Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District. Donald Glenn Brotzman died on September 15, 2004, closing a career that had spanned law, politics, and a pivotal period in the history of both Colorado and the United States.