Top Democratic contenders emerge in 8th District primary race
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The crowded Democratic race in Colorado's 8th Congressional District is looking increasingly like a two-person contest.
Why it matters: The 2026 election is a year away, and the sooner Democrats can pick a frontrunner, the sooner they can target the incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans instead of battling among themselves.
State of play: Two Democratic candidates, state Reps. Manny Rutinel and Shannon Bird, raised the most money, separating themselves from the pack of contenders, according to the latest campaign finance filings.
By the numbers: Rutinel, a first-term state lawmaker who entered the race in January, has raised $2.1 million through Sept. 30, more than twice as much as his closest competitor. He ended the third quarter with $1 million on hand.
- Bird, a veteran lawmaker who announced her candidacy in May, is quickly closing the gap. She's raised $833,000 and has $560,000 in the bank.
- The other three candidates — former teacher union chief Amie Baca-Oehlert, state Treasurer Dave Young and Marine veteran Evan Munsing — have raised a combined $555,000 to date.
What they're saying: "We're building the strongest campaign to defeat Gabe Evans, and that starts with raising the resources to win," Rutinel said in a recent statement.
The other side: Evans, one of the most vulnerable incumbents in Congress heading into 2026, has raised more than his potential Democratic challengers.
- He raised the most in the third quarter at $493,000, bringing his total haul to $2.3 million.
- Evans also ended September with the most in the bank at $1.9 million.
What we're watching: Candidate fundraising is just one piece of the money race. Both parties and outside political committees are expected to spend huge sums to influence voters in this toss-up race.