May 27, 2026 11:23 AM UTC

Evan Munsing Drops Out of Race in CO-08

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• by: Colorado Pols

As The Colorado Sun reports, Democrat Evan Munsing has decided to end his campaign for Congress in CO-08:

Munsing, 38, suspended his campaign the day before a debate with the other two Democratic candidates scheduled for Thursday in Greeley, hosted by The Colorado Sun. His name will still appear on the June 30 primary ballot.

“I began my run for Congress with the conviction that an outsider with a record of military service, business experience, and serious commitment to reform could compete in this district on the strength of those things,” Munsing said in a statement. “Polling data showed that voters here were hungry for exactly that profile — but Washington insiders prefer to bankroll career politicians rather than see outsiders win critical races.”

Munsing, a former U.S. Marine who has never held political office, consistently polled behind the two other candidates in the Democratic primary. He moved to Thornton, in the 8th District, with his fiancée from Denver earlier this year.

The relatively-unknown Munsing did well to make it onto the June Primary ballot, outlasting several more experienced politicians (including State Treasurer Dave Young). But Munsing was unable to turn that support into campaign cash; he finished the first fundraising quarter of 2026 with just $108,480 in the bank, compared to $1.8 million for Manny Rutinel and $1.1 million for Shannon Bird. Munsing’s statement announcing his withdrawal complains of “Washington insiders” who “prefer to bankroll career politicians,” but that’s a lame excuse. Rutinel and Bird just ran better campaigns than Munsing.

The practical impact of Munsing dropping out will be negligible. The Primary ballot has been set for several weeks, with mail ballots dropping on June 8. Some voters will be aware that Munsing is no longer a candidate, but he’ll probably still end up with the same rough number of votes he would have received anyway. It’s possible that Munsing could swing a small percentage of votes if he chooses to endorse one of his former Democratic opponents, though neither Rutinel or Bird would likely expend significant resources publicizing such an endorsement this late in the campaign.