By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
DENVER — Gabe Evans appeared Saturday to walk the walk.
“I’m going to work as a big-tent Republican,” Evans said. “That is how we win the 8th Congressional District.”
When his opponent, Janak Joshi, drifted hard right during the Republican Rumble here at the Grizzly Rose, Evans seemed to moderate on issues that will play to a general election audience against an incumbent Democrat.
“I’m literally all in to go out, fight and win, to flip this seat,” Evans said, closing a debate with Joshi where he drew a major difference in intelligence policy and the abortion issue.
Joshi supports dissolving the nation’s intelligence community, and then rebuilding. It was supported from a Libertarian Party contingent in attendance.
“All of these departments have been weaponized. We need to take the weapons away from them,” he said, comparing it to the dissolution and rebuilding of a private business. “You have to dismantle.”
Evans opposed the position with a notation toward his military service, and the service of others in the party who appeared on stage.
“We’ve worked for the government, and quite often we don’t fully trust the government,” he said. “But, you can’t abolish the intelligence agencies.”
Evans, a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Army and formerly a law enforcement officer, defeated Joshi in a straw poll Saturday 103-29.
“I’m going to fight this government,” Joshi said, opening his remarks. “This government needs to be controlled. They are harassing the citizens.”
Joshi, formerly of Colorado Springs, is seeking election for a three-term period, he said, honoring a term limits pledge and then plans to return to the district. Evans did not confirm whether he would honor the same term-limit pledge in Washington, D.C.
The candidates first sparred on the issue of whether Joshi should call himself doctor during the campaign.
“I’m still a doctor,” he said, countering concerns toward whether he retired and what those circumstances may have been.
Evans explained his position on the 2020 election, while Joshi also weighed in. Evans noted the timing of the Hunter Biden “laptop from hell” story reaching the public in 2020.
“That information being kept from voters prior to the election was an act of interference,” he said.
Added Joshi: “I’m focused on the current election. I’m not going to waste my time on anything else.”
The candidates have some similarity on the issue of immigration policy, with both supporting the securing of the border first.
“We have the laws, we are just not following the laws,” Joshi said, terming Congress ‘cowards’ for not enforcing immigration law. “We need to deport them all.”
“Until we secure the border, do not pass go and do not collect $200,” Evans countered. “If you are not lawfully here, you need to go back and wait in line.”
He added that law enforcement understands the difference between law-abiding persons in the country illegally and those here breaking laws, such as illegal distribution of fentanyl.
Janak compares the nation’s immigration concern to Denver, where “they are sending a list of demands to the mayor for freebies.”
On the issue of abortion, Joshi indicated he would support a national policy, a break from President Donald Trump’s position.
“Like President Trump, I can’t get behind a federal ban,” Evans said.
Joshi pledged that, should he be elected, “I will be ready to fight for my constituents.” With his life experience, Joshi said: “drinking from a firehose” won’t be a concern for him.
A concern Joshi raised was funding he says Evans has received from Americans for Prosperity. Evans countered that “Democrats are pouring money into coffers of my Democratic opponent.”
In a pitch to the conservative right, Joshi positioned himself as a candidate of “smaller government, lower taxes, less regulation, pro-life and 2nd Amendment.”