Longtime Aurora resident Steve Sundberg threw his hat into the City Council race last week, hoping to represent his home Ward Two come November.

This comes as Councilwoman Nicole Johnston announced she would not be running for reelection and Idris Keith, previously the sole Ward Two candidate for several months, withdrew from the race Tuesday.

Sundberg, 52, has lived in Aurora for 25 years. He currently works as the manager and operator of a family-owned bar and grill called Legends of Aurora.

“I just really appreciate and love my city and I want to preserve the quality of life that we have here,” Sundberg said. “I care about my city and want it to succeed.”

Sundberg is a husband and father of two young adult children. He met his wife, an immigrant from Rwanda, in the Congo after building homes with Habitat for Humanity in Uganda.

He brings over 20 years of experience serving on nonprofit boards including the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, Leadership Aurora Board, Pickens Technical College Culinary Advisory Board and Colorado Restaurant Association Mile High Chapter Board.

In 2020, Sundberg’s restaurant won the City of Aurora Business Recognition Award and, in 2015, Sundberg himself won the Chamber Leadership Award from the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.

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Sundberg said his experience operating a small business was one of the reasons he decided to run for City Council.

“I wanted to do it largely to protect my own small business,” Sundberg said. “Some of the things the current council has proposed have simply been anti-business friendly. So that motivated me to protect my livelihood.”

Sundberg said he wants to create a City Council that enables small businesses to compete and thrive without over-taxing or over-regulating them. He hopes to promote economic development, attract new companies and address how housing is no longer attainable for many.

In addition, Sundberg is focused on public safety and tackling the increasing crime rates in Aurora by providing resources and training for law enforcement, while also working to build community trust.

Previously, Sundberg has organized and sponsored events like “Lunch with a Cop” and basketball tournaments between high schoolers and Aurora police officers to help develop that trust.

“My heart is for unifying people and connecting people,” Sundberg said. “I do realize that there are going to be very polarizing issues, but it’s in my nature to create that sense of unity when possible.”

Sundberg hopes to bring that spirit of unity into the City Council, which he said is currently “imbalanced” and experiencing “a lot of grid lock.”

Only one Aurora City Council member signed up to defend their open seat in November

In 2017, the historically conservative-dominated council received a wave of new candidates that would go on to push the council to a relatively even split — with five council members leaning to the right and five leaning left.

However, the party balance of the council is again up for grabs as Councilwoman Crystal Murillo is the only incumbent running for reelection out of the five members whose terms expire this year.

Republican Marsha Berzins is term-limited and Republican Dave Gruber, Democrat Allison Hiltz and Democrat Johnston said they are stepping down to spend more time with their families.

Sundberg, a registered Republican, could swing the council towards the right if he fills Johnston’s seat; however, Sundberg said his nonprofit experience has taught him to problem solve and people shouldn’t expect him to be one-sided.

Sundberg said he never considered running for City Council until another candidate pointed out that Keith was running for Ward Two unopposed. But now, after Keith dropped out of the race, Sundberg is the one running unopposed.

“It’s very interesting. I imagine the side of City Council will likely attempt to nominate someone else to create some competition, but I don’t know if someone else will step up,” Sundberg said. “We’ll just see what happens.”

Candidates have until Aug. 24 to file to run in the general City Council election.