3 days ago
More Democrats join the race for Colorado's 8th congressional district
DENVER (KDVR) — The list of candidates for Colorado's most competitive congressional district continues to grow. Two new candidates joined the field of Democrats running for the seat this week.
The State Treasurer and the past president of the state's largest teachers' union joined the race this week. Both saying it is time for a new representation in the district.
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The Immediate Past President of the state's largest teachers' union and the current State Treasurer are joining the field of Democrats looking to take on incumbent Congressman Gabe Evans. The Republican beat Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo last fall by a margin of around two thousand votes.
'Today, I'm announcing that I'm running for Congress in Congressional District 8 here in Colorado,' said Amie Baca-Oehlert, the former President of the Colorado Education Association. 'You know if I had to give Gabe Evans a grade, I would give him an 'F' because I don't see Gabe Evans standing up for the constituents in CD8 or in Colorado. Gabe Evans is standing side-by-side, pushing the Trump agenda ahead, not listening to the needs of Coloradans.'
'As a lifelong Coloradan, I love this state, I love Congressional District 8, the new congressional district, and I'm excited to represent them,' said State Treasurer Dave Young. 'Well, you know I'm a teacher and at this point, I'm giving him an 'F' because he is taking some really devastating votes that are going to hurt people in Congressional District 8. And I just don't think he really understands the full implications of the vote that he is taking and the work on this budget bill.'
Baca-Oehlert and Young join state Representatives Manny Rutinel and Shannon Bird in the race; both candidates are off to the races with fundraising, as Rutinel is raising more than a million dollars in the first quarter of this year and Bird is raising $300,000 in the first two weeks since announcing her candidacy. Former Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo is also in the race again too. Both of the new candidates supported her initial bids.
'I think it's time for change. You know there were some great things that happened during that first term, but we're in a different place now. Congress looks different, the presidency looks different, and I think we're in a spot where we need somebody like me. Certainly, as the president of the largest labor union in this state, I know a little something about standing up to people in power, and I'm ready to take that to Congress,' said Baca-Oehlert.
'Gabe Evans is going right along with the Trump administration and giving up congressional power and caving in on budget decisions that are going to be devastating for people across the country but particularly people in his district, right, in my district right now. And I can't stand by for that. I've got to take action and unfortunately, Representative Caraveo was unsuccessful in her bid last time. And I'm not willing to gamble when I know I'm the person who can win this race,' said Treasurer Young.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) called both candidates out of touch, saying in a statement:
Two's company, three's a crowd, and five is a clown car of messy, expensive Democrat primary, which is exactly what we now have in Colorado's 8th Congressional District. Amie Baca-Oehlert is the latest out-of-touch Democrat to join the race to the left primary to determine who will be rejected by voters in Colorado next year.'
NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
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