Gabe Evans ceremoniously took the Oath of Office on January 30 at the Alfred A. Arraj federal courthouse in downtown Denver to become the next representative for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, a job he’s held for almost a month.
His swearing-in also marks the first time that Colorado’s delegation in the House of Representatives is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Evans, a Republican, is taking the seat that was occupied by Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a Democrat, whom Evans defeated by fewer than 3,000 votes in the November 2024 election.
Evans is also joining the U.S. House of Representatives at a time when Republicans hold a five-seat majority.
Several Republican bigwigs attended the event. Colorado General Assembly members Dan Woog of Erie and Carlos Barron of Fort Lupton, who took Evans’ former seat under the Gold Dome, were in attendance. Fort Lupton Mayor Zo Hubbard, Federal Heights Mayor Linda Montoya, and Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann were also in attendance. Police and fire chiefs representing cities in the 8th Congressional District, located north of Denver, attended as well.
In brief remarks at the event, Evans spoke about his family’s immigration journey from Mexico. He described his story as “the American Dream” since he is the son of a first-generation immigrant.
“Serving you all is the honor of a lifetime,” Evans said.
Evans also hinted at what his priorities will be in Congress. He spoke about Colorado’s auto theft rate and the fentanyl epidemic. He also talked about the need to secure the southern border and deport people who are in the country illegally.
During his campaign, he stated that he supported the mass deportation of immigrants, including those who have not committed crimes, as proposed by President Donald Trump.
Data from the Colorado State Patrol shows Colorado’s auto theft rate has decreased for two consecutive years. Between 2022 and 2024, car thefts declined from 41,656 to 24,469 cases, representing a 41% decline overall. However, the number of people dying from fentanyl in Colorado increased by 4% between April 2023 and April 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
