Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 30 Democratic primary)

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Colorado's 8th Congressional District
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 18, 2026
Primary: June 30, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Colorado
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Toss-up Sabato's Crystal Ball: Toss-up
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
Colorado's 8th Congressional District U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th Colorado elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

A Democratic Party primary takes place on June 30, 2026, in Colorado's 8th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline	Primary election	General election
March 18, 2026	June 30, 2026	November 3, 2026

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election.

Colorado utilizes a semi-closed primary system. According to Section 1-7-201 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, "An eligible unaffiliated elector, including a preregistrant who is eligible under section 1-2-101 (2)(c), is entitled to vote in the primary election of a major political party without affiliating with that political party."

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on Colorado's 8th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:

• Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 30 Republican primary)
• Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list of candidates is unofficial. The filing deadline for this election has passed, and Ballotpedia is working to update this page with the official candidate list. This note will be removed once the official candidate list has been added.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 8

The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 8 on June 30, 2026.

		Candidate
		Shannon Bird
		Daniel Hassler
	Submit photo	Larry Johnson
		Evan Munsing
		Manny Rutinel
		John Szemler

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Dylan Shelby (D)
• Yadira Caraveo (D)
• Dave Young (D)
• Amie Baca-Oehlert (D)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Daniel Hassler

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I’m Daniel Hassler, a lifelong Coloradan, small business owner, husband, and proud Democrat running for Congress to restore authenticity and accountability to politics. I grew up in poverty and understand firsthand the struggles families face when opportunity feels out of reach. Through hard work and perseverance, I built a successful 25-year career helping thousands of small businesses grow, training and mentoring business consultants around the world. I’m not a career politician — I’m someone who believes government should work for people, not special interests. My campaign is about dignity, opportunity, and rebuilding trust between voters and their representatives. I’m committed to policies that strengthen the middle class, make healthcare and housing affordable, protect reproductive rights, and defend democracy itself. Colorado’s 8th District deserves a leader who listens, who’s unbought and unbossed, and who puts country over party. I’m running to serve — not to be served — and to ensure every family has the chance to thrive, just as mine once struggled to do."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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I’m running to restore authenticity and integrity to Congress. Voters are tired of politicians who serve donors and special interests instead of the people who elected them. I’ll fight to make government accountable, transparent, and rooted in common sense — where public service is truly about service, not self-interest.

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Working families deserve an economy that works for them. I’ll champion small businesses, expand access to affordable housing, and support policies that grow good-paying jobs while tackling the rising costs of healthcare and everyday living. Economic stability shouldn’t be a privilege — it should be the foundation of the American dream.

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We must move beyond political division and put country over party. I believe in listening first, finding common ground, and leading with respect. I’ll represent every voice in Colorado’s 8th District — Democrat, Republican, or Independent — with fairness, compassion, and courage.

Evan Munsing

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "Evan Munsing knew he wanted to be a Marine from the time he could walk. After college, Evan worked in the Department of Defense while waiting for his chance to attend Officer Candidate School. Eager to serve and defend our country, Evan volunteered for the infantry, knowing it would put him in danger. He deployed twice, including to Afghanistan where he served as a military advisor to the Afghan Army. Since leaving the service, Evan has managed complex organizations with hundreds of employees, hired and coached CEOs, and invested millions into small businesses that have created jobs for hard working Americans. Now, Evan is running to bring independent leadership back to Colorado, protect our way of life, and make sure everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Stabilizing the economy and growing the middle class - Pushing back on Trump’s disastrous tariffs – which are hurting families, small business owners, and our agricultural community – and taking meaningful action to address the cost-of-living crisis in this country. We need to address overregulation that makes it harder to produce affordable housing, take on the insurance companies that are more focused on profits than making sure patients have good health outcomes, and improve access to childcare and ensure a strong education system for the next generation.

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Ending corruption - Ending corruption by banning stock trading among members of Congress and enacting term limits and age limits, including term limits in the Supreme Court. Politicians should work for us, not to further their own careers or line their own pocketbooks. We also need campaign finance reform and to put an end to Super PACs and dark money groups that are eroding our democratic system.

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Defending our individual freedoms - Congress needs to reassert its authority as a balance against the Executive Branch and protect the American people. That means actually holding the Trump Administration accountable, defending due process, and ensuring that individual freedoms – like reproductive rights, are protected.

Manny Rutinel

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I’m my mother’s son. She immigrated to the United States from Latin America as a single mother to give my brother and me a better life. She taught me the power of perseverance, a strong work ethic, and being a practical problem solver. I worked at McDonalds and sold my blood over 100 times to help make ends meet, and I still have the scar on my arm to prove it. My mom also showed me the injustice of being forced to choose between paying rent or receiving healthcare. After years of living paycheck to paycheck, during the Great Recession, the bank foreclosed on our home. We survived because of programs like Medicaid and food stamps - the same programs Trump and Gabe Evans are destroying. I spent my first semester in college sleeping on my friends’ couches and floors and working as a substitute teacher to afford my education. After college, I became an Economist for the US Army Corps of Engineers, where I also served as a First Responder in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. I went on to graduate with a Master’s in Economics from Johns Hopkins and a law degree from Yale. After law school, I became an attorney who defended our communities against large corporations breaking the law. I now serve in the Colorado State House, fighting for working families and defending the rights and freedoms of every Coloradan from the cruelty and corruption of the Trump Administration; I’ve passed over a dozen bills as the sponsor and over 400 as a cosponsor. Learn more at mannyforcolorado.com"

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Lowering costs for working families: I will lower costs for hardworking families by expanding tax credits for millions of working parents, making billionaires pay what they owe, and closing tax loopholes for corporations. I will bring down the costs of prescription drugs, health care premiums, and energy bills to give people real breathing room. Trump’s policies mean higher prices on basics like groceries through tariffs, and budget cuts that take away earned benefits like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare to pay for massive tax cuts for the wealthy. I will stop his tariffs and health care cuts, protect SNAP for vulnerable households, and fight junk fees so consumers know true costs upfront.

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Stopping Trump’s Immigration Cruelty and Abuse of Your Tax Dollars: As hardworking Americans deal with higher prices and struggle to pay rent, the Trump administration has poured billions of taxpayer dollars and resources into immigrant detention camps and going after law-abiding immigrant families. If Trump spent half that energy bringing down the cost of living, America would be more affordable right now. I will fight to keep our government focused on lowering costs and stop Trump’s abuses of power. In Congress, I’ll hold Trump, Noem, and ICE accountable while pushing for comprehensive immigration reform.

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Protect Social Security and Medicare: Social Security is not a handout. It’s a promise every American pays into so they can retire with dignity, and I will fight to protect and strengthen it so every worker knows the promise they paid into will be there for them. I’ll protect Social Security and Medicare, and if anyone tries to cut benefits, raise the retirement age, or weaken either program, I’ll stop them and make the wealthy pay their fair share. Trump, Gabe Evans, and their billionaire donors plan to lay off half the Social Security workforce and shutter field offices, causing delay, disruption, and denial of earned benefits. It’s a backdoor cut that inflicts pain on seniors and people with disabilities, and I’m running to stop it.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Colorado

Election information in Colorado: June 30, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: June 30, 2026
• By mail: Postmarked by June 22, 2026
• Online: June 22, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: N/A
• By mail: N/A by N/A
• Online: N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: June 30, 2026
• By mail: Received by June 30, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

June 22, 2026 to June 30, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (MT)

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Shannon Bird	Democratic Party	$1,207,876	$444,800	$763,076	As of December 31, 2025
Daniel Hassler	Democratic Party	$5,624	$5,624	$0	As of March 31, 2026
Larry Johnson	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Evan Munsing	Democratic Party	$485,632	$272,332	$213,300	As of December 31, 2025
Manny Rutinel	Democratic Party	$2,527,160	$1,323,274	$1,203,886	As of December 31, 2025
John Szemler	Democratic Party	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

District analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.

• District map - A map of the district in place for the election.
• Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
• Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
• State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.

• District map
• Competitiveness
• Presidential elections
• State party control

Below is the district map in place for this election. Click the map below to enlarge it.

See also: Primary election competitiveness in state and federal government, 2026

Information about competitiveness will be added here as it becomes available.

Partisan Voter Index

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is EVEN. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were about the same as the national average. This made Colorado's 8th the 223rd most Republican district nationally.

2024 presidential election results

The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.

2024 presidential results in Colorado's 8th Congressional District

Kamala Harris	Donald Trump
48.0%	50.0%

Presidential voting history

See also: Presidential election in Colorado, 2024

Colorado presidential election results (1900-2024)

• 14 Democratic wins
• 18 Republican wins

Year	1900	1904	1908	1912	1916	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1940	1944	1948	1952	1956	1960	1964	1968	1972	1976	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996	2000	2004	2008	2012	2016	2020	2024
Winning Party	D	R	D	D	D	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	D	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D

See also: Party control of Colorado state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Colorado's congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Colorado
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	2	4	6
Republican	0	4	4
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	8	10

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Colorado's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Colorado, October 2025

Office	Officeholder
Governor	Jared Polis
Lieutenant Governor	Dianne Primavera
Secretary of State	Jena Griswold
Attorney General	Phil Weiser

State legislature

Colorado State Senate

Party		As of March 2026
	Democratic Party	23
	Republican Party	12
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		35

Colorado House of Representatives

Party		As of March 2026
	Democratic Party	43
	Republican Party	22
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		65

Trifecta control

Colorado Party Control: 1992-2025
Thirteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
Governor	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
House	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Colorado in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Colorado, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Colorado	U.S. House	Major party	10% of votes cast for the office in the last primary, or 1,500, whichever is less	N/A	3/18/2026	Source
Colorado	U.S. House	Minor party	2.5% of votes cast for the office in the last general election, or 1,500, whichever is less	N/A	3/18/2026	Source
Colorado	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	2.5% of votes cast for the office in the last general election, or 1,500, whichever is less	N/A	7/9/2026	Source

See also

• Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026 (June 30 Republican primary)
• Colorado's 8th Congressional District election, 2026
• United States House elections in Colorado, 2026 (June 30 Democratic primaries)
• United States House elections in Colorado, 2026 (June 30 Republican primaries)
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
• U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Colorado's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Michael Bennet (D)

John Hickenlooper (D)

Representatives

District 1

Diana DeGette (D)

District 2

Joe Neguse (D)

District 3

Jeff Hurd (R)

District 4

Lauren Boebert (R)

District 5

Jeff Crank (R)

District 6

Jason Crow (D)

District 7

Brittany Pettersen (D)

District 8

Gabe Evans (R)

Democratic Party (6)

Republican Party (4)

2025-2026 Elections to the United States Congress

Senate by State

Alabama • Alaska • Arkansas • Colorado • Delaware • Florida (special) • Georgia • Idaho • Illinois • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Montana • Nebraska • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • North Carolina • Ohio (special) • Oklahoma • Oregon • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Virginia • West Virginia • Wyoming

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House by State

Alabama • Alaska • American Samoa • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Guam • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Northern Mariana Islands • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • U.S. Virgin Islands • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

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Election information

Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • List of candidates running for election • List of congressional challengers • Retiring senators • Retiring representatives

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Super PACs/Organizations

American Bridge 21st Century • American Crossroads • American Unity PAC • Campaign for Primary Accountability • Club for Growth Action • Congressional Leadership Fund • Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee• Crossroads Generation • Ending Spending Action Fund • Endorse Liberty • Fair Share Action • FreedomWorks for America • Government Integrity Fund • House Majority PAC • Independence USA Fund • League of Conservation Voters • Liberty for All PAC • Majority PAC • National Association of Realtors • NEA Advocacy Fund • Now or Never PAC • Planned Parenthood Votes • Ready for Hillary • Republicans for a Prosperous America • Restore America's Voice PAC • SEIU Pea-Federal • Women Vote!

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