Evans behind in U.S. House race; Democratic Socialist elected in another race

(The Center Square) - Democrats appeared to be on their way to gain a U.S. House seat in Colorado Tuesday with U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, far behind the Democratic challenger.

The first-term Republican congressman received 85,654 votes - 40% of the ballots in the 8th Congressional District race. Democrat Manny Rutinel, a first-generation immigrant who was born in Los Angeles, had 118,757 votes, a total of 56% in the 8th Congressional District. That's as of 9 p.m. Mountain time.

In other election news, Melat Kiros, a Democratic socialist who made headlines by defeating U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, in the Democratic primary, won Colorado's 1st Congressional District seat. According to media reports, Kiros, 29, is the first Generation Z member elected to Congress.

Kiros, who supports Medicare for all, received 150,372 votes or 78% of the vote. Republican opponent Christy Peterson, an ally of President Donald Trump, had 26,689 votes, totaling 14%, with most of the counties reporting as of 9 p.m. Mountain time.

Kiros’ race attracted Democratic donors from across the country, raising over $1 million since announcing her bid in June 2025, with 90% of her donations coming from individual donors. Peterson raised less than $10,000. 

Evans, meanwhile, fell behind in his race despite campaign contributions from red states across the country. Individuals donated almost $700,000 in Texas and roughly $450,000 in Tennessee.

The Republican senator's campaign attracted donations totalling $7.2 million, with nearly one half coming from individual donors. 

Rutinel raised roughly $9.4 million, $2.2 million more than his opponent, with almost 90% of his contributions coming from individual donations and nearly $750,000 from contributors in California.

Evans grew up in Aurora, Colo., and currently resides on a farm in Fort Lupton with his wife Anne Evans and their two kids. He served in the U.S. Army and the Colorado National Guard for 12 years and later served in law enforcement for a decade. After being elected to serve in the state legislature in 2022 for Colorado’s 48th Congressional District, which covers Adams and Weld counties, Evans went on to win the general election in 2024 by less than 1% and served in Colorado’s 8th Congressional district in the nation’s capital beginning in 2025.

Rutinel, who was raised by a single mother who immigrated from The Dominican Republic, wrote on his campaign website that he came from a working-class family who faced financial difficulty during the 2008 recession and promised to fight for the working-class if elected.

He was endorsed by the nation’s second-largest teachers union, the American Federation of Teachers; United Auto Workers and other Democratic-leaning PACs.

The winner of the 1st Congressional District race, Kiros, was born in Ethiopia and grew up in Denver. She got her law degree from Notre Dame in 2022 and worked as an attorney for a global law firm in New York City, but was fired in 2023 following a letter she published criticizing top law firms’ response to the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Her political platform declared that universal childcare and eldercare is a “universal right,” according to her campaign website. She has been endorsed by the independent and self-proclaimed socialist senator from Vermont, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders; Democratic Socialists of America and Justice Democrats, which has donated over $500,000 to her race. 

The pro-Palestinian PAC, American Priorities, also donated $150,000 to Kiros' campaign back in June.

Peterson is a designer and accountant from Denver. She has aligned herself with President Donald Trump on numerous issues, including the need for stricter immigration enforcement and border control. The candidate also calls herself a conservative, writing in a campaign biography that “I'm running for Congress to stand up against the progressive left and communist socialism.”

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Peterson was endorsed by Colorado Hispanic Republicans and the National Women's Prayer and Voting Army. 

4th Congressional District 

Colorado’s 4th Congressional District race was too close to call as of 8:30 p.m. Mountain time. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Windsor, had 41,529 votes – a total of 47%. Democratic challenge Eileen Laubacher, a 32-year retired veteran and Navy admiral, had 150,604 votes, amounting to 50%.

Boebert went uncontested in the primary and received over 92,000 votes compared to her opponent’s 72,483 votes. She has raised only about $130,000 since she filed her candidacy in April of 2026, and has received no contributions from the Republican Party.

Laubacher has accrued more than $13 million in contributions for her congressional campaign, raising nearly $2.6 million in the most recent quarter. Most of her donations came from more than 200,000 individual donors across the country. 

The long-time veteran frames herself as a moderate Democrat, who proclaimed on the debate stage in mid-October that certain positions endorsed by more progressive members of her party, such as Medicare for all and open borders, were not feasible.

In Congress, Boebert remains on the House’s Committee on Natural Resources, serving as the vice chair on the subcommittee on oversight and investigations. She’s also on the subcommittee on water, wildlife and fisheries. 

Other races

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, a Democrat who acted as impeachment manager for the second impeachment against President Donald Trump, won the 2nd Congressional District race with 75.38% of the ballots or 196,714 votes. Republican Kelley Anne Dennison got 23.12% of the ballots or 60,344 votes.

The 3rd District race was too close to call with Dwayne L. Romero, the Democrat, at 49% of the ballots or 125,164 votes, and U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, the Republican incumbent, at 47.63% of the vote or 120,579 ballots.

In the 5th District, Democrat Jessica Killin was leading with 52% of the ballots or 118,290 votes. U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank the Republican incumbent, had 45% of the ballots or 103,246 votes.

In the 6th District, U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, the Democratic incumbent, won with 66% of the ballots or 139,325 votes. Jason Clark, the Republican, had 33% of the ballots or 66,476 votes.

U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, the Democratic incumbent, won reelection to the 7th District with 62% of the ballots or 186, votes. Republican Tim Bennett had 35% of the ballots or 103,012 votes.