Colorado Is Next Test for Leftist Insurgents Toppling Democrats

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(Bloomberg Government) — The political forces that pulled the New York congressional delegation significantly further to the left last week are making a similar run at Colorado today in races up and down ballots.

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While Rep. Diana DeGette, a 30-year House member who is in line to take over leadership of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee should Democrats win a majority in November, is the top target, establishment Democrats are on notice.

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Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper’s primary challenge from progressive state Sen. Julie Gonzales attracted less spending and attention than DeGette’s race but is emblematic of the challenge incumbents face.

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Gonzales, a self-described “insurgent progressive,” was a prime sponsor of a 2025 Colorado immigration law that limited local law enforcement cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At 43, Gonzales is more than three decades younger than Hickenlooper, 74, a center-left Democrat.

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Gonzales raised just $869,000 through June 10. Our Future Colorado, a super PAC that formed this month and hasn’t disclosed donors, reported spending $200,000 on digital ads, voter contact calls, and texts supporting Hickenlooper.

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In House races, any Democratic list of top Republican-held districts to flip in November will include Colorado’s 8th District, a battleground area that runs from close-in suburbs of Denver north to Greeley.

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First-term Rep. Gabe Evans (R) awaits the winner of a Democratic primary that pits state Rep. Manny Rutinel against former state Rep. Shannon Bird.

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Rutinel, who’s the more progressive candidate, received support from Latino-focused PACs. Rutinel, the son of a Latina immigrant, targeted Bird’s vote against the 2025 immigration law.

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His supporters include the You Can Push Back super PAC that says it supports “common sense guardrails” for artificial intelligence systems. A Rutinel ad invoked Pope Leo’s concerns about AI and said a Rutinel law “made Colorado the first state with sweeping artificial intelligence regulations.”

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Bird said at a candidate debate she’s built broad coalitions of voters in her state legislative election wins. Her supporters include the Blue Dog PAC that works to elect Democratic centrists, and EMILY’s List, which aids Democratic women who support abortion rights.

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The district is about 40% Hispanic and shifted from supporting Joe Biden in 2020 to narrowly backing Trump in 2024, when Evans ousted one-term Democrat Yadira Caraveo.

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“It’s one of the most competitive districts in the country” and “tends to go with the national tide,” Seth Masket, political scientist at the University of Denver said.

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Democrats are seeking to put into play Colorado’s 5th District in the Colorado Springs area, where Rep. Jeff Crank (R) is seeking a second term. The leading Democrat is Jessica Killin, who raised and banked more campaign funds than the incumbent through June 10.