By BRIAN PORTER | The Rocky Mountain Voice
Nineteen candidates seeking a place on either a Democratic or Republican ballot in a Congressional District primary made the secretary of state’s Tuesday petition deadline, with thus far only four of those petitions verified as sufficient.
Once a petition has been filed with the secretary of state, signatures are verified and staff deems whether the signatures are sufficient or insufficient to earn a place on the ballot, pending other conditions of the candidate’s political party.
Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse submitted the only petition in the 2nd District. Republicans Russ Andrews, Joe Granado, Jeff Hurd, Curtis McCrackin and Lew Webb have all submitted petitions in the 3rd District, an open seat with the absence of Rep. Lauren Boebert. The secretary of state’s office has ruled petitions by Neguse and McCrackin as sufficient.
Nine petitions were filed in the 4th District, where Rep. Ken Buck has left the seat open through his retirement from Congress. Ike McCorkle, hoping to make his third appearance on the ballot, was the only Democrat to file. Republicans filing included Boebert, Deborah Flora, Richard Holtorf, Mike Lynch, Chris Phelen, Jerry Sonnenberg, Floyd Trujillo and Peter Yu. Boebert filed the only petition that has thus far been deemed sufficient.
In the 5th District, Republicans Jeff Crank and Bob Gardner filed for the seat opened by the resignation of Rep. Doug Lamborn. Crank’s petition has been deemed sufficient for a place on the ballot.
In the 8th District, Republicans Joe Andujo and Gabe Evans filed. They are vying to defeat Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo, who did not file a petition.
The secretary of state’s office did not indicate a possible timeline for when verification of all submitted petitions might be complete.