April 28, 2026 11:33 AM UTC

Outside Money Starting to Arrive in Top Colorado Congressional Districts

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Democrats are already starting to spend big money in three targeted House districts in Colorado — CO-03, CO-05, and CO-08 — well in advance of the November election.

As Ernest Luning reports for the publication formerly known as the Colorado Statesman:

The leading House Democratic super PAC is booking more than $9 million in fall TV and digital advertising across three Colorado media markets as part of an aggressive move to win control of the chamber in this year’s midterm elections. [Pols emphasis]

The House Majority PAC, a group aligned with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, announced plans Thursday to reserve $272 million in initial ad buys nationally in 68 markets, including Denver, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction, a spokeswoman told Colorado Politics. The reservation marks a big increase from the $186 million it booked out of the gate in 2024.

While the group typically decides how to allocate its ad dollars closer to the November election, the early reservations suggest the Democrats could target freshmen U.S. Reps. Gabe Evans, Jeff Hurd and Jeff Crank — expanding the state’s House battleground beyond the toss-up 8th Congressional District, where Evans will face the winner of a three-way Democratic primary.

While Democrats are targeting three races in Colorado, Republicans are thus far singularly focused on trying to save the hide of America’s most vulnerable incumbent Congressman, Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Ft. Lupton):

The group’s House Republican counterpart, the Congressional Leadership Fund, also unveiled its initial fall ad reservations on Thursday, with $5.5 million earmarked for spending in a single Colorado media market, likely devoted to protecting Evans in the targeted swing seat he represents.

If Democrats continue to push the needle against Rep. Jeff “Bread Sandwich” Hurd (R-Grand Junction) and Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo. Springs), national Republicans are going to be spread thin in Colorado. Hurd is dealing with a surprise Primary challenge from former candidate Ron Hanks, while Crank has been outraised by Democrat Jessica Killin in every quarter since the latter entered the race last summer.

At some point, Republicans will need to decide if Evans can be saved or if it makes more sense to divert resources to districts such as CO-03 and CO-05, where Republicans have more of a built-in voter registration advantage. It doesn’t make a lot of strategic sense to prop up Evans if the end result is losing two other Colorado seats in November.