Brashad Hasley

Brashad Hasley (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Colorado. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 30, 2026.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Brashad Hasley, a U.S. Navy veteran, software engineer, and proud Coloradan. I grew up in a single-parent home in Dallas with my mom and two sisters, played football, took AP classes, and joined the Navy right after high school. I served as a Navy Corpsman with a Marine unit, an experience that taught me leadership, discipline, and how to take care of people. After service, I earned a computer science degree at the University of North Texas while raising my son as a single father. I later worked in the defense sector and served abroad in Germany, focusing on data and AI projects, and that’s where I met my wife. I also became a dad at 18, so I understand kitchen-table pressures firsthand.

I’m running for the U.S. Senate for Colorado to make sure technology serves people. That means practical guardrails for AI, protecting jobs and privacy, modern education that prepares students for good work, accessible healthcare, clean energy, and infrastructure that lasts. I aim to represent every Coloradan: Democrat, Republican, and independent. With common-sense logic based problem solving and a focus on results. I made my career in solving problems. With a little support I believe I can bring change to this nation and contribute to uniting our people.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Make technology work for the people:

I will set clear guardrails on AI to protect jobs, privacy, and civil rights; crack down on deepfake abuse; and pair innovation with worker training, apprenticeships, and small-business support. Colorado should lead a human-centered tech future where families gain opportunity instead of losing livelihoods.Use tech gains to cut hours, not pay:

Smart AI guardrails and productivity investments should let people work fewer hours with the same or better pay. I will back 32-hour workweek pilots with no pay cuts, tax incentives for companies that share productivity gains with workers, stronger overtime protections, and training funds so teams can adopt new tools without layoffs. The goal is higher productivity, healthier families, and more time back in every persons week.Better health, fair justice, stronger economy:

When technology serves people, families win. I will pair AI guardrails and shared productivity gains with policies that lower health costs, expand access to care, and protect privacy. Safer communities come from opportunity: apprenticeships, good jobs, and smart prevention that reduce crime. A people-first tech strategy, clean energy investment, and durable infrastructure grow small businesses and keep Colorado competitive. The result is a healthier state, a fairer justice system, and a stronger economy.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I’m passionate about policies that make technology serve people and connect to everyday life: guardrails on AI to prevent job loss and protect rights; a worker-centered economy that shares productivity gains so we can pilot shorter workweeks without cutting pay; and training and apprenticeships that open real paths to good jobs. I care about lowering health costs, expanding access to care, and protecting data privacy. I support clean energy and modern infrastructure to cut costs and keep Colorado competitive. I believe safer communities come from opportunity and smart prevention, not just punishment. Taken together, these priorities reduce burnout, improve health, lower costs, and drive broad-based growth.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Collaboration, empathy, and lived experience matter most. An effective elected official must:

- Work well with others, build coalitions, and listen to people who disagree.

- Lead with empathy and a constituent-first mindset.

- Understand life at the bottom and what it takes to work your way up.

- Practice integrity, transparency, and accountability with public funds and power.

- Be evidence-driven and results-focused, willing to learn, adapt, and admit when more facts are needed.

- Protect civil rights and the rule of law for every community.

- Communicate clearly and be accessible in every county and neighborhood.

- Put service over ego and keep promises to the people, not special interests.

These principles guide how I would govern: listen first, find common ground, and deliver practical solutions that improve daily life.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A U.S. Senator’s core responsibilities are to legislate and negotiate solutions, shape budgets and appropriations, provide advice and consent on nominees and treaties, and conduct oversight that protects rights and taxpayer dollars. The role also includes hands-on constituent service, championing federal investments, and weighing national security and foreign policy with care and transparency. While I represent Colorado, every vote and bill affects families across America and our partners around the world, so ethics, accessibility, and coalition-building are essential. In practice for me, that means advancing guardrails for AI that protect jobs and privacy, lowering costs for families, modern education and apprenticeships, and clean energy with resilient infrastructure, delivering results for Colorado and the country.

What legacy would you like to leave?

One where people don't see different sides but someone who just solves problems.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The Election of Obama. I was 17

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a lifeguard at a water park, I worked there for about a year when I was 15.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Way of Kings: The MC truly comes from the bottom, but with a good heart and a little luck he transforms not just himself but an entire world.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

No

What kind of relationships would you build with other senators?

One of trust and credibility. One where they seem me as a problem solver.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes

How should the U.S. Senate use its investigative powers?

The Senate should use its investigative power to expose mass layoffs at profitable companies, with hearings, subpoenas, and GAO audits that put facts on the record. When misconduct is found, refer cases to Labor, FTC, SEC, and DOJ, and tie federal contracts, grants, and tax credits to fair job practices, paid notice, and minimum severance. Update the WARN Act, require transparency when AI drives cuts, and curb buyback–layoff games with penalties and claw-backs. The Senate cannot directly stop private layoffs, but tough oversight plus targeted laws and contract conditions can change incentives fast.

What role should the United States government have in the development or use of artificial intelligence?

The government’s job is to make AI serve people.

First, protect rights and safety: pass strong national privacy rules, enforce civil-rights laws against biased algorithms, and set clear limits on surveillance and election deepfakes.

Second, set standards and accountability: require risk assessments, transparency, and independent audits for high-risk AI, with NIST-style benchmarks and real penalties for harm.

Third, support workers and small businesses: fund training and apprenticeships, help firms adopt safe tools, and encourage sharing productivity gains so technology reduces burnout instead of jobs.

Fourth, lead by example in federal use: no black-box systems making decisions about benefits, credit, housing, or immigration; keep a human in the loop and a paper trail.

Fifth, promote innovation and competition: invest in research, open standards, and fair markets so startups can compete.

Finally, work with allies on global safety norms and protect our data and infrastructure from misuse. I will back guardrails that keep AI aligned with human values while helping Colorado and the country innovate, grow, and keep people at the center.