January 27, 2025 11:56 AM UTC

Manny Rutinel Kicks Off Dems' Quest To Unseat Gabe Evans

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• by: Colorado Pols

As the Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul reports, state Rep. Manny Rutinel of Commerce City is the first Democrat to announce a run for the nomination to challenge Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado’s hotly competitive CO-08 district, which Evans flipped red by fewer than 3,000 votes last November with the wind of a “red wave” election at his back:

Rutinel is in his second year at the Colorado Capitol. He is a lawyer who is involved in environmental activism.

“As a state representative, I’ve delivered results for Colorado families,” Rutinel posted on X. “In Congress, I’ll fight to make sure hardworking people get the support they deserve.”

Rutinel seeks to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans of Fort Lupton in the toss-up district, which spans from the northeastern Denver suburbs along U.S. 85 into Greeley.

After former Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s narrow loss to Evans, we’re expecting a robust primary with several well-qualified candidates vying for the chance to unseat Evans, one of 2026’s most vulnerable Republicans. nationwide. The Sun lists several potential contenders including Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Adams County Commissioner Steve O’Dorisio, and term-limited state Treasurer Dave Young of Greeley. Other names we’ve listed on the Big Line due to expressed or rumored interest include former state Rep. Joe Salazar, or either state Sen. Kyle Mullica or his wife and new Adams County commish Julie Duran Mullica. There remains the possibility that Rep. Caraveo might try again herself, but that appears less likely now with Democrats eager for a fresh start against Evans.

In the upcoming midterms, history forecasts that the advantages that helped Evans win in 2024 will be liabilities by the summer of 2026. Evans’ decision to go “full MAGA” in 2024 and campaign directly on helping Donald Trump carry out his agenda is a choice that will have consequences–in a political landscape that we expect will be very different from today’s.

Evans’ vulnerability is why Democrats should expect–and welcome–a vigorous primary to select his next opponent.