Hotline's primary primer: Colorado

WHEN: Polls close at 9 p.m. on June 30.

BIG PICTURE: The final primary of June offers opportunities for several young progressives to knock off more-establishment Democrats. Additionally, voters will decide on nominees in two swing House races, including one in which Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey has made his presence felt.

SENATE: Can’t let go of a challenger

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D) will need to hold off a progressive challenger in state Sen. Julie Gonzales (D) as he runs for what would be his second and—as he has pledged—final term. Gonzales will be at the top of the primary ballot after receiving substantial delegate support at the Colorado Democratic Party assembly, while Hickenlooper opted to petition onto the ballot instead, avoiding the embarrassment of failing to qualify for the primary. The eventual Democratic nominee will face state Sen. Mark Baisley, the only Republican to clear the 30 percent threshold at the GOP state assembly, in November.

• ANALYSIS: Hickenlooper, a former two-term governor, possesses the financial and institutional advantages needed to secure renomination. The senator is outspending Gonzales on the air, having reserved $1.9 million in ad buys according to AdImpact. Yet a late May poll showed Hickenlooper just a touch ahead of Gonzales, 41 percent to 34 percent, revealing a base of Democrats skeptical of the incumbent. Colorado hasn’t elected a Republican statewide since 2016, a political reality pushing some Democrats to prioritize policy positions over electability.
  • COOK RATING: Solid Democrat

HOUSE: Competitive contests in the Centennial State

Two competitive primaries in safe seats and two competitive seats are the races to watch on primary night.

• Colorado-01: Rep. Diana DeGette is facing the fight of her political life in the Democratic primary for her Denver-based district against attorney Melat Kiros and University of Colorado Regent Wanda James. Kiros, who’s backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Justice Democrats, and the Democratic Socialists of America, is posing the greatest challenge to the 15-term congresswoman after she nearly kept DeGette off the primary ballot during the party’s district assembly in March. DeGette is receiving air cover from three super PACs, while Justice Democrats’ PAC spends six figures on Kiros’ behalf.
  • COOK RATING: Solid Democrat
• Colorado-03: Skiing entrepreneur Alex Kelloff (D) and Army veteran Dwayne Romero (D), a former Aspen City councilman, square off for the right to take on Rep. Jeff Hurd (R) in the Western Slope. The 3rd District race nearly caught Republicans sleeping in 2022, when well-funded Adam Frisch (D) came within a few hundred votes of knocking off Rep. Lauren Boebert (R). Boebert in 2024 fled for redder pastures across the state, allowing for the more placid Hurd to take her place.
  • COOK RATING: Solid Republican
• Colorado-05: Army veteran Jessica Killin (D), who served as chief of staff to former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, entered this race by raising $750,000 in the first 24 hours of her campaign. She effectively put the primary to rest after that. Killin is poised to take on Rep. Jeff Crank (R), a freshman member of Congress. The 5th has trended blue in recent years, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee endorsed Killin. This district, which has never sent a Democrat to Congress, remains a tough lift, but the environment could be ripe for an upset.
  • COOK RATING: Likely Republican
• Colorado-08: The Democratic primary to take on Rep. Gabe Evans (R) has been a nasty affair. State Rep. Manny Rutinel (D) and former state Rep. Shannon Bird (D)—former colleagues before Bird resigned to focus on her run—are squaring off for the nomination. Bird has the backing of EMILYs List, which has aired ads attacking Rutinel, the more progressive option and the preferred choice as far as Republicans are concerned.
  • COOK RATING: Toss Up

STATE: One in the same

State Attorney General Phil Weiser (D) is giving Sen. Michael Bennet (D) a run for his money in the primary to replace Gov. Jared Polis (D). Bennet, the state’s senior senator, seemed like the conventional front-runner. But Weiser has hit him over votes to confirm President Trump’s nominees. Bennet has attacked Weiser for signing onto lawsuits against the Trump administration from other attorneys general instead of being more proactive. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will be heavily favored to sweep the November election, but state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, state Rep. Scott Bottoms, and Marine Corps veteran Victor Marx are facing off for the Republican nod.

• ANALYSIS: This is a race for who can be the most anti-Trump. Both Democrats share almost identical policy platforms. Weiser has leaned more into the grassroots approach, securing his place in the primary via convention. If Weiser has one advantage, it's how unproductive Congress has been. Numerous GOP House members who tried to make the leap from the Hill to governorships have fallen short this cycle. Colorado will test how far voters' disdain for Washington extends to Democrats, too.
  • COOK RATING: Solid Democrat

A HELPING HAND: The Mayor Pete Tour continues

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg endorsed Hickenlooper for another Senate term, and Booker endorsed Rutinel in Colorado-08.

• ANALYSIS: Booker’s rare endorsement in a contested primary could gain him an early ally in the West should Rutinel advance to the general election. Rutinel has focused much of his campaign on opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which Booker pointed to in his endorsement. Should the senator build a campaign on courageous resistance and being a “fighter” for Democrats, Rutinel could speak to that message.

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