State Rep. Manny Rutinel running for Congress in Colorado's battleground 8th District
Democratic state Rep. Manny Rutinel of Commerce City is running for Colorado's 8th Congressional District. (Courtesy of Manny Rutinel for Congress)
Less than a month into the 119th Congress, first-term Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans has already drawn his first challenger in Colorado's most competitive congressional district.
Democratic state Rep. Manny Rutinel of Commerce City announced Monday he would seek to represent the 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of Adams and Weld counties north of Denver, in the 2026 midterm elections.
'I am honored to declare my candidacy for Congress to serve the diverse and hardworking communities of Colorado's 8th District,' Rutinel said in a press release. 'I have seen firsthand how rising housing and health care costs, along with limited job opportunities, are hurting our community. Together, we can address the pressing issues facing our district and ensure a prosperous future for all residents.'
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The tossup 8th District will again be a key battleground in the national contest for control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms. Republicans currently hold a razor-thin three-seat majority in the House, thanks in part to Evans' unseating of former Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo in the 8th District last year.
Rutinel, an environmental attorney, was first appointed in 2023 by a vacancy committee to represent House District 32 in the state Legislature, and he won election to a full term last year. His campaign announcement touted his work on legislation expanding access to health care, housing and poverty-reducing tax credits, along with endorsements from more than 20 fellow Democrats in the Legislature.
The 8th District, created by an independent redistricting commission in 2021, spans Democratic-leaning Denver suburbs in Adams County and more conservative and rural areas in southern Weld County. An estimated 40% of the district's population is Latino.
Evans, a former state lawmaker who spoke often of his heritage as the grandson of Mexican immigrants, defeated Caraveo by roughly 2,500 votes in November. Embracing the endorsement of President Donald Trump, Evans promised to support aggressive border security measures and the deportation of violent criminals, but since his election he has consistently dodged questions about the Trump administration's broader efforts to drastically restrict legal pathways to immigration and citizenship.
Rutinel is the son of a single mother who immigrated from the Dominican Republic. His campaign announcement made little direct mention of immigration issues, promising to 'focus on key issues affecting the district including reducing housing and healthcare costs and creating good-paying jobs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and defending the rights and freedoms of all Coloradans.'
'This district is a reflection of everything that makes Colorado extraordinary: its diversity, its resilience, and its hardworking people,' Rutinel said. 'But we're under attack. Some politicians in Congress are scheming to slash Social Security and Medicare while hiking prices on groceries and other essential goods. I'll fight tooth and nail to stop these reckless attacks and ensure working families get the support they deserve.'
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