(The Center Square) - Two state Democratic officials are nipping at the heels of the Republican incumbent in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District in what has been deemed one of the nation’s fiercest battleground races.
Voters in the politically diverse district have narrowly swapped party representatives in recent elections. This year candidates in the June 30 primary election are arguing the most over cost of living, immigration and government accountability.
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmr@=@C25@’D gE9 r@?8C6DD:@?2= s:DEC:4E :D E96 DE2E6’D ?6H6DE 5:DEC:4E[ 7@C>65 ?@CE9 @7 s6?G6C :? 2 962G:=J {2E:?@ 2?5 A@=:E:42==J 5:G:565 C68:@? 27E6C E96 a_a_ 46?DFD] %96 a_aa 6=64E:@? D2H 2 s6>@4C2E 6=64E65 E@ C6AC6D6?E E96 5:DEC:4E 3J 2 >2C8:? @7 =6DD E92? a[___ 32==@ED – 76H6C E92? `T @7 G@E6CD] x? a_ac[ 2 D:>:=2C=J ?2CC@H _]gT >2C8:? AFE #6AF3=:42? :?4F>36?E v236 tG2?D :? @77:46]k^Am
k2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E E?4>D\:?=:?6\2=:8?>6?E\=67E E?4>D\:?=:?6\H:5E9\@?6\E9:C5Qmk^2D:56m
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%9:D J62C’D }@G] b 6=64E:@? :D 6IA64E65 E@ 4@>6 5@H? E@ D:>:=2C=J ?2CC@H >2C8:?D] (9:=6 tG2?D 8@6D F?492==6?865 :? E96 #6AF3=:42? AC:>2CJ[ EH@ s6>@4C2ED[ 3@E9 H:E9 C646?E 6IA6C:6?46 :? E96 r@=@C25@ DE2E6 w@FD6[ 2C6 GJ:?8 7@C E96:C A2CEJ’D E:4<6E]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 EH@ s6>@4C2ED :? %F6D52JVD AC:>2CJ 92G6 6?5@CD65 =2C86=J D:>:=2C A@=:4:6D] %96J 3@E9 2C8F6 7@C =@H6C:?8 4@DED 7@C >:55=6\4=2DD p>6C:42?D 3J C6G6CD:?8 E2C:77D :>A@D65 3J E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ 6IA2?5:?8 D@4:2= AC@8C2>D 2?5 C65F4:?8 E96 AC:46 @? 32D:4 ?665D DF49 2D 9@FD:?8]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“%96JVC6 92G:?8 E@ A2J >@C6 7@C E96:C 962=E942C6 3642FD6 s@?2=5 %CF>A 2?5 v236 tG2?D 92G6 56DEC@J65 E96 p77@C523=6 r2C6 p4E 2?5 |65:42:5[ 2?5 AFE 2E C:D< 9F?5C65D @7 E9@FD2?5D @7 7@=<D 7C@> =@D:?8 E96:C 962=E9 :?DFC2?46[” #FE:?6= E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6[ 4:E:?8 tG2?D’ kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^82366G2?D]9@FD6]8@G^>65:2^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^4@?8C6DD>2?\6G2?D\G@E6D\@?6\3:8\362FE:7F=\3:==\56=:G6C:?8\H:?D\4@\_gQmG@E6 :? 72G@Ck^2mk^DEC@?8m @7 E96 ~?6 q:8 q62FE:7F= q:== p4E] p44@C5:?8 E@ ?@?AC@7:E 962=E9 A=2? r@=@C25@ p446DD[ @G6C bff[___ DE2E6 C6D:56?ED 2C6 2E C:D< @7 492?865 @C =@DE 962=E942C6 A=2?D 5F6 E@ E96 7656C2= =2H]k^Am
kAmtG2?D E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 E92E E96 ~?6 q:8 q62FE:7F= q:== p4E H@F=5 :?4C62D6 |65:42:5 DA6?5:?8] %96 4@?8C6DD>2? 2C8F65 E96 9:89 4@DE @7 962=E942C6 :? E96 DE2E6 H2D 2 C6DF=E @7 >:D>2?286>6?E 3J r@=@C25@’D s6>@4C2E:4 =6256CD9:A]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm~? 2? :?E6C?2E:@?2= :DDF6[ q:C5 D2:5 E96 4@F?ECJ ?66565 E@ @A6? :ED6=7 324< FA E@ :ED 2==:6D] w6 DEC6DD65 E96 ?665 E@ 6?5 E96 4@?7=:4E H:E9 xC2?]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“(6 ?665 E@ 3C:?8 @FC EC@@AD 9@>6 2?5 368:? C6DE@C:?8 @FC C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 @FC EC25:E:@?2= 2==:6D 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5 E@ ?@C>2=:K6 EC256 C6=2E:@?D9:AD D@ E92E H6 42? DE2CE 3C:?8:?8 4@DED 5@H?[” q:C5 E@=5 %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmv@G6C?>6?E 244@F?E23:=:EJ 92D 364@>6 2 7@4FD 7@C 2== E9C66 >2;@C 42?5:52E6D :? E96 C246[ H:E9 3@E9 s6>@4C2ED 2C8F:?8 E96 ?665 7@C r@?8C6DD E@ 24E 2D >@C6 @7 2 4964< E@ E96 AC6D:56?E’D A@H6C]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“x H@F=5 ?@E 8:G6 E96 AC6D:56?E E96 A@H6C E@ E2C:77 E96 H2J E92E E9:D r@?8C6DD 92D[” D2:5 q:C5] “pD H6 <?@H[ E96 @?=J A2CE @7 E96 8@G6C?>6?E E92E 92D E96 2FE9@C:EJ E@ :>A@D6 E2I6D :D r@?8C6DD – D@ E92E’D 7C@?E 2?5 46?E6C]”k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmq@E9 s6>@4C2E:4 42?5:52E6D 92G6 2=D@ 25G@42E65 7@C D6G6C2= 492?86D :? :>>:8C2E:@? 6?7@C46>6?E] %96J D2:5 E9:D H@F=5 >62? 9@=5:?8 &]$] x>>:8C2E:@? 2?5 rFDE@>D t?7@C46>6?E 286?ED >@C6 244@F?E23=6[ DF49 2D 3J ?@E H62C:?8 >2D<Dj AC@G:5:?8 >@C6 4=62C A2E9H2JD 7@C :>>:8C2?ED E@ 364@>6 4:E:K6?Dj 2?5 7@4FD:?8 6?7@C46>6?E @? 4C:>:?2=D] k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm#FE:?6= 42==65 @? 9:D 9:DE@CJ @7 G@E:?8 :? 72G@C @7 r@=@C25@’D $6?2E6 q:== ad\afe =2H[ H9:49 2>@?8 @E96C 492?86D[ C6BF:C65 xrt 286?ED E@ AC6D6?E 2 H2CC2?E E@ 6?E6C ?@?AF3=:4 2C62D @7 AF3=:4 DA246D DF49 2D D49@@=D 2?5 9@DA:E2=D] w6 2=D@ 4C:E:4:K65 q:C5’D 6I4FD65 23D6?46 7C@> E96 G@E6]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm%96 EH@ 42?5:52E6D 92G6 D@F89E E@ 5:776C6?E:2E6 E96>D6=G6D =2C86=J @FED:56 @7 A@=:4J]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmpE b` J62CD @=5[ #FE:?6= H@F=5 36 E96 7@FCE9\J@F?86DE 4FCC6?E >6>36C @7 r@?8C6DD] w2G:?8 366? 2 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 :? E96 DE2E6 w@FD6[ #FE:?6= 92D D2:5 9:D 6IA6C:6?46 D9@F=5 DA62< 7@C :ED6=7]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmq:C5 92D 2C8F65 96C 564256D =:G:?8 :? E96 gE9 s:DEC:4E 8:G6 96C 2 4=@D6C 4@??64E:@? E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ[ H9:=6 #FE:?6= D2:5 9:D {2E:?@ C@@ED >2<6 9:> 2 36EE6C 7:E 7@C E96 5:DEC:4E]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmx?4F>36?E tG2?D H:== 36 =@@<:?8 29625 E@ E96 }@G6>36C 86?6C2= 6=64E:@? 2D 96 CF?D F?@AA@D65 :? E96 yF?6 b_ #6AF3=:42? AC:>2CJ C246] w6 6>A92D:K65 9:D 6IA6C:6?46 C6AC6D6?E:?8 E96 gE9 s:DEC:4E E@ %96 r6?E6C $BF2C6 2?5 2D E96 @?=J 4FCC6?E w:DA2?:4 r@?8C6DD >6>36C 7C@> r@=@C25@]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“(6VC6 ECJ:?8 E@ 7:?5 3:A2CE:D2? D@=FE:@?D E@ 36 23=6 E@ 4FE E9C@F89 2== @7 E96 C65 E2A6 E92EVD DEC2?8=:?8 @FC 64@?@>J[” D2:5 tG2?D[ 4:E:?8 DE2E6 >:D>2?286>6?E 2D E96 D@FC46 @7 r@=@C252?D’ 64@?@>:4 H@6D] “r@=@C25@ :D E96 D:IE9 >@DE 962G:=J C68F=2E65 DE2E6 :? E96 4@F?ECJ] (6 2C6 2 3FD:?6DD\F?7C:6?5=J DE2E6]”k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 r@=@C25@ r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46[ E96 DE2E6 :D E96 D:IE9\>@DE C68F=2E65 :? E96 &]$] 7@C 3FD:?6DD C6DEC:4E:@?D]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmtG2?D 4@?EC2DE65 9:>D6=7 H:E9 DE2E6 s6>@4C2E:4 =6256CD9:A[ D2J:?8 96 925 7@4FD65 @? 3:A2CE:D2? 3:==D H9:=6 :? @77:46]k^Am
kAm%96 :?4F>36?E 92D @FEC2:D65 9:D EH@ s6>@4C2E:4 4@>A6E:E@CD H:E9 Sc]h >:==:@? :? E@E2= 42>A2:8? 7F?5D] ~G6C Seh_[___ 92D 4@>6 7C@> vC@H E96 |2;@C:EJ !@=:E:42= p4E:@? r@>>:EE66[ 324<65 3J w@FD6 $A62<6C |:<6 y@9?D@?[ #\{@F:D:2?2] %96 #6AF3=:42? s676?5 ~FC |2;@C:EJ !pr 4@?EC:3FE65 @G6C Sag_[___ E@ E96 42>A2:8?]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQm#FE:?6= =65 E96 s6>@4C2E:4 42?5:52E6D H:E9 @G6C Sc]` >:==:@? :? 42>A2:8? 7F?5D] w6 925 C646:G65 @G6C a_[___ 4@?EC:3FE:@?D FA E@ Se[e__ E9C@F89 p4Eq=F6 !pr[ 2 s6>@4C2E:4 7F?5C2:D:?8 A=2E7@C> E92E AC@46DD6D 5@?2E:@?D 7C@> :?5:G:5F2=D] w6 2=D@ C646:G65 @G6C Sc_[___ 7C@> b`c p4E:@?[ 2 $%t|\7@4FD65 !pr]k^Am
kA 5:ClQ=ECQmq:C5 925 C2<65 :? ?62C=J Sa]a >:==:@? :? 42>A2:8? 7F?5D[ :?4=F5:?8 @G6C c[g__ p4Eq=F6 !pr 4@?EC:3FE:@?D 2E FA E@ Sd[___] s6>@4C2E:4 !pr (:?E9646?E6C 4@?EC:3FE65 S`_[___ E@ 96C 42>A2:8?]k^Am
kAm!@==D 2C6 @A6? 7C@> f 2]>] E@ f A]>] @? yF?6 b_[ t=64E:@? s2J] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ G:D:E E96 $64C6E2CJ @7 $E2E6’D H63D:E6[ kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^4@=@C25@D@D]8@G^AF3D^6=64E:@?DQm4@=@C25@D@D]8@G^AF3D^6=64E:@?Dk^2mk^DEC@?8m] t2C=J 6=64E:@? C6DF=ED H:== 36 AF3=:D965 E92E 6G6?:?8 2E kDEC@?8mk2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^4@=@C25@QmHHH]E9646?E6CDBF2C6]4@>^4@=@C25@k^2mk^DEC@?8m]k^Am

