By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice
The names of six candidates seeking the Republican nomination will appear on the 4th District primary election ballot.
Peter Yu was the final candidate to qualify Monday, when he narrowly cleared the 1,500-vote threshold needed. He submitted petitions with 2,464 signatures, with 62.9% (1,552) accepted by the Secretary of State’s office.
He joins a field of Lauren Boebert, Deborah Flora, Richard Holtorf, Mike Lynch and Jerry Sonnenberg on the ballot. Boebert earned 40% support of delegates at the Republican assembly earlier this month to qualify for the ballot, in addition to the first successful petition in the district. Flora and Lynch qualified through petition only. Holtorf and Sonnenberg qualified through the combination of assembly and petition.
Some anticipated a larger field in the primary, possibly in the double-digits. Ted Harvey did not pursue a petition and when he failed to land 30% of delegates at assembly, his campaign was over. Trent Leisy, known on the campaign trail for wearing his white MAGA hat, suspended his campaign long before assembly, and Chris Phelen suspended his sometime after assembly. Floyd Trujillo failed to gain the needed signatures to qualify by petition.
Registered voters residing in the 4th District should begin receiving ballots in the U.S. mail in the first week of June. Election Day is June 25. Candidates have until Friday to withdraw from the ballot, at which time the Secretary of State will certify the names and the ballot order.
The winner of the Republican nomination in the 4th District will stand to become the next Eastern Plains congressman in the state’s most solidly red district. A special election will place one person from the 4th District in office until January, when the general election winner will be seated.
A record of all accepted and rejected petition signatures, including reasons for each rejection, is on file with the Secretary of State.