Colorado's 8th District race remains too close to call
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
8th District candidates Yadira Caraveo, a Democrat, and Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Republican. Photo: Esteban L. Hernandez/Axios Denver and Kirkmeyer's campaign
Colorado's 8th Congressional District — one of the most watched races in the nation — remained too close to call Tuesday night, with Democrat Yadira Caraveo holding a slight edge over Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer
- Neither candidate conceded on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Whoever wins this seat will boost their party's chance of controlling the U.S. House.
- At least 40% of the district's population is Latino, the largest share among the state's congressional districts.
The big picture: At the national level, both parties saw Colorad'’s new seat as crucial in the battle for control of the U.S. House.
Details: The latest preliminary results showed Caraveo ahead of Kirkmeyer, 49.3% to 46.83, according to data from the Colorado Secretary of State's office.
- It's unclear how many votes remain outstanding in the district, which stretches from the northern Denver suburbs of Northglenn and Thornton to Weld County.
- Caraveo held the edge among Adams County voters, while Kirkmeyer collected more votes in Larimer and Weld counties.
The intrigue: Libertarian candidate Richard Ward received 3.88% of the votes.
Of note: The delay in final results is unsurprising given mail ballots and the fact that Colorado election officials have eight more days to finalize the counting.
Catch up quick: The state's independent redistricting commission drew the district to be competitive — but slightly favoring Republicans — and it quickly became one of the most expensive contests in the nation and a top target for both parties.
Caraveo, a state lawmaker and pediatrician, ran on a platform focusing on abortion rights, lowering costs for families across the states, and expanding health care options and affordability.
- As a state lawmaker, she voted for a bill providing money to launch a family leave program.
Kirkmeyer, a state lawmaker and former county commissioner, ran on a platform focusing on curbing inflation, instituting tougher laws for fentanyl possession, opposition to abortion with limited exceptions, and getting the cost of living under control.
- Kirkmeyer was a top supporter of education initiatives as a state lawmaker, including approving a program providing a tax credit for early childhood educators.
The bottom line: Preliminary returns showed incumbents did well in Colorado, with the Associated Press calling races Tuesday night for multiple candidates.
- U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, Joe Neguse, D-Lafayette, Ken Buck, R-Windsor, Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, and Jason Crow, D-Aurora, all won.