DENVER — Candidates for Colorado's 8th Congressional District are in the midst of a competitive race for the 2024 general election.
Democratic Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo and Republican state Rep. Gabe Evans are battling for the U.S. House seat, which was narrowly won by Caraveo in 2022.
The pair debated live on 9NEWS Tuesday. The 30-minute, commercial free debate is the only live debate in this congressional race.
> Watch the full debate:
Who are the candidates?
Evans, a state representative from Fort Lupton, won the Republican primary for the 8th District against the state Republican Party's endorsed candidate in June.
Evans is an Army veteran and former Arvada Police officer. He was formally endorsed by former President Donald Trump on June 3.
Caraveo, a pediatrician and former state lawmaker, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. She beat Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer for the seat in 2022.
Caraveo came under fire from some Colorado Democrats in July for voting with Republicans on a measure “strongly condemning” the Biden administration for failing to secure the border. This came three years after she called on the Biden administration to defund ICE and four days after she endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
Where is the 8th Congressional District?
CD8 was created after the 2020 U.S. Census and includes parts of Adams, Larimer and Weld counties.
The 8th district includes large population hubs like Thornton, Commerce City and Greeley, marking it as a competitive district that encompasses both suburban and rural voters north and east of Denver.
Its active voter makeup is 25% registered Democrat, 22% Republican, and 49% unaffiliated, according to May numbers from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office.
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