What We’re Watching In Colorado Tonight
The blue-leaning Centennial State features seven high-profile Republican primaries, including three statewide and four congressional races. And with little action on their side, Democrats have tried to boost the GOP contenders they view as more unelectable to help Democrats’ chances in November. We’ll see how that strategy pans out.
- Senate: State Rep. Ron Hanks and businessman Joe O’Dea are facing off in the GOP primary to earn the right to take on Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who is seeking his third full term. Hanks is a poor fundraiser and fervent denier of the 2020 election, so Democrats have been spending to help his candidacy over the less controversial and better-funded O’Dea.
- Governor: The Republican primary features University of Colorado Regent Heidi Ganahl and businessman Greg Lopez in the race to challenge Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in November. Ganahl is the only Republican statewide-elected official in Colorado, while Lopez has denied the 2020 election result. Hence, Democrats have meddled here, too, hoping to help Lopez.
- Secretary of State: Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, former Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson and nonprofit leader Mike O’Donnell are battling it out in the GOP primary to face Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold. Peters is a controversial figure, having not only promoted debunked conspiracy theories about the 2022 election, but also getting banned from managing the elections in her home county because of breaches in election security, which also resulted in her being indicted on 10 counts by a grand jury. Anderson seems the most likely to compete with her, although Peters appears to be favored.
- 3rd District: Another lightning-rod figure is Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who is favored to win renomination against state Sen. Don Coram in this fairly red seat that covers western and southern Colorado.
- 5th District: GOP Rep. Doug Lamborn has represented this Colorado Springs seat for eight terms, but he’s had a couple of close calls in previous primaries. Now with an ethics investigation hanging over his head, Lamborn faces state Rep. Dave Williams in a primary race that has turned ugly over claims regarding Williams’s work for the Trump campaign in 2020 and Lamborn’s decision to bypass the party’s pre-primary convention over what he claimed were “troubling irregularities.”
- 7th District: Left open by Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter’s retirement, this Democratic-leaning seat west of Denver could be in play this November. Economist Tim Reichert, former oil and gas executive Erik Aadland and former state legislative candidate Laurel Imer are all competing for the Republican nomination; the winner will face Democratic state Sen. Brittany Pettersen.
- 8th District: The newly drawn swing seat north of Denver could go for the GOP in the Republican-friendly midterm environment. Four Republicans are competing in the primary: state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann, Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine and retired Army Green Beret Tyler Allcorn. Democrats have been trying to boost Saine, whom they view as the most extreme GOP option, in the hopes that her victory will help Democratic state Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s chances of winning the seat in November.