By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional reporting, including comments from Colorado Republican Party Secretary Russ Andrews and a statement from Hope Scheppelman confirming she has suspended her campaign.
President Donald Trump on Friday morning reversed course in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, re-endorsing Rep. Jeff Hurd and announcing that former challenger Hope Scheppelman would step out of the race to join his administration—a move she later confirmed in a campaign statement.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Scheppelman and her husband Steven—both Navy veterans—will leave the campaign trail “to join my Administration, in a capacity to be determined,” calling them “wonderful and patriotic” supporters of the MAGA movement.
With Scheppelman exiting, Trump gave Hurd his “Complete and Total Endorsement” and urged Republicans to “unify together” ahead of November.
The decision marks a sharp shift from just four weeks ago, when Trump withdrew his endorsement of Hurd after the congressman joined five other Republicans in voting with Democrats to block tariffs on Canada.
At the time, Trump called Hurd a “RINO” and backed Scheppelman as a primary challenger—triggering a broader debate among Republicans across the Western Slope about whether representation should prioritize constitutional independence or alignment with the America First agenda.
Hurd responded to Friday’s announcement within the hour.
“I’m grateful for President Trump’s support and appreciate his efforts to unify Republicans in Colorado’s Third District,” Hurd wrote on X. “The President and I share the same goals: securing the border, American energy dominance, and helping working families.”
He added that he will continue “delivering results for rural Colorado” while running “a serious campaign to earn the support of voters across the district.”
Colorado Republican Party Secretary Russ Andrews said Trump’s reversal reflects a bigger reality inside the district.
“Donald Trump recognizes that on the very most important issues, Jeff Hurd has always got his back,” Andrews told RMV. “On a couple of issues, he hasn’t, but they have been minor. On the big stuff, he’s always got his back.”
Andrews, who described Hurd as a close friend, said the moment gives Republicans an opportunity to refocus the race and move forward.
The endorsement reversal also underscores how quickly the political landscape has shifted. Just months earlier, Trump had praised Hurd’s “strong Record of SUCCESS” and issued his original “Complete and Total Endorsement” during the congressman’s first year in office.
Hurd, a first-term Republican from Grand Junction, has leaned into a message of constitutional grounding—even when it puts him at odds with party leadership. Following the tariff vote, he said his decisions are guided by “what is best for his district and the long-term strength of the country.”
Scheppelman, a Bayfield resident and former vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party, had entered the race with Trump’s backing and positioned herself as an America First alternative. Scheppelman had not responded to requests for comment Friday morning following Trump’s announcement.
Scheppelman later confirmed the move in a campaign statement Friday, saying she had suspended her bid at President Trump’s request.
“While my decision was difficult to make, I must put America First and do all I can to help ensure that the radical leaders in today’s Democrat Party do not take this seat,” Scheppelman said.
She framed the decision as a step toward preserving the Republican majority in the U.S. House, while also signaling the race may not be her last.
“If he does not, I will run again in 2028 and defeat him,” she said, referring to Hurd.
Scheppelman also urged her supporters to remain engaged in the race, encouraging them to “hold Jeff Hurd’s feet to the fire” on constitutional and policy priorities.
Hope Scheppelman confirmed Friday she has suspended her CD3 campaign in a statement released by her campaign.
The move follows a stretch of back-and-forth that split Republicans across the district.
Andrews said the next test for Hurd will come not from Washington, but from grassroots Republicans back home, pointing to the state assembly in Pueblo on April 11.
“Jeff should go through the assembly,” Andrews said. “Jeff’s got big shoulders, and people are upset with him about a few items, but those are minor issues. On the big things, Jeff always votes for us.”
He added that showing up in person still matters in Colorado politics. Andrews said the point is practical as much as political. If Hurd goes through the assembly, he said, it becomes easier to get grassroots activists to knock doors and make calls on his behalf.
“Go to the assembly. Talk to people. That’s how you turn people’s minds and hearts.”
He paused on that point, then added that the decision itself isn’t his to make.
“In the final analysis, it’s Jeff’s and Nick’s decision—and I’ll respect whatever they do.”
His support for Hurd, he said, didn’t start with this week’s endorsement shift. He pointed back to the Mesa County caucus, when the two were competing. Hurd pulled him aside privately and made a simple promise—if he lost, he’d do everything he could to help. After Andrews’ own loss, he said, he returned the favor, speaking for Hurd throughout the summer and fall of 2024.
Andrews also pointed to Hurd’s personal support during a difficult time for his family. After learning of Andrews’ wife Lori’s ALS diagnosis, he said Hurd quietly helped organize prayer chains on her behalf.
“That’s who Jeff Hurd is,” Andrews said.
He added that the connection has continued beyond that moment, with ongoing conversations about the ALS Better Care Act and potential ways members of Colorado’s delegation could support access to treatment.
All eyes now turn to the June 30 primary.
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