By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff
Democrat Yadira Caraveo has officially launched her campaign to reclaim Colorado’s 8th Congressional District—just five months after losing the seat to freshman Republican Gabe Evans by fewer than 2,500 votes.
Caraveo’s announcement sets the stage for a rematch in what has quickly become one of the most closely watched and expensive congressional battlegrounds in the country.
One of the Most Competitive Districts in the Nation
The 8th District, created after the 2020 Census, has emerged as a political bellwether with no clear partisan tilt. It spans Denver’s northern suburbs and rural areas along U.S. 85 into Greeley and has the highest percentage of Latino voters of any district in the state.
Caraveo first won the seat in 2022 by just 1,600 votes. In 2024, Evans flipped it after a dramatic post-Election Day comeback.
As reported by Rocky Mountain Voice, Caraveo’s lead dwindled from 3,817 to just over 2,000 votes as military and absentee ballots were counted. Evans ultimately won by about 2,500 votes—less than 1% of all ballots cast.
“Black Hawk helicopter pilot, Army veteran, Arvada police officer, state representative, grandson of immigrants, and now: Congressman,” said NRCC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar after Evans’ win. “Gabe Evans is a fighter for the American Dream.”
A District That Could Decide the House
Political analysts on both sides of the aisle have pointed to Colorado’s 8th District as a potential tiebreaker in the 2026 battle for control of the U.S. House.
With Republicans holding a razor-thin majority, both parties are expected to pour resources into the district. In 2024, outside groups spent over $20 million on the race—$8.4 million backing Caraveo and $6.3 million backing Evans, not including millions more in candidate spending and reserved ad buys.
“When you talk about the most important races in America, this is, indeed, a top five race,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at an October rally for Evans.
Caraveo’s Bumpy First Term
Caraveo made history in 2022 as the first Latina elected to Congress from Colorado—but her one term in office wasn’t without challenges. She had the highest rate of staff turnover among Colorado’s congressional delegation and was one of the top turnover rates in Congress overall.
She also revealed in a March interview with CPR that she had privately struggled with depression during her time in office, admitting to at least two suicide attempts while serving in Congress.
Despite this, Caraveo says she’s ready to return and fight for her district.
But the 2026 primary could be tough: she’s already facing a Democratic challenger, State Rep. Manny Rutinel, who’s raised over $1 million since announcing in January.
“Democrats officially have a base problem and are in an all-out primary battle to the left,” Delanie Bomar, a spokeswoman for Evans, told The Colorado Sun. “Meanwhile, Congressman Gabe Evans hit the ground running”.
Evans: Veteran, Lawmaker, and Rising Star
Since taking office, Evans has leaned into his image as a principled, policy-focused freshman.
Evans, a former Army officer and Arvada police officer, told supporters in Greeley last fall, “This is something we’re privileged to do here in the United States, and a long line of folks have paid in blood to protect this right to vote.”
His victory marked a major strategic win for Colorado Republicans, giving the state split representation in the U.S. House for the first time since 2018.
With control of the House once again expected to come down to a handful of seats, all eyes will be on Colorado’s 8th District. Caraveo will first need to win a Democratic primary before facing Evans again in November 2026.
One thing is clear: the rematch is already shaping up to be another multimillion-dollar fight for the future of the U.S. Congress—and Colorado voters will be at the center of it.