COLORADO — Gabe Evans, the Republican Congressman representing Colorado's 8th Congressional District, is seeking reelection. Two Democrats are competing in a primary election to determine who will challenge him in November.

Colorado's 8th Congressional District is the state's newest district, drawn after the 2020 census. The district extends from the Denver suburbs into rural areas. Approximately 40% of the district's residents are Hispanic.

Voters in the 8th Congressional District elected a Hispanic Democrat to Congress in 2022. In 2024, voters elected Gabe Evans, a Hispanic Republican, to Congress. Angel Merlos, a canvasser for the Libre Initiative, is working to generate Hispanic support for Evans in the upcoming election. The Libre Initiative is a conservative Latino political advocacy group that focuses on limited government.

Jesse Acevedo, a political scientist at the University of Denver, said that Latinos will have an important impact on the outcome of the election. "Given the makeup of the district and how competitive is, Latinos will have an important impact on who wins CD8," Acevedo said. Jarrek Holmes, director of Trust Brigade, a deep canvassing group, stated that the Hispanic population is a crucial demographic. "It's 40% of the district. I mean, it is such a huge proportion of the district that it is by and away the most important group," Holmes said.

Why It Matters

Colorado's 8th Congressional District has the state's largest Hispanic population, making this demographic a major factor in electoral outcomes. The district has demonstrated a swing voting pattern, electing a Hispanic Democrat in 2022 and a Hispanic Republican in 2024, indicating its competitive nature. The upcoming election will involve efforts by groups like the Libre Initiative and Trust Brigade to engage this voter segment.