Rutinel leads Evans by 16 points in Colorado's 8th District

Manny Rutinel held a 56 percent lead over Republican incumbent Gabe Evans at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to results from the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Libertarian candidate Dave Wood had secured nearly 4 percent of the vote at that time. Rutinel claimed victory before the Associated Press formally called the race, greeting a crowd of approximately 200 people at the Salon Madrid Event Center in Commerce City.

The 8th Congressional District, which covers portions of Larimer, Weld, and Adams counties north of Denver, has historically produced tight outcomes. The seat has seen a party split in representation over its first four years, with each winner securing victory by fewer than 3,000 votes. Tuesday’s results suggest Rutinel is breaking that pattern of razor-thin margins.

Rutinel, 31, linked his campaign to the struggles of his immigrant family. He noted that he began helping his mother, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, fill out forms for food assistance and Medicaid 20 years ago. Standing on stage, he asked the audience if people like them count. He stated that people like him and his mother matter.

Gabe Evans, 40, had not conceded as of 8:30 p.m. His supporters gathered in Brighton, waiting for additional data. Evans campaigned on the idea that Rutinel was a radical job-killer. He framed the election as a choice between crazy and common sense. Evans, who defeated Democratic Representative Yadira Caraveo by a small margin two years ago, faces national headwinds tied to President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings.

The Cook Political Report observed that the district shifted six points right between 2020 and 2024. It moved from a Biden plus 4 seat to a Trump plus 2 seat. The report added that Trump is now deeply underwater in the area. Rutinel frequently associated his opponent with the president during debates. In one recent debate, he mentioned Evans and Trump in the same sentence nearly 24 times.

The race has drawn substantial financial investment. The two main campaigns spent more than $14 million through mid-October. Outside groups contributed at least $19 million more from the primary through late October. Rutinel raised nearly $9.5 million by mid-October, surpassing Evans, who raised $7.2 million. This fundraising advantage helped Rutinel outspend his opponent in the final weeks of the campaign.

Dick Wadhams, a former chair of the Colorado Republican Party, attributed Evans’ struggles to the national political climate. He said Trump destroyed Republicans across the nation and that Evans is a victim of that trend. Wadhams argued that Rutinel is unfit to represent the district because of his past views on farming and oil. Rutinel told his supporters that there is nothing wrong with America that cannot be fixed with what is right with America.