What’s on your 2026 Colorado ballot: All nine federal races

By RMV Editorial Board

Every one of Colorado’s eight seats in the U.S. House is on the ballot this November, along with one of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats. Eight of those nine races feature an incumbent seeking another term. The lone open House seat, Denver’s 1st District, has no incumbent for the first time in 30 years.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. County clerks could begin sending mail ballots to active voters on Oct. 2 and must have initial ballots in the mail by Oct. 9.

Voters who are not yet registered may register at GoVoteColorado.gov through Oct. 26 and still be mailed a ballot. After that date, Coloradans may register and vote in person at a voter service and polling center up to and including Election Day.

The Secretary of State’s office lists Oct. 26 as the last suggested day to return a ballot by mail. After that, voters should use a drop box or voting center. The state requires drop boxes to open by Oct. 12 and voting centers by Oct. 19.

Ballots must be submitted, or the voter must be in line, by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Candidates are listed from the official list the Secretary of State certified to the counties on Sept. 4.

A note on sourcing. Platform items are the candidate’s own wording, with the source named at the end of each line.

Endorsements are the organizations each campaign lists on its own site, plus President Trump, whose backing is itself news in these races. Individual endorsers are omitted for space, and nearly every candidate has them.

Rocky Mountain Voice has not confirmed every listing, and campaigns sometimes carry endorsements forward from prior elections.

“None listed” means no organization appears on that candidate’s own site, not that none exists.

U.S. Senate

Democratic Party – John Hickenlooper. He is the present officeholder, seeking a second term, and defeated state Sen. Julie Gonzales in the June 30 primary. hickenlooper.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Stopping the Trump Administration’s Lawlessness.” “Create an Economy That Works for Everyone.” “Stopping ICE’s Violence and Keeping Our Communities Safe.” “Achieve Universal, Affordable Healthcare.” “Protecting Our Public Lands and Restoring Investments in Science.” Source: issues page at hickenlooper.com.

Endorsements: Giffords. The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Reproductive Freedom for All and Cobalt Advocates. The National Education Association and the Colorado Education Association. AFSCME, Western States Carpenters, Colorado Professional Fire Fighters, SMART Local 9, Pipefitters Local 208 and AFGE. Brady PAC and Newtown Action Alliance. End Citizens United, Let America Vote and 314 Action. The Human Rights Campaign PAC and the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance. The Colorado AFL-CIO’s Aug. 19 slate names candidates for governor, secretary of state, attorney general and treasurer but makes no U.S. Senate endorsement.

Republican Party – Mark Baisley. A state senator representing Senate District 4, which covers Chaffee, Custer, Douglas, Fremont, Jefferson, Lake, Park and Teller counties. He was unopposed for the nomination and entered the Senate race in January after ending a campaign for governor. baisleyforsenate.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Affordability & Prosperity.” “Safe, Prosperous Communities.” “Immigration.” “Agriculture.” Campaign slogan: “Securing the Promise of America.” Source: issues page and homepage at baisleyforsenate.com.

Endorsements: None listed. His endorsements page carries only individuals, among them former Sen. Hank Brown, former Gov. Bill Owens, all four Republican members of Colorado’s House delegation, and the sheriffs of Douglas, Weld, Custer and Teller counties.

Also on the ballot: Bob Chew (Forward Party), Christopher Baum (Approval Voting Party), Blake Huber (Libertarian Party), Adam Withrow (Unity Party).

Certified write-in candidates: Donald Willoughby (Unaffiliated), Will Powers (Republican), Ryan Apelbaum (Republican). These names do not appear on the ballot.

1st District

This seat is open. Rep. Diana DeGette, first elected in 1996 and the dean of Colorado’s congressional delegation, lost the June 30 Democrat primary and is not on the general election ballot.

Democratic Party – Melat Kiros. A 29-year-old former attorney and Ph.D. student who defeated DeGette and Wanda James in the primary. She had earlier taken the top line at the party’s Denver assembly with 67% of the delegate vote. Her campaign site describes her as a democratic socialist. kirosforco.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Medicare for All.” “End All Wars.” “Abolish ICE.” “Universal Childcare.” Source: her campaign site at kirosforco.com.

Endorsements: The Democratic Socialists of America and, separately, Denver Democratic Socialists of America, whose February announcement called her the chapter’s first federal endorsement and reported 94.7% of voting members in favor. Also the Sunrise Movement and Sunrise Movement Denver, the Colorado Working Families Party, Justice Democrats, Our Revolution, Progressive Victory, No Dem Left Behind, Moms Demand Action, End Citizens United, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, the Colorado Palestine Coalition, Citizens Against AIPAC Corruption, CAIR Action, the Cobalt Abortion Fund, Nurses for America, New Era Colorado, Pro-Animal Colorado, Greater Transit Denver, CWA’s Colorado/Wyoming council, UFCW, Teamsters Local 455 and the Coalition for Black Trade Unionists.

Reported elsewhere: the Colorado AFL-CIO’s Aug. 19 slate endorses her, and the National Education Association lists her among its recommended candidates. The Colorado Education Association, which endorsed in three House districts before the primary, did not endorse here.

Republican Party – Christy Peterson. A designer and accountant in construction, born and raised in Colorado, running “to stand up against the progressive left and communist socialism.” No campaign website. Ballotpedia

Platform: Making streets safe. Reducing government waste. Creating jobs. Ending the use of mail-in ballots. Securing the border. Opposing “communist socialism.” Barring tax increases. Environmental concerns including “chemtrails” and “toxic weather modifications.” Support for the U.S. defense relationship with Israel. Source: her announced platform as reported in a July 2 Denver Gazette profile.

Endorsements: None listed.

Also on the ballot: Critter Milton (Unity Party), Chad Humphrey (Libertarian Party), Shimon Blau (Unaffiliated).

Certified write-in candidates: Kevin StClair (Democratic), John Wren (Democratic), Stephen Replin (Unaffiliated).

2nd District

Democratic Party – Joe Neguse. He is the present officeholder. joeforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Public Lands.” “Climate.” “Health Care.” “Economic Opportunity.” Source: issues page at joeforcolorado.com.

Endorsements: Colorado Professional Fire Fighters, SMART Local 9 and Pipefitters Local 208. The rest of his endorsements page is individuals.

Reported elsewhere: Giffords, the LCV Action Fund, the Colorado AFL-CIO and the Colorado Education Association have each announced endorsements of him, and the National Education Association lists him among its recommended candidates.

Republican Party – Kelley Anne Dennison. A business owner from Estes Park. kelleyforco.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Economic Affordability.” “Environmental Stewardship.” “Pro-Family Policies.” “Education Reform.” “Second Amendment Rights.” “Term Limits.” Source: issues page at kelleyforco.com.

Endorsements: None listed. Her endorsements page carries three individuals. Daniel Frick is a candidate for Colorado House District 53. Adam DeRito is a veteran who ran in the 8th District Republican primary. Amber Adames is a conservative social media figure who posts as “Colorado Conservative Mama.”

Also on the ballot: Gaylon Kent (Libertarian Party).

3rd District

Republican Party – Jeff Hurd. He is the present officeholder, seeking his first re-election. jeffhurdforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Border Security.” “Better Jobs for a Better Economy.” “Empowering Working Families.” “Energy and Energy Independence.” “Water.” “Agriculture.” Source: issues page at jeffhurdforcolorado.com.

Endorsements: None listed. His endorsements page carries roughly 70 individuals and no organizations, among them former Interior Secretary Gale Norton, former Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson, former Sen. Hank Brown, former Gov. Bill Owens, former Reps. Scott McInnis and Scott Tipton, six sitting state legislators, three district attorneys and the Mesa County sheriff.

Reported elsewhere: the National Rifle Association, which his campaign said in June 2026 gave him an A rating along with its endorsement. President Trump endorsed Hurd in October 2025. Trump withdrew that endorsement in February 2026 after Hurd joined five Republicans in voting to block tariffs on Canada, and called him a “RINO.” Trump re-endorsed him on March 20, 2026, after House Republican leaders spent weeks lobbying Trump to reverse course and after primary challenger Hope Scheppelman left the race. Hurd went on to beat former state Rep. Ron Hanks in the primary. The Colorado Springs Gazette and Denver Gazette editorial boards both endorsed him on Oct. 4.

Democratic Party – Dwayne L. Romero. An Army engineer officer, combat veteran and small business owner. romeroforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Lower the cost of living.” “Support the future of agriculture.” “Protect our water.” “Increase affordable energy.” Source: issues page at romeroforcolorado.com, under the heading “How I’m going to fight for you.”

Endorsements: VoteVets and the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Reported elsewhere: the Colorado AFL-CIO’s Aug. 19 slate endorses him, and the National Education Association lists him among its recommended candidates.

Also on the ballot: Cory Robertson (Libertarian Party), Clifton Brown (Unaffiliated).

4th District

Republican Party – Lauren Boebert. She is the present officeholder, seeking her first re-election in this district after moving from the 3rd District and winning the seat in 2024. laurenforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Standing for FREEDOM.” “Pro-Freedom, Pro-Guns, Pro-Constitution.” About page headings: “Proven Conservative Fighter.” “Holding Joe Biden Accountable.” “Defending Colorado’s Values.” “Active in the Community.” Source: campaign slogan and About page at laurenforcolorado.com, which has no issues or platform page.

Endorsements: House Freedom Fund, which now publishes as the Freedom Caucus Fund. Veterans for Trump, Maggie’s List and the Oil and Gas Workers Association. President Trump, who endorsed her in July 2025 and publicly threatened in May 2026 to withdraw that endorsement over her support for Rep. Thomas Massie but did not withdraw it. The NRA Political Victory Fund endorses her and grades her A+. Her site separately displays scorecard grades, not endorsements, from Conservative Review, Club for Growth, Turning Point Action, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, Heritage Action, NumbersUSA, CPAC and Gun Owners of America.

Democratic Party – Eileen Laubacher. A retired Navy rear admiral. eileenforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Make life more affordable.” “Strengthen rural Colorado.” “End corruption. Stop waste. Restore fiscal responsibility.” “Keep our country & communities safe.” “Secure Colorado’s water & build for the future.” Source: platform page at eileenforcolorado.com.

Endorsements: VoteVets, Serve America, New Politics, Veterans on Watch, Veterans for Responsible Leadership, National Security Leaders for America and the Steady State, a group of former national security officials.

Also on the ballot: Douglas Mangeris (Libertarian Party).

Certified write-in candidate: Luis Galvan (Republican).

5th District

Republican Party – Jeff Crank. He is the present officeholder, seeking his first re-election. jeffcrankforcongress.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Congress.” “Economy.” “Education.” “Energy.” “Health.” “Veterans.” Campaign site focus: military bases, veterans and wildfire resilience. Campaign slogan: “A Strong Fighter for Southern Colorado.” Source: issue categories at crank.house.gov, his congressional office site, plus the homepage at jeffcrankforcongress.com, which has no issues page.

Endorsements: President Trump, the NRA, Americans for Prosperity Action, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America PAC, the National Federation of Independent Business, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Family Policy Alliance, the Colorado Springs Police Protective Association, the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition PAC, the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors, Veterans for America First, the Colorado Federation of Young Republicans and the Colorado Springs Gazette. His endorsements page appears to carry forward from his 2024 campaign. Every image on it was uploaded in 2024, and it still lists Doug Lamborn as a sitting congressman though he left office in January 2025. Rocky Mountain Voice has not confirmed which of these organizations have endorsed him again this cycle.

Democratic Party – Jessica Killin. An Army veteran and former chief of staff to Doug Emhoff, the former second gentleman. killinforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Lowering Costs for Families.” “Restoring Integrity and Fighting Corruption in our Government.” “Supporting Our Veterans.” “Bringing Down the Cost of Health Care and Prescription Drugs.” “Restoring Fiscal Responsibility to Congress.” “Safeguarding Our Public Lands.” “Protecting the Space Industry and Colorado Springs.” Source: priorities page at killinforcolorado.com.

Endorsements: EMILY’s List, VoteVets, the NewDem Action Fund, Defend the Vote, the Voter Protection Project, Elect Democratic Women and New Politics. Her page also lists individuals including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and Reps. Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Brittany Pettersen and Diana DeGette, and a section of five self-identified Republicans.

Reported elsewhere: Giffords, the LCV Action Fund and the Colorado AFL-CIO have endorsed her, and the National Education Association lists her among its recommended candidates.

Also on the ballot: Christopher Mitchell (American Constitution Party), Mark “Marky Jr” Elworth (Libertarian Party).

Certified write-in candidate: Steven Fuller (Unaffiliated).

6th District

Democratic Party – Jason Crow. He is the present officeholder. jasoncrow.org · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Better Jobs & More Economic Opportunity.” “Campaign Finance Reform.” “Civil Rights & Criminal Justice Reform.” “Defending Our Democracy.” “Education.” “Environment.” “Foreign Policy.” “Gun Violence Prevention.” “Health Care.” “Housing Affordability.” “Immigration.” “LGBTQ Rights.” “Transportation & Infrastructure.” “Veterans.” “Women’s Rights.” Source: values page at jasoncrow.org, under the banner “Fighting for Colorado Values.”

Endorsements: None listed. His campaign site carries only individuals, including Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, Gov. Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser and more than 40 state and local officials.

Reported elsewhere: the Colorado AFL-CIO, the Colorado Education Association, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Giffords have each endorsed him, and the National Education Association lists him among its recommended candidates.

Republican Party – Jason Clark. jasonclarkuscongress.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Affordability,” his top priority. “Jobs across Colorado.” “Embrace Entrepreneurs, Embrace Small Business, Embrace Developers.” “Reduce Crime.” “Go after the criminals, Clean up Colfax Avenue.” Campaign slogan: “Back to Basics.” Source: jasonclarkuscongress.com.

Endorsements: None listed. His site has no endorsements page, and no organizational endorsement surfaced in published reporting.

Clark became the nominee after Mel Tewahade withdrew on June 29. The Arapahoe County clerk’s notice of withdrawal says that the Republican Party named Clark as the replacement candidate and that votes cast for Tewahade count for Clark. He is a West Point graduate and Army veteran who describes himself as a free-market libertarian Republican.

Also on the ballot: Patty McMahon (Libertarian Party), Meredith Ryan (Unity Party), Samir Ezzeldin Witta (Unaffiliated).

7th District

Democratic Party – Brittany Pettersen. She is the present officeholder. brittanypettersen.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Economic Recovery.” “Energy Independence.” “Health Care.” “Supporting Our Seniors.” “Education.” “Protecting Our Democracy.” Source: issues page at brittanypettersen.com, where body copy below those headings dates from an earlier cycle.

Endorsements: The AFL-CIO, AFGE, AFSCME, the American Federation of Teachers, CWA, IBEW, SEIU, SMART, the Teamsters, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, UFCW and West Metro Professional Firefighters. Also Conservation Colorado, the League of Conservation Voters, Giffords, Planned Parenthood, NARAL (which renamed itself Reproductive Freedom for All in 2023), EMILY’s List, the Human Rights Campaign, the COLOR Action Fund, Defend the Vote, Future Forum PAC, the NewDem Action Fund, the Voter Protection Project and the National Education Association.

Republican Party – Tim Bennett. A retired Army officer and a sitting member of the Lewis-Palmer School District 38 board. timbennettforcongress.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Support Motherhood and Family Stability.” “Give Families Financial Breathing Room.” “End the Washington Debt Machine.” “Making Colorado More Affordable.” “Protecting Colorado’s Water Future.” “Safe Communities, Strong Communities.” Source: platform page at timbennettforcongress.com, under the banner “Making the American dream a reality.”

Endorsements: None listed. His site has no endorsements page, and no organizational endorsement surfaced in published reporting.

Also on the ballot: Susan Hall (Unity Party), Lawrence Kyle Clark (American Constitution Party), Dan “Kilo” Sallis (Libertarian Party), Joe Krzeczkowski (Unaffiliated).

8th District

Republican Party – Gabe Evans. He is the present officeholder, seeking his first re-election, and would be the first member re-elected since the seat was created. electgabeevans.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: Cost of living. Utility bills and data center energy costs. Air quality rules and Colorado jobs. Public safety and fentanyl. Health care. “Common sense versus crazy,” his framing of the race. Source: Rocky Mountain Voice’s summary of his answers in an interview published Sept. 25.

Endorsements: The NRA Political Victory Fund, the Colorado State Shooting Association, the Colorado State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police, the National Federation of Independent Business, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AFP Action, America First Works, the Libre Initiative, ACC Action, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Rural PAC, the Republican Jewish Coalition, Log Cabin Republicans, the Colorado Young Republicans and the Denver Gazette.

Democratic Party – Manny Rutinel. An environmental attorney and former state representative who defeated former state Rep. Shannon Bird in the primary. He worked as an economist for the Army Corps of Engineers before his election. mannyforcolorado.com · Ballotpedia

Platform: “Lower Costs for Working Families.” “Protect and Strengthen Social Security and Medicare.” “Lower Healthcare Costs and Expand Access.” “Make Housing Affordable for Working Families.” “Support Veterans and Military Families.” “Create Good Jobs and Economic Opportunity.” “Stopping Corruption.” “Take Artificial Intelligence Seriously.” “Stopping Trump’s Immigration Cruelty.” “Keep Our Communities Safe.” Source: issues page at mannyforcolorado.com, under the banner “Honest Leadership That Gets Results.”

Endorsements: AFT Colorado, CWA, SEIU Colorado, SEIU Local 105, Colorado WINS, the United Auto Workers, the United Farm Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers, Moms Demand Action, Latino Victory, CHC BOLD PAC, 314 Action, UnidosUS Action, New American Leaders Action, Voces Unidas Action, Rocky Mountain Equality Action, United for a New Economy Action, Unrig Washington, YIMBY Denver, YIMBY North Metro, the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance and Greeley-Weld Indivisible.

Reported elsewhere: the Colorado AFL-CIO’s Aug. 19 slate endorses him, the National Education Association lists him among its recommended candidates, and the Democratic Socialists of America’s Northern Colorado chapter endorsed him in the primary.

Also on the ballot: Dave Wood (Libertarian Party).

Rocky Mountain Voice has linked each office and district heading to its Ballotpedia page. Voters may also consult the candidates’ own campaign websites and the Secretary of State’s official candidate list at coloradosos.gov.