Rutinel in strong lead over Rep. Evans in Colorado’s 8th District, early results say

Democrat Manny Rutinel is in a strong lead ahead of Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, though it is too early to call the race in what was long Colorado’s most competitive Congressional district. 

Rutinel had 56% of the vote over Evans’ 40% as of 7:37 p.m. The Associated Press estimated about 80% of votes in the race are counted. 

Colorado’s 8th District was long one of a handful of toss-ups in the country. The race could help decide which party has control of the U.S. House of Representatives. As of Oct. 20, only two other House contests in the country — in North Carolina’s 1st District and Florida’s 25th District — had attracted more total spending by campaigns and PACs than the race between Evans and Rutinel this election cycle.

Rutinel is a former state representative from Commerce City, and Evans, of Fort Lupton, is the incumbent representative for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, which includes the northern Denver suburbs and extends into Greeley. 

Rutinel essentially declared victory at his election night watch party in Commerce City. He said he intends to call Evans and thank him for his service to the district. He said his race was decided at kitchen tables, where Coloradans have had difficult discussions on how to cut spending amid rising food and gas prices under Trump administration policies, he said. He thanked the more than 100,000 people from the district who chipped in “money they barely had” to support his campaign. 

“Tonight, generations of Americans have decided again that kids shouldn’t go hungry, that families deserve healthcare, and that neither a trillionaire nor the president of the United States could buy this election,” Rutinel said. 

His strong lead in what was considered a competitive congressional race shows that people want change, he said. If he goes to Congress he said he intends to use “every tool at our disposal” to hold the Trump administration accountable. 

“It’s clear that the cost hiking agenda of Donald Trump was making life impossible for working families,” Rutinel said. “ I think what folks still looking for right now is someone who will focus on fighting for working families to lower costs and root out the corruption out of our political system so that working families across the district, this state and this country get a little relief.”

Throughout the primary and general election, Rutinel faced criticism for toning down some of his previously progressive views. In response to a reporter’s question about those changes Tuesday, Rutinel said “folks across this district know that I’m less interested in labels and more interested in results.” He highlighted his work in the Colorado Legislature to “lower costs” and “stand up to corruption” and said he plans to continue to bring “pragmatic solutions” to lower costs. 

Evans had yet to concede the race as of 9:30 p.m., and the AP had yet to call the race for Rutinel. 

The 8th District is also the state’s newest congressional district, drawn by an independent redistricting commission after the 2020 census.

Throughout their campaigns, Rutinel has highlighted Evans’ loyalty to President Donald Trump, while Evans focused on Rutinel’s past progressive views, many of which he walked back after initiating a run for Congress.

This is a developing story and will be updated.