{"id":2622101,"date":"2026-07-01T10:17:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T14:17:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-establishment-candidates-win-big-in-colorado-primary-elections\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T10:21:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T14:21:06","slug":"anti-establishment-candidates-win-big-in-colorado-primary-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-establishment-candidates-win-big-in-colorado-primary-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Anti-establishment candidates win big in Colorado primary elections"},"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\">16<\/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%2Fanti-establishment-candidates-win-big-in-colorado-primary-elections%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=2622101&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>Voters in Colorado showed an anti-establishment shift during recent primaries, favoring progressive candidates over traditional figures. In Denver\u2019s 8th Congressional District, state Rep. Manny Rutinel defeated moderate Shannon Bird, while Jessica Killin won in the 5th District by emphasizing centrist principles despite the broader socialist momentum. Incumbent Senator michael Bennet lost his primary too Phil Weiser, reflecting a trend against the political establishment. Similarly, on the Republican side, outsider Victor Marx is challenging veteran Barbara Kirkmeyer for governor, highlighting voters&#8217; desire for change. Younger voters and high millennial migration are credited with bolstering progressive candidates in Colorado. The Democratic Party aims to flip at least two House seats in Colorado, with competitive races in the 8th and 5th districts. the elections indicate a growing dissatisfaction with traditional establishment figures and a surge of progressive and outsider candidates.  <\/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\">Anti-establishment momentum was clear in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/colorado\/\">Colorado<\/a> on Tuesday night, as primary election results rolling in indicate voters are leaning against the old guard. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Voters generally favored more progressive-leaning candidates down the ballot, including in the 8th Congressional District, where state Rep. Manny Rutinel, who has drawn comparisons to New York City Mayor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/zohran-mamdani\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11802\">Zohran Mamdani<\/a>, defeated former state Rep. Shannon Bird in the Democratic primary. That wasn\u2019t the case everywhere, as evidenced in Colorado\u2019s 5th Congressional District, where Army veteran Jessica Killin won her Democratic primary after signing onto <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.coloradopolitics.com\/2026\/06\/27\/crank-challenger-jessica-killin-signs-on-to-new-centrist-democratic-groups-promise-to-america\/\">a document <\/a>affirming centrist principles and rebuking the socialist agenda. <\/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\/4630754\/democrats-campaign-finance-ruling-invitation-for-corruption\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democrats say <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-will-consider-walking-back-campaign-spending-limits-even-further\/\" title=\"Supreme Court will consider walking back campaign spending limits even further\">campaign finance ruling<\/a> an \u2018invitation for corruption\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4626484\/establishment-democrats-will-lose-joe-concha\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Establishment Democrats will lose\u2019: Joe Concha<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4626376\/new-complaint-dan-sullivan-challenger-targets-campaign-finance\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>New complaint over Dan Sullivan challenger with the same name targets campaign finance<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 id=\"h-democratic-socialists-of-america-notch-another-win\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Democratic Socialists of America notch another win<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Socialists\u2019 success caught the country\u2019s attention in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-york\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"61\">New York<\/a> last week, when several <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4624001\/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-2028-dsa-new-york\/\">candidates swept primaries<\/a>. <\/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\">Their victories <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4626988\/socialists-new-york-momentum-denver-diana-degette-house-race\/\">have spread to <\/a>Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional District in Denver, where Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) suffered a resounding defeat to 29-year-old socialist Melat Kiros,\u00a0backed by Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bernie-sanders\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"41\">Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT).\u00a0DeGette lost, 51.3% to 41.7%, despite being a 15-term incumbent and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kiros is a left-wing candidate who has been accused of antisemitism. The former attorney was fired for writing a letter criticizing the idea that calling for Israel\u2019s elimination was antisemitic. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In another race for secretary of state, the candidate backed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America easily defeated state Sen. Jessie Danielson.<\/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\">Amanda Gonzalez secured the victory, 63.5% to 36.5%, after serving as Jefferson County clerk and recorder since 2023. Gonzalez is also the former executive director of the voting rights group Colorado Common Cause.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-democratic-voters-are-unhappy-with-the-establishment\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Democratic voters are unhappy with the establishment<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Political observers initially viewed Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) as the favorite to win the Democratic nomination for governor. But voters firmly rejected him on Tuesday, handing Attorney General Phil Weiser the win, 55.7% to 44.3%. Bennet is now one of at least two incumbent U.S. senators who lost statewide primary races this year, signaling momentum against old guard candidates is gaining power.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Weiser carried the primary election after leaning into <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >socialist-styled rhetoric attacking billionaires<\/a>, and branding himself as someone who will stonewall President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>, noting he has sued the administration over five dozen times. <\/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\">Voters also signaled distaste for the establishment on the Republican side in the gubernatorial primary. The race remains too close to call, but<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4624093\/who-is-victor-marx-colorado-republican-governor\/\"> outsider Victor Marx<\/a> has given state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer a run for her money. The results currently stand at 40.0% for Kirkmeyer and 39.6% for Marx. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Victor Marx, center, participates in a Republican gubernatorial debate with Colorado state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, right, and Colorado state Rep. Scott Bottoms, left, June 2, 2026, in Denver. (Aaron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post via AP)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26176647172375.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Victor Marx, center, participates in a Republican gubernatorial debate with Colorado state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, right, and Colorado state Rep. Scott Bottoms, left, June 2, 2026, in Denver. (Aaron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marx\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/who-is-victor-marx-colorados-top-gop-gubernatorial-candidate\/\" title=\"Who is Victor Marx, ...&#039;s top GOP gubernatorial candidate?\">gubernatorial bid marks<\/a> his first run for public office. The feisty Marine veteran has framed Kirkmeyer as a failed politician, triggering a pledge from the state senator that she will not back her rival if he wins the nomination. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Political strategists say young voters moving in large numbers to Colorado are boosting the progressive movement in the state. About half of all adults in metro Denver hold bachelor\u2019s degrees or higher, according to census data released earlier this year, up from a 43.8% rate in 2019. Colorado has also seen the highest migration rate of millennials overall among the 50 states, with wealthy young people particularly attracted to the area, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/kiowacountypress.net\/content\/colorado-tops-nation-millennial-migration-report-finds\">according to <\/a>2024 census data examined in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hireahelper.com\/moving-statistics\/2024-2025-millennial-study\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.hireahelper.com\/moving-statistics\/2024-2025-millennial-study\/\">2025 study<\/a>. <\/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\">\u201cYou have a bunch of 20-something leftists absolutely clobbering well-funded moderates,\u201d Democratic strategist Chris Nicholson<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/denver\/2026\/07\/01\/colorado-democratic-primary-results-takeaways\"> <\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/denver\/2026\/07\/01\/colorado-democratic-primary-results-takeaways\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/denver\/2026\/07\/01\/colorado-democratic-primary-results-takeaways\">told <em>Axios<\/em><\/a>. <\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-competitive-house-elections-get-their-candidates\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Competitive House elections get their candidates<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats are hoping to flip at least two House seats in Colorado. The party needs to net just three seats to win back control of the House. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Colorado\u2019s 8th Congressional District, Democratic voters on Tuesday selected Rutinel to challenge Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) in the fall. Evans is viewed as highly vulnerable, with the Cook Political Report rating the seat a toss-up.\u00a0Trump won the area by less than a 2-point margin in 2024. Evans won the 2024 election by just 0.8%.<\/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\">Rutinel defeated former state Rep. Shannon Bird in the primary. Bird was backed by the centrist Blue Dogs and other centrist Democratic groups. Republicans have compared Rutinel to Mamdani,\u00a0New York\u2019s first socialist mayor, with Evans campaign calling him a \u201cfar-left, radical socialist, Mamdani-wanna-be extremist.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During his campaign, Rutinel attacked Bird for a committee vote <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/leg.colorado.gov\/committee_meeting_hearing_items\/1640\/votes\/2196\">she took in 2025<\/a> that he argued failed to stand up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Though Rutinel previously supported socialist-style healthcare with Medicare for All and opposed fracking, he<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2026\/06\/04\/manny-rutinel-changed-positions-healthcare-student-debt-fracking\/\"> backed away<\/a> from those positions on the campaign trail this year, as he\u2019ll need to pull centrist voters in the district for the general election. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Colorado state Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City, answers a question during a debate between Democratic candidates running for Colorado\u2019s 8th Congressional District, May 28, 2026, in Greeley, Colo. (Brice Tucker\/The Greeley Tribune via AP)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26176647264122.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Colorado state Rep. Manny Rutinel, D-Commerce City, answers a question during a debate between Democratic candidates running for Colorado\u2019s 8th Congressional District, May 28, 2026, in Greeley, Colo. (Brice Tucker\/The Greeley Tribune via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats also view Colorado\u2019s 5th Congressional District as competitive this fall. On Tuesday, Democratic voters selected Killin to challenge Rep. Jeff Crank (R-CO) in November, as he wraps up his first term in Congress. The Cook Political Report shifted toward Democrats earlier this year, from \u201csolidly\u201d to \u201clikely Republican.\u201d  <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4626988\/socialists-new-york-momentum-denver-diana-degette-house-race\/\">SOCIALISTS BRING NEW YORK MOMENTUM TO DENVER WITH CHALLENGE OF 30-YEAR HOUSE INCUMBENT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Killin was former second gentleman Doug Emhoff\u2019s chief of staff. She has stuck to a centrist agenda in the race, bucking the growing socialist trend in the party by recently signing onto the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.coloradopolitics.com\/2026\/06\/27\/crank-challenger-jessica-killin-signs-on-to-new-centrist-democratic-groups-promise-to-america\/\">\u201cPromise to America\u201d<\/a> set of centrist principles. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Advocates believe she has a chance of becoming the first-ever Democrat to represent the 5th Congressional District, as it has moved leftward over the past few cycles. Trump won El Paso County in 2024 by 10 points, down from 11 points in 2020. Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) lost his first gubernatorial campaign in El Paso County by 17 percentage points. In 2022, he lost it by just 4 points.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colorado voters favor progressives, rejecting the old guard<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2622102,"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\/07\/AP26176647264122.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[48917,6024,5894,38090],"class_list":["post-2622101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-anti-establishment","tag-colorado","tag-politics","tag-primary-elections"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26176647264122.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622101","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\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2622101"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2622105,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2622101\/revisions\/2622105"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2622102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2622101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2622101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2622101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}