ICYMI: Messy, Expensive Democrat Primary in Colorado’s 8th
New reporting is highlighting the messy, expensive clown car of a Democrat primary in Colorado’s 8th congressional district.
Out of touch Democrats Yadira Caraveo, Manny Rutinel, Shannon Bird, Dave Young, and Amie Baca-Oehlert are all running in the radical rat race to the left.
“While Gabe Evans is delivering commonsense solutions, whoever is left at the end of the Democrats’ radical rat race in Colorado’s 8th congressional district will be nothing but a bruised, out of touch liberal who will be resoundingly rejected by Coloradans.” – NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from Punchbowl News here or see excerpts below:
Dem primary heats up in Colorado
Punchbowl News
Mica Soellner
April 10, 2025
Democrats are in for a highly competitive and messy primary to take on freshman GOP Rep. Gabe Evans in a crucial Colorado battleground district.
A half dozen Democrats, including former Rep. Yadira Caraveo, are vying for the nomination in Colorado’s 8th District so far. The competitive seat in the northern Denver suburbs will be one of the most expensive and closely watched House races in the nation.
Caraveo, who lost to Evans by about 2,500 votes last cycle, has been plagued by allegations of staff mistreatment. Caraveo has also spoken about her mental health struggles while in office.
So far, neither Democratic leadership, the DCCC or any Democrats in the Colorado delegation have backed Caraveo. And the House Republican campaign arm is hardly attacking Caraveo any more than her Democratic opponents.
[…]
Zoom out: In addition to Caraveo, Colorado state Reps. Manny Rutinel and Shannon Bird, State Treasurer Dave Young, former Colorado teachers’ union head Amie Baca-Oehlert and local consultant John Szemler are running.
Many Colorado Democrats view 30-year-old Rutinel as the most progressive candidate in the race. Rutinel has a strong fundraising operation, raising over $1 million in Q1 and ending with nearly $660,000 in cash on hand. Caraveo had only $330 cash on hand at the end of March, although she didn’t formally launch a comeback bid until mid-April.
[…]
“Democrats have a base problem and are in an all-out primary battle to the Left,” said Delanie Bomar, Evans’ spokesperson.
The primary will be in June.