Three of Colorado's Congressional districts could be among the battleground districts that will determine control of the U.S. House — and candidates are already lining up to join the fight.
Fifteen people are running to represent Colorado's 3rd, 4th and 8th Congressional Districts as of June 12, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Those three districts had the narrowest margins of victory in the state during the 2024 election.
There's still a long road to Election Day on November 3, 2026, including party primaries in June 2026 that will knock most of the competitors off of this list. Here's where Colorado's congressional hopefuls stand today:
8th Congressional District
CD8 is Colorado's one true swing district; it's the most politically competitive in the state and among the most competitive districts in the entire country. In the district's first election after being established in 2021, voters elected Democrat Yadira Caraveo to the U.S. House, followed by Republican Gabe Evans in 2024. Both candidates won by razor-thin margins, receiving less than one percentage point more votes than the second-place finisher.Incumbent Gabe Evans is looking to hold onto his seat in 2026. The Republican is the only member of his party currently seeking the CD8 seat, though he is already facing a host of big-name Democratic opponents. Evans spent one term as a state representative before entering Congress. He is a former Arvada police officer who served in the U.S. Army and Colorado Army National Guard.
Yadira Caraveo could get a rematch, tossing her hat into the Democratic primary in hopes of again facing Evans in the general election. Caraveo is a pediatrician who served as a state representative since 2019 before being elected to Congress in 2022. She recently made headlines when it was revealed she attempted to take her life during her first term in Congress.
Manny Rutinel is the highest-fundraising candidate in the race so far, collecting nearly $1.2 million to Evans's $810,000 and Caraveo's $100, according to FEC records. A Democratic state representative of Adams County since 2023, Rutinel is a former environmental attorney who leads an advocacy organization helping transition farmers to a plant-based food system.
Shannon Bird is yet another state representative seeking the office. A former Westminster City Council member and attorney, the Democrat has served in the Colorado Legislature since 2018. She is currently the vice chair of the powerful Joint Budget Committee, which drafts the annual state budget.
Dave Young, Colorado's term-limited state treasurer, is looking to make the jump to Congress. Before securing his current position in 2019, the Democrat had served in the state House since 2011. He is a former school teacher who has said Evans's support for Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act helped inspire him to enter the race.
Amie Baca-Oehlert is the latest addition to the crowded Democratic primary race, launching her campaign on June 5. She is the former president of the Colorado Education Association, leading the state’s largest teachers’ union from 2018 to 2024. Baca-Oehlert has not held elected office before, previously working as a teacher and school counselor.
Denis Abrate is an unknown candidate for CD8. He reportedly filed paperwork with the FEC to run as a Democrat, though Westword was unable to locate any campaign website or other information on his candidacy. Abrate has reported no fundraising contributions as of June 12.
3rd Congressional District
CD3 was the closest U.S. House race in the country in 2022, with Republican Lauren Boebert beating Democratic challenger Adam Frisch by just 546 votes. The 2024 election wasn't nearly as tight, as Boebert fled to another district and Republican Jeff Hurd defeated Frisch by 19,800 votes. But the near-upset in 2022 has marked the district as a target for Democrats — and, unlike in CD8, Republicans are also fighting one another for the seat.Incumbent Jeff Hurd is seeking a second term after the Republican won the seat in November. This is the Grand Junction attorney's first elected office, previously serving as the board chairman of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. Hurd advertised himself as a more sensible alternative to his predecessor, Boebert. He's raised nearly $710,000 for his re-election campaign as of June 12.
Hope Scheppelman is challenging fellow Republican Hurd for CD3, announcing her primary candidacy on June 9. Scheppelman is the former vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party, serving the role from 2023 until she was unseated in March. The nurse, Navy veteran and MAGA proponent has accused Hurd of not being conservative enough.
Alexander Kelloff was the first Democrat to enter the ring for CD3 in April. This would be his first foray into politics, as an entrepreneur known for co-founding Armada Skis. He previously spent six years as a partner and member of the Investment Committee at SDC Capital Partners, a global digital infrastructure investment company.
Kyle Doster is also seeking the Democratic nomination. The Grand Junction resident doesn't appear to have a campaign website, but he is currently hiring a campaign manager. Doster is also registered as a candidate for the state House in Colorado House District 3, though that may be a mistake, as the state district does not include Grand Junction.
4th Congressional District
CD4 is generally a safe Republican district, but the party stronghold wavered slightly when Republican Congressman Ken Buck resigned in 2024 and Lauren Boebert moved to town to take his place. Boebert won the seat with less than 54 percent of the votes, compared to Buck's 61 percent in 2022. Democrats hoping to capitalize on Boebert's controversial carpetbagging reputation are lining up to take a long shot at flipping the district.Incumbent Lauren Boebert is the only Republican in the race for CD4 so far. She's serving her third term in Congress, having represented CD3 from 2021 through 2024 before moving to the other side of the state to seek office in the more conservative 4th district. The die-hard Trump supporter and rabble-rouser had never held office before the 2020 election, previously owning a gun-themed restaurant in Rifle called Shooters Grill, where waitresses carried firearms on their hips.
Trisha Calvarese is once again aiming to challenge Boebert for the seat, having unsuccessfully faced off against the congresswoman in November. The Democrat is a labor activist, speechwriter and previously worked at the National Science Foundation. Last year's run was Calvarese's first political candidacy, receiving 42 percent of votes.
John Padora is looking for his own rematch, entering the Democratic primary after losing to Calvarese last year. Padora is a manufacturing engineer and addiction-recovery advocate who has spoken publicly about his own experience as a recovering drug addict. He unsuccessfully ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2020.
Eileen Laubacher is a political newcomer who has quickly gained a large online following since announcing her CD4 campaign in May. The Democratic candidate is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral who served for 34 years. She was senior director for South Asia on the National Security Council under President Joe Biden from 2022 to 2024.
