The race for the district that covers Colorado Springs is wide open this year for the first time in nearly two decades. That’s because, after nine terms in office, GOP Rep. Doug Lamborn surprised many by announcing his retirement from Congress at the end of the term.
The 5th District has changed over Lamborn’s tenure. The growth in and around Colorado Springs led to the district becoming significantly more compact during the 2021 redistricting process. It shed its mountain counties and shrank to encompass most of El Paso County, a Republican bedrock in the state.
Based on recent election results, the 5th District leans Republican by around 20 points, making it the state’s second reddest district.
However, the deep red hue of the district has arguably lightened in recent years. In 2016, Donald Trump won the district by more than 20 points. In 2020, his margin shrunk to 13 points. Two years later, the GOP gubernatorial candidate at the time carried it by only 3 points, while the GOP Senate candidate was up by 8 points. Still, it’s the only district in the state that has never sent a Democrat to Congress.
This year’s contest is between Republican Jeff Crank, a long-time figure in conservative media and politics who has run for the seat several times before, and Democrat River Gassen, a scientist and political newcomer. Also on the ballot are candidates from the American Constitution Party, the Forward Party and the Libertarian Party, as well as two unaffiliated options.
