{"id":2621301,"date":"2026-06-30T06:55:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T10:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ethnicity-electability-at-center-of-democratic-primary-in-colorado\/"},"modified":"2026-06-30T06:57:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T10:57:33","slug":"ethnicity-electability-at-center-of-democratic-primary-in-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ethnicity-electability-at-center-of-democratic-primary-in-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethnicity, electability at center of Democratic primary in Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fethnicity-electability-at-center-of-democratic-primary-in-colorado%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2621301&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) is set to discover his opponent on Tuesday after a contentious Colorado primary that has reopened old Democratic Party wounds. Teh race features State Rep. Manny Rutinel,a Hispanic progressive,challenging former State Rep. Shannon Bird, a white moderate, in a battleground district with a Latino plurality. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) stayed out of this contest, which has led to criticism from Latino members of Congress who favor more support for Latino candidates. Rutinel is currently the likely favorite, despite a lack of official DCCC involvement, with some analysts noting the race&#8217;s importance for Democratic efforts to flip the House.<\/p>\n<p>The DCCC backed Johnny Garcia in Texas\u2019 35th District, also a Latino-majority seat, where he succeeded with outside support. The race in Colorado is considered different, as Evans is a new seat and Rutinel is viewed as a strong contender. Some within the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-lawmaker-demands-government-close-the-borders-after-bidens-immigration-crisis-hits-close-to-home\/\" title=\"Democrat lawmaker urges government to secure borders amid Biden&#039;s immigration crisis\">party express concern<\/a> that the DCCC&#8217;s hands-off approach might hurt efforts to support moderate Latino candidates like Bird, especially as her campaign shows signs of waning in the final days.<\/p>\n<p>The debate centers on issues beyond identity politics, with advocates emphasizing practical concerns such as affordability, wages, and healthcare, which resonate with Latino voters. Bird has highlighted her outreach and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-bank-on-affordability-to-overcome-fundraising-gap\/\" title=\"Democrats bank on affordability to overcome fundraising gap\">deep community ties<\/a>, while Rutinel has criticized her lack of Latino heritage. The <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >race reflects broader tensions<\/a> within the Democratic Party over electoral strategy, support for Latino candidates, and the importance of aligning with Latino voters on substantive issues. Despite the external support Rutinel has received, some fear the outcome could impact party efforts to flip the House in November.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) will find out his opponent on Tuesday from a contentious <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/colorado\/\">Colorado<\/a> primary that has reopened some of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democrats\/\">Democratic Party<\/a>\u2019s old political wounds. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State Rep. Manny Rutinel, a Hispanic progressive, takes on former state Rep. Shannon Bird, a white moderate, in a race that has been shaped by who is best fit to succeed in a battleground, Latino-plurality district. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4629855\/alaska-supreme-court-second-dan-sullivan-ballot\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Alaska Supreme Court allows second Dan Sullivan to appear on ballot<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4629572\/texas-senate-ken-paxton-iceland-mistress\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Texas Democrats rip Paxton after video shows him flying to Iceland ahead of July 4<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4629125\/dnc-omit-graham-platner-photo-democratic-senate-nominees\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DNC leaves Graham Platner off photo of Democratic nominees in Senate races<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Latino members of Congress in recent weeks chastised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for its involvement in primaries after Randy Villegas prevailed in California\u2019s 22nd District, a Central Valley battleground held by Rep. David Valadao (R-CA). The DCCC endorsed Jasmeet Bains, a moderate assemblywoman, but Villegas and Valadao advanced to the general election.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the triumph of the progressive Villegas sparked outcry on Capitol Hill after the DCCC spent on Bains only to come up short. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), an outspoken progressive and member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, told <em>NOTUS<\/em> at the time Villegas\u2019 race was \u201can under-the-radar fight with the establishment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race in the northern Denver suburbs is fundamentally different, however, than the contest to defeat Valadao. Whereas Valadao is an entrenched incumbent who has won in a blue seat, Evans is a freshman in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republicans-expand-offensive-map-following-nationwide-redistricting-developments\/\" title=\"House ...ublicans Expand Offensive Map Following Nationwide Re...ing Developments\">newly created seat<\/a> during the 2022 cycle. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DCCC also played in Texas\u2019 35th Congressional District, where it backed Johnny Garcia in a Latino-majority seat. Garcia, who was also backed by the Hispanic Caucus, prevailed in the runoff after outside support from the committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the focus on identity politics, Alex Sanchez, president of Voces Unidas Action, a Latino advocacy group that backs Rutinel, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> it\u2019s about more than \u201csymbolic representation.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe question is whether candidates and parties are aligned with their Latino voters on the issues that they care most about,\u201d said Sanchez. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sanchez\u2019s group polls Latino voters in Colorado, which they sort by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-red-wave-of-conservative-women-elected-to-congress\/\" title=\"The Red Wave of Conservative Women Elected to Congress\">congressional district<\/a>. He said they\u2019ve found that Latinos in the 8th District are concerned about affordability, wages, and healthcare.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey want practical solutions, they want accountability. They don\u2019t want political theater,\u201d said Sanchez. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bird, for her part, has touted her outreach to the Latino community and her deep ties in the area while emphasizing her recognition as the most effective lawmaker in the state Legislature.\u00a0Rutinel grilled Bird on her lack of Latino heritage at a recent debate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DCCC did not get involved in the race, but that may not matter to those pushing for the establishment to back more Latino candidates. Multiple sources familiar with the race told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that Rutinel is the likely favorite on Tuesday. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some have lamented the committee\u2019s hands off approach in the critical seat, who would have liked to see more of a coalescing effort behind the more moderate Bird. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf we wake up Wednesday and Manny Rutinel is our nominee, the DCCC is going to have a lot of egg on their face and for not the first time this cycle,\u201d one Democratic strategist familiar with the race, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the <em>Washington Examiner. <\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you\u2019re upsetting people anyway, and you have a district where you know one candidate is viable and the other isn\u2019t, why not just double down on what your goal should be, which is flipping the House,\u201d they added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The source also said the level of investment needed in the seat would be greater if Rutinel wins the nomination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bird\u2019s campaign has shown signs of weakness in the closing days of the campaign. The campaign\u2019s spending has significantly decreased over the last three weeks, according to nonpartisan tracking firm AdImpact, while Rutinel has remained steady on television.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DCCC, however, was confident they\u2019d defeat Evans, no matter the nominee. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen Gabe Evans isn\u2019t lying about his own personal story, he\u2019s lying about how his extreme agenda hurts Colorado. Evans broke his promise to lower costs by repeatedly voting to gut health care, protect price-spiking tariffs, and greenlight a reckless war of choice in Iran that\u2019s raising prices across the board. Coloradans know they can\u2019t trust Evans, and that\u2019s why they\u2019ll fire him this November,\u201d DCCC spokeswoman Lindsay Reilly told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/4607030\/how-dsa-reshaping-democratic-party-inside\/\"><strong>HOW DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA ARE RESHAPING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FROM THE INSIDE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race has seen a late surge of outside money from tech-aligned groups in support of Rutinel. He\u2019s benefitted from more than $5 million, including nearly a $1 million from a PAC funded entirely by a California cryptocurrency executive. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bird has received aircover from Women Vote, the independent expenditure arm of abortion rights group EMILYs List.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colorado primary sets stage for key House race showdown<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4316,"featured_media":2621302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-4hox952xj-1782505094420-e1782751863341.jpg?1782490720&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32770,32807,10675,81946],"class_list":["post-2621301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-colorado-politics","tag-democratic-primary","tag-electability","tag-ethnicity-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-4hox952xj-1782505094420-e1782751863341.jpg?1782490720&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2621301"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2621305,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621301\/revisions\/2621305"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2621302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2621301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2621301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2621301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}