Updated April 5, 2022
Rep. Doug Lamborn has represented Colorado’s fifth district since 2007. In that time, he has faced, and survived, numerous GOP primary challengers, while easily defeating his Democratic opponents in the general election in this safely red seat.
Redistricting concentrated CO-5, shedding rural areas so that it now just covers the populous eastern portion of El Paso County. It remains a solidly Republican district, with the party holding a +20 point advantage, based on eight previous elections.
Lamborn supported Trump and voted against certifying the 2020 election results for both Arizona and Pennsylvania, only to see the former president announce in the final days of his term that U.S. Space Command headquarters would move to Alabama instead of remaining in Colorado Springs. It’s a move Lamborn and the rest of the Colorado delegation have been trying to get the Biden administration to reverse. Lamborn also voted against the American Rescue Act and the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Despite this conservative record, this year the incumbent is facing his most serious challenges on his right flank. Lamborn comes into this race with some baggage — he’s being sued by a former staffer and investigated by the House Ethics Committee.
Here’s who’s running.
The Republicans
Doug Lamborn: Seeking his 9th term in office, Lambon currently sits on the Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he’s the ranking member of the Strategic Forces subcommittee. While he doesn’t introduce a lot of bills in Congress, the ones he does tend to focus on promoting traditional values, restricting abortion or cutting government spending, such as defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and NPR.
In his reelection announcement, Lamborn said, “Coloradans deserve a leader with a proven, conservative voting record. I will never waver when it comes to putting America first.” He has qualified for the ballot through the signature process.
Dave Williams: Williams currently serves in the Colorado House of Representatives, and is the first Latino to represent House District 15. He’s one of the most conservative members of the legislature, introducing bills to limit abortion and crack down on sanctuary cities. He’s also advocated for the Colorado GOP to opt out of open primaries.
A Trump supporter, Williams has repeatedly broadcast his doubts about the 2020 election results, and was one of eight legislative Republicans who asked House leaders to form an election integrity committee. He has received endorsements from former Rep. Tom Tancredo and conservative activist Michelle Malkin. Williams was the sole candidate to get on the ballot through the assembly process, meaning his name will come first on the GOP primary ballot.
Rebecca Keltie: The Navy veteran ran for Congress in 2020 as a Unity Party candidate. This time she’s seeking office on the Republican ticket. She said she’s running because “change is long overdue in Colorado’s 5th District. Our district needs someone who will not be bullied by other politicians but will instead stand up and represent the district.”
Like Lamborn, she is anti-abortion. She also said she’s against vaccine and mask mandates, will work to strengthen border security, support congressional term limits and focus on ethics reform. She has submitted enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Andrew Heaton: A businessman, the first time candidate joined the race in February. He says he’s fighting for “Veterans, Families, and the Springs.“ He described himself as a "Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan Republican with libertarian leanings" according to Colorado Politics. Heaton jumped into the race, he said, in part because of the U.S. Space Command decision. He has submitted signatures to try to get on the ballot but they are still under review.
The Democrats
Michael Colombe: Another first-time candidate, Colombe has military and government experience in his background. He worked for the Department of Interior and the Bureau of Land Management. He also worked at the Defense Department as a Pararescue/Combat Rescue instructor.
He says he’s running so people have a more responsive congressional representative who will host regular town halls. “Regular communication is necessary to allow for more transparency and accountability.” He highlights a number of issues on his campaign website, from affordable housing and education to transportation and veterans. Colombe has qualified for the ballot through the assembly process.
David Torres: Torres, who is also running for office for the first time, said he’s tired of partisan politics. He is running as someone who can unite people, saying he will be a “Democrat that will cross the party lines to discover what is best for the people.” On his campaign website, Torres said he worked in health administration before going back to finish his college degree.
He is a US Air Force Reserve veteran. Among the issues he supports are a $15 minimum wage, Medicare for All, greater transparency in government spending and better benefits for the military. Torres has also qualified for the ballot.
See who's running in the other Colorado Congressional district races:
- District 1: Who’s running against long-standing incumbent Diana DeGette?
- District 3: Lauren Boebert’s controversial actions have a lot of candidates hoping to replace her
- District 7: Ed Perlmutter’s retirement has set off what is likely to be a competitive race for the rare open seat
- District 8: Here's who’s in the running to represent Colorado's newest district and the most competitive seat in the state
