Rutinel ousts GOP’s Evans in toss-up Colorado House race

Democrat Manny Rutinel is projected to oust Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) from his seat in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Rutinel was leading with 56 percent of the vote with 78 percent of the total reported, according to DDHQ as of 11:18 p.m. EST.

Rutinel, a former Colorado state representative , flipped the seat that Evans flipped only two years prior. Rutinel is an attorney and former economist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

With Rutinel’s defeat of Evans, who was considered one of the most vulnerable Republicans this election cycle, he has limited the Republican one House term. Cook Political Report rated the Evans-Rutinel match-up as a “toss-up” in mid-October.

During the Democratic primary, Rutinel was mostly aligned with his challenger, former state Rep. Shannon Bird, on most issues, but immigration became a key issue in the race. About 40 percent of the 8th District is Latino.

Rutinel went after Bird for a committee vote she made a year ago against legislation aiming to limit localities from handing over personal identifying information to federal immigration enforcement officials.

President Trump, whose unpopularity has been an issue in this year’s midterms, endorsed Evans back in April 2025, saying in a post on Truth Social that Evans was “an America First Patriot who is doing a fantastic job representing Colorado’s 8th Congressional District!”

“Gabe Evans has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” Trump said at the time.