Yadira Caraveo Drops Out of CD8 Race, Cites "Stigmatization of Mental Health"

The packed race to represent Colorado's 8th Congressional District just got a little less crowded.

Former Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo withdrew her candidacy on Friday, September 12. Caraveo was one of the biggest names in contention for the Democratic primary; she won the newly formed district's first election in 2022 and lost reelection in 2024 to CD8's current congressman, Republican Gabe Evans.

Despite her former incumbency edge, Caraveo's new campaign had been plagued by allegations reported by the Colorado Sun in May, accusing her of mistreating and traumatizing her staff while she served in Congress. Caraveo's aides claimed they witnessed two incidents in which Caraveo apparently attempted to commit suicide, but when they proposed a safety plan, they were given an ultimatum to resign.

"I faced very strong resistance to my candidacy this cycle due almost entirely to the stigmatization of mental health in America," Caraveo says in a statement. "I hope that one day we will see more acceptance and understanding of illnesses like depression, and that leaders at all levels will be able to support those in need in actions and not just words."

Caraveo acknowledged her struggles with depression in subsequent interviews, apologizing to her staff but maintaining that her behavior was due to "an illness and that I couldn't completely control how I was reacting to that illness until I finally got help."

Amid the resistance to Caraveo's candidacy, numerous other Democrats threw their hats into the ring. Seven have filed to run in the primary, including State Representative Manny Rutinel, State Representative Shannon Bird, State Treasurer Dave Young and former Colorado Education Association president Amie Baca-Oehlert.

Caraveo's fundraising lagged behind some of her competition, according to FEC records. She recently reported having just over $92,000 cash on hand compared to $1.49 million for Evans, $810,000 for Rutinel and $373,000 for Bird.

"This was not a decision I made lightly," Caraveo says of dropping out of the race. "It was a privilege representing the 8th district in Congress and working for the people of the district, Colorado, and the country."

Caraveo's exit from the CD8 election comes mere days after her 2022 opponent, State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, announced she is running for Colorado governor in the Republican primary. Caraveo defeated Kirkmeyer by just over 1,600 votes.

CD8 is the most politically competitive district in Colorado and among the most competitive districts in the entire country. Since CD8 was established in 2021, both of its elections have been decided by a margin of less than 1 percentage point.

The district will be a key battleground during the 2026 election, with national party control at play. Republicans currently have the narrowest majority in the U.S. House of Representatives that either party has seen in almost 100 years.