DENVER — Jeff Crank has won the Republican nomination for U.S. House District 5, defeating Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams.
Williams, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, used the resources of the Colorado Republican Party to promote his candidacy for CD5. The state GOP also attacked Crank.
Crank is a former regional director of Americans for Prosperity, the conservative political network founded by the Koch brothers. The organization endorsed Crank in the CD5 race. Incumbent Rep. Doug Lamborn, who announced in January that he would not seek reelection, also endorsed Crank.
In an email after the race was called, Williams said, "As Chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, I will continue this fight and work closely with tonight's primary winners from around the state to ensure that we have successful Conservative victories up and down the ballot in November.”
9NEWS asked Crank if he wants the support of the candidate he defeated.
“I want the support of every Republican,” Crank said. “It’s time to heal the party. I’m not here to fling arrows at other people or whatever. The primary is over. It’s time to move on to the general. And the only way we win general elections is if we stand united.”
The latest primary election results for Colorado House District 5:
River Gassen, a scientist and astronomy teacher, and Joe Reagan, an Army veteran and veterans' advocate, ran on the Democratic ticket.
Results are called by The Associated Press.
Williams faced calls to step down from his role as Colorado Republican Party chairman this month after the party sent a mass email at the start of Pride Month that read, in part, “The month of June has arrived and, once again, the godless groomers in our society want to attack what is decent, holy, and righteous so they can ultimately harm our children.”
The message, signed by Williams, was headlined with an image reading “God Hates Flags,” a nod to the anti-gay slur on the picket signs of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church.
A post from the Colorado Republican Party on X, formerly Twitter, read simply, “Burn all the #pride flags this June.”
House District 5 includes Colorado Springs and the surrounding area. About 30% of the district's active voters are registered Republicans. The district includes about 235,000 unaffiliated voters, 138,000 registered Republicans and 81,000 registered Democrats, according to data from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office.
Lamborn, who is in his ninth term representing District 5, announced in January that he would not seek reelection.
All three of Colorado's congressional districts currently or most recently held by Republicans are up for grabs in the Nov. 5 election.
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