(The Center Square) – The 8th Congressional District of Colorado race was too close to call as of 11:00 p.m. local time.
With about 67% of the vote counted, about 4,000 votes separated incumbent U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Colorado, and Republican Gabe Evans. Caraveo led Evans 49.6% to 47.9%. Two third-party candidates in the race had fewer than 2% of the vote, respectively.
Even though he trailed, Evans was not ready to concede late Tuesday night.
“We absolutely have a path,” Evans told his supporters at a watch party in Brighton, according to The Colorado Sun. “We’re feeling very, very optimistic.”
Caraveo was the favorite to win the seat going election Tuesday; The Hill gave her a 71% chance of victory in its House forecast, calling it a Lean Dem seat.
Evans is relatively new to politics. The 38-year-old U.S. Army Veteran and former police officer is a first-term state representative in the Colorado House of Representatives from the state’s 48th district. His campaign focused on support for border security and law enforcement.
Caraveo ran on supporting abortion rights, immigration, and expanding the government’s role in healthcare; in 2021, she even called for President Joe Biden to divest from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), plus U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Additionally, Caraveo and the Democrats criticized Evans for his pro-life views during the race.
A first-term U.S. Representative, Caraveo won the seat in a tight race in 2022; she defeated Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer 48.38% to 47.69% — a 0.69-point margin of victory. It was one of the closest U.S. House races in the country in that election cycle.
Before joining the U.S. House of Representatives, Caraveo was a state representative from the 31st district of Colorado from 2019 to 2023.
