DENVER – After Tuesday’s primary election, Coloradans are now just five months away from picking new statewide leaders for the first time in eight years. Among the more notable primary results, Denver area voters tossed out a decades-long incumbent in favor of a fresh new socialist face, while further north, combatants in what’s sure to be one of the most watched congressional races in the country are now decided.
Governor’s race
In the Democrat race for governor, current Attorney General Phil Weiser, knocked off U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, who was considered to be the heavy favorite. Weiser came out swinging quickly with more than 54 percent of the vote when NBC called the race shortly after 8 p.m., just one hour after the polls closed. By Wednesday morning that margin had increased to 56 percent.
For Republicans, the answer is not as clear. As of Wednesday morning, veteran public servant Barbara Kirkmeyer was defeating newcomer Victor Marx for the top spot in the governor’s race, but by a narrow margin, less than 1,500 votes with 88 percent of the ballots tallied statewide.
If the margin of victory continues at its current mark, an automatic recount will be triggered. Recounts in Colorado are triggered when the margin of victory is less than ½ of 1 percent. As it stands, Kirkmeyer leads Marx by .30 of 1 percent, just 1,356 votes.
Although Marx was winning the majority of the counties, Kirkmeyer’s support was concentrated in the most populated areas of the state, leading in Denver, Boulder, Arapahoe, Douglas, Adams, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties.
CD8
Congressional District 8 Democrats Shannon Bird and Manny Rutinel battled each other for the chance to face Republican incumbent Gabe Evans in November. Evans did not have a primary, so he starts the battle for D.C. with more than a $3 million advantage in the fundraising bucket.
In that race, primary voters went with the far-left Rutinel in a landslide victory, winning with nearly 61 percent of the the vote over the more moderate, left-of-center Bird, who conceded, barely one hour after polls closed.
“Tonight has shown that the son of a single mom who grew up working at McDonald’s and filling out food stamp and Medicaid forms can go on to become an economist in the US Army Corps of Engineers, serve in the Colorado legislature, and now become the nominee for Congress in the most competitive seat in the country,” Rutinel said in a statement after the race was called.
Rutinel routinely uses his humble roots to attack Evans, which is odd, as Rutinel’s family background only mimics Evans’, who is the grandson of Mexican immigrants and also went to serve in the military and eventually in law enforcement before going into public service.
But that is where the similarities end. Evans told Complete Colorado that he is ready to take on Rutinel, calling him the most radical candidate Colorado voters have ever seen.
“This is the most radical, out of touch, literal communist candidate that’s ever been presented to Colorado voters,” Evans said. “He’s on the record: Ban oil, ban natural gas furnaces. He’s called our farmer and ranchers, quote: horrific. He has a record of trying to ban meat.”
Evans went on to say that Rutinel has helped make Colorado the third most expensive state in the nation.
“He’s taken hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the pockets of my constituents to pay for transgender procedures on felons in state prison. I voted to make overtime tax free. He voted to retax overtime.”
Evans said his own bipartisan record will appeal to voters when compared to “how out of touch” Rutinel is.
CD1
In probably one of the most watched primary races nationwide, and likely the biggest upset in decades, current U.S. Congresswoman Diana DeGette saw her 30-year dynasty in the U.S. House of Representatives end, falling to 29-year-old Democrat Socialist Melat Kiros by nearly 10 points.
Kiros, an outspoken antisemite, campaigned on a radical platform, promising sweeping socialist changes to the country’s 250-year history, everything from government controlled health care to an end to support for Israel.
Loveland statehouse race
In one of Colorado’s most closely watched statehouse primaries, HD51 — which encompasses Loveland — the late Minority Leader Hugh McKean’s partner, Amy Parks, defeated current Thompson School Board member Nancy Rumfelt in a landslide (65-35 percent). Parks will face former Loveland Democrat Mayor Jacki Marsh, who did not have a primary opponent, in November. House District 51 is historically considered a safe Republican seat.
Parks was originally appointed to finish out McKean’s term in 2022 but did not run for re-appointment after the November election that year, leaving the seat vacant and filled by a separate appointment. Current HD 51 Rep. Ron Weinberg did not run for re-election.
Other results from around the state:
- Attorney General: Democrat Jena Griswold will face Republican Michael Allen.
- Secretary of State: Democrat Amanda Gonzalez will face Republican James Wiley.
- State Treasurer: Democrat Jeff Bridges will face Republican Kevin Grantham.
- Congressional District 3: Republican incumbent Jeff Hurd will face Democrat Dwayne Romero.
- Congressional District 5 Republican Incumbent Jeff Crank will face Democrat Jessica Killin.
- Congressional District 4: Republican Lauren Boebert will face Democrat Eileen Laubacher.
