By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff
A GOP-affiliated super PAC has earmarked $5 million for advertising in Colorado’s hotly contested 8th Congressional District race. This financial commitment underscores the significance of this district in the 2024 elections. The district, which is seen as a critical battleground, will likely see intensified campaign efforts as both parties vie for control. The substantial ad reserve by the GOP-aligned group indicates a strategic move to sway voters and secure a victory in this pivotal race.
One of the candidates, Gabe Evans, is a conservative State Representative with a history of running towards challenges. With twelve years in the US Army and Colorado Army National Guard as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot and company commander, Evans has completed a combat deployment to the Middle East and participated in wildfire responses and search and rescue operations in Colorado. His decade-long service as an Arvada police officer has given him firsthand experience with the impacts of the state’s criminal justice policies, which he views as overly lenient.
Evans and his wife run a family farm in southern Weld County, where they homeschool their two boys, Bruce and Sammy, and advocate for educational choice. In addition to farming, Evans teaches a concealed carry class within the 8th Congressional District. As the grandson of Mexican immigrants, Evans is deeply connected to the American Dream and is committed to preserving it for his community and family. His military, law enforcement, and political careers all reflect his dedication to this ideal. Now, he aims to bring his conservative perspective to Congress to improve the quality of life in Colorado.
Janak Joshi, a former doctor who served three terms representing a Colorado Springs state House district in the last decade, is up against Evans in the June 25 primary for a district that spans from the suburbs of Adams County, north of Denver, to Greeley. An immigrant from India, Joshi said in a release that he arrived in the United States more than 50 years ago “with a suitcase, $100, and deep convictions to serve others first and uphold the rule of law.” The Colorado State GOP recently endorsed Joshi, a move resulting from the party’s newly adopted and controversial rules that, for the first time in recent memory, allow them to take sides in contested primaries.
Joshi says on his campaign site, “I am an optimist. My underlying philosophy of conservative common sense is shaped from a strong family, from my experience being welcomed to America, and from a core belief that we all have a God-given right to make as much of our lives as possible. The prime responsibility of political leadership is to make policies that encourage people to be happy, healthy and productive.”
Adding an intriguing twist to the current race, Libertarian candidate Eric Joss has announced he will withdraw from the race if Joshi defeats Gabe Evans in the June 25 Republican primary. Joss’ pledge is significant because a Libertarian candidate garnered 9,280 votes in the district two years ago, a considerable number compared to the 1,632-vote margin that decided the race in favor of Caraveo over Kirkmeyer. Joss believes his withdrawal would prevent splitting the conservative vote, which he argues caused Kirkmeyer’s defeat previously.
Joss made this promise after Joshi, a former state lawmaker, signed a pledge designed to stop Libertarian candidates from drawing votes from Republicans who support
Libertarian positions. This pledge, crafted between the Colorado Republican
Party and the Libertarian Party, includes commitments such as opposing a
military draft and working to reduce the power of U.S. intelligence agencies.
The Colorado Republican Party has endorsed Joshi in the GOP primary, partly due to the Libertarians’ vow to run a spoiler candidate against Evans. Joshi has publicly criticized Evans, suggesting that he would be a “lapdog” congressman, while positioning himself as a more resilient candidate. Despite Joshi’s challenges, Evans remains confident, having defeated Joshi at the GOP assembly earlier this year and expressing strong optimism about his chances in the upcoming primary.
After the 2020 U.S. census, Colorado’s population growth earned the state an eighth congressional district. This new district spans from the northeast suburbs of Denver to Greeley and was formed during the decennial redistricting process. Initially, it was believed to have a slight Democratic advantage based on nonpartisan analysis of election results from 2016 to 2020. However, many national analysts viewed it as a competitive district with a slight Republican lean.
In the previous election, Republican candidate Barbara Kirkmeyer received substantial backing from national GOP organizations, including over $1.7 million in TV ads funded by the National Republican Congressional Committee starting in September. On the other hand, Democratic candidate Yadira Caraveo’s campaign struggled with less external support, only receiving aid for TV advertising from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by mid-October. Republican groups poured $10.2 million into supporting Kirkmeyer, while Democratic groups spent $6.4 million on Caraveo.
Despite this disparity, Caraveo’s campaign raised and spent more money than Kirkmeyer’s, outspending her $2.6 million to $1.2 million through October 19, according to federal campaign finance records.
November’s election will give us insight about the effect of the money, the voter issues, or the Libertarian effect on this important swing district.