April 29, 2025 10:26 AM UTC

President Trump Loves Him Some Gabe Evans

•  
• by: Colorado Pols

Freshman Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Fort Lupton) has demonstrated in his first three months in Congress that he is a loyal rubber stamp for the policies of House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump — even when those policies seem certain to cripple his 2026 re-election campaign.

As Ernest Luning reports for the publication formerly known as the Colorado Statesman, Gabe-ish has earned himself an orange star for his obsequiousness:

President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, the first-term Republican in Colorado’s most competitive congressional seat.

“Congressman Gabe Evans is an America First Patriot who is doing a fantastic job representing Colorado’s 8th Congressional District!” Trump said in a post on the Truth Social site…

…Trump’s endorsement came on the eve of his 100th day in office, a traditional milestone marking the end of a new administration’s “honeymoon” period.

Along with Evans, Trump also four other GOP incumbents who represent targeted House districts on Monday: Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani, Wisconsin Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry and Virginia Rep. John McGuire

It’s the second time Trump has endorsed Evans, the former state lawmaker who unseated Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo last November in the closely divided district, which stretches from Adams County suburbs north of Denver to Greeley in Weld County.

Evans was very appreciative of Trump’s endorsement, but getting the backing of The Big Orange Guy might not be so useful 18 months from now. In the 2024 election, Trump carried the eighth congressional district by a small margin, which was a significant change from Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign against Democrat Joe Biden.

That was before Trump had moved back into the White House and started breaking things. Today, Trump’s approval ratings nationwide are at historic lows, and Colorado voters are quite pessimistic about what Trump’s policies are going to mean in the near future.

Trump’s endorsement should help Evans maintain the support of MAGA Republicans in 2024, but he was probably going to get those voters anyway. In a district that leans slightly toward Democrats in terms of voter makeup, a strong endorsement from Trump likely does more harm than good for Evans in 2026.