Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Fort Lupton), the Republican Congressional District 8 candidate, welcomed supporters during the grand opening of his National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) “Battlestation Office” last night in Thornton.
“I know how hard it is to run for the [CD8] seat,” said Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann, who ran unsuccessfully for the CD8 Republican nomination in 2022, during her introduction of Evans. “For me, as a mayor, Local government is extremely important, and the partnerships that we have at the federal level are more important than you realize. They do a lot of things for us for funding, they listen to the issues that we’re having, they’re able to actually see what’s happening. That liaison, that relationship is extremely important to me as a mayor. I need to know that I can call my elected officials and that they’re going to answer me, and in the time that I’ve known Gabe, Gabe has always been there to answer my call, even in the middle of a night.”
During Kulmann’s term as Mayor, her “federal liasons” have been Democrats Ed Perlmutter and U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO).
During his remarks, Evans focused on local issues such as the influx of migrants into the Denver metro area, fentanyl, crime, and inflation, laying the blame on incumbent Caraveo.
“All of these issues have one thing in common, and that is the failed policies of my opponent and the failed policies of the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration,” said Evans. “They are the folks that have not secured our border. They’re the folks that have attacked our domestic energy, American energy, and that’s having a direct impact on all of those issues.”
Evans also highlighted his support from local leaders. “I also have The support of two-thirds of the mayors in this district,” he said. “Two-thirds of the sitting mayors do not feel that they are being adequately represented by their current congresswoman, and so they have thrown their support behind me because I am focused on fixing those issues. Cost of living, community safety, making sure that we can have that American dream, securing our border, making sure that we hold folks accountable that deal poisons like fentanyl in our communities, that kill our neighbors and our friends and our families. That’s what I’m focused on.”
In addition to Kulmann, Brighton Mayor Greg Mills attended the event. Following Evans’ remarks, state legislative candidates addressed the crowd.
“I’m feeling so much momentum that my Democrat incumbent opponent has dropped out of the race,” said former Colorado Representative Dan Woog, who is currently running for House District 19. “Last Friday she dropped out, so now we’re waiting for the next opponent to fill that seat, but it’s a good sign.”
Last week, Rep. Jennifer Parenti (D-Erie) announced she would not seek re-election, saying in a July 19 statement that “personal agendas and special interests are still being rewarded at the expense of our districts.”
Heidi Pitchforth, who is once again running for House District 31 (she lost by 16% in 2022), focused on the transgender issues that dominated the last legislative session. “ I was surprised when I was down, down at the Capitol, listening to Republicans and Democrats talk about how their children are transitioning and being transitioned at school without the parents even knowing about it,” she said. “All of a sudden they’ve got a child who’s suicidal, they’ve got a child. He’s completely changed their whole demeanor and what they’re able to do. And they didn’t know anything that this was even going on. So it’s okay for the whole school to know that their child’s transitioning, it’s okay for the teachers to know and anyone who goes there, but it’s not okay for the parents to know? That doesn’t make any sense to me. Parents have raised their kids. Nobody loves their kids more than parents do, and we need to make sure the parents are included in the process here. And teachers. I substitute taught for 18 plus years in Adams 12. Teachers should not be charged with discrimination if they use the wrong pronouns. I mean, their job is to teach correct pronouns. That’s their job. So we need to make sure that teachers have that kind of protection, and they shouldn’t have to worry about that. We need to educate our children, not indoctrinate our children.”
The opening of Evans’ NRCC “battlestation” signals an increasing focus on Colorado’s CD8 race. Caraveo narrowly beat Colorado Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer (R-Brighton) in 2022 and national Republican groups have hopes of flipping the seat. In February, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) formally endorsed Evans, and last month former President Donald Trump gave his endorsement to Evans, a move volunteers credit with sealing Evans’ primary victory.
National support for Evans could become increasingly important as today Evans joined Jeff Crank, Republican candidate for CD5; Jeff Hurd, Republican candidate for CD3; Valdamar Archuleta, Republican candidate for CD1; Marshall Dawson, Republican candidate for CD2; and John Fabbricatore, Republican candidate for CD6, in calling for the resignation of embattled Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams.
Polling shows a close race between Caraveo and Evans, with independent voters leaning toward Evans. Yesterday, Caraveo voted with House Republicans on a Republican-led resolution condemning President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, for the administration’s immigration policies.
“She’s clearly saying whatever she thinks she needs to say to try to get reelected, and cover up six years of her open border, sanctuary state policies,” said Evans. “I mentioned the bill she voted for that made it illegal for me, as a cop, to reach out to my federal law enforcement counterparts that work in that immigration and customs space. She’s voted against the Secure the Border Act—”
Evans’ interview with CTR was interrupted by an announcement from Daniel Belfontaine, the Adams County GOP Chair, urging attendees to join activist group Moms for Liberty following their Title IX lawsuit. “If you have a child, join Moms for Liberty just so you can go to the school and say, ‘No, I don’t want my child to be subject to this transgender policy bullshit,” said Belfontaine to the cheering crowd of Evans supporters. “I don’t want my child to be able to pick their pronouns. If you do that, the school is supposed to honor your request, not just for your child, but for the school total. That means boys can’t play in girls sports. That means no pronoun crap, no transgender crap, no transitioning crap.”
