Joe Reagan

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Joe Reagan
Image of Joe Reagan

Candidate, U.S. House Colorado District 5

Elections and appointments
Next election

June 30, 2026

Education

Bachelor's

Norwich University

Graduate

University of Virginia

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

2005 - 2012

Contact

Joe Reagan (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Colorado's 5th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled on June 30, 2026.[source]

Biography

Joe Reagan served in the U.S. Army from 2005 to 2012. Reagan earned a bachelor's degree from Norwich University and a graduate degree from the University of Virginia. [1]

Elections

2026

See also: Colorado's 5th Congressional District election, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on June 30, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. House Colorado District 5

Roy Matthewson is running in the general election for U.S. House Colorado District 5 on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
Roy Matthewson (Unaffiliated)

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5

Zurit Horowitz, Jessica Killin, Joe Reagan, Jamey Smith, and Michelle Tweed are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5 on June 30, 2026.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5

Incumbent Jeff Crank is running in the Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5 on June 30, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Jeff Crank
Jeff Crank

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

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2024

See also: Colorado's 5th Congressional District election, 2024

Colorado's 5th Congressional District election, 2024 (June 25 Republican primary)

Colorado's 5th Congressional District election, 2024 (June 25 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Colorado District 5

The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. House Colorado District 5 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jeff Crank
Jeff Crank (R)
 
54.7
 
197,924
Image of River Gassen
River Gassen (D) Candidate Connection
 
40.9
 
147,972
Image of Michael Vance
Michael Vance (L)
 
1.8
 
6,458
Image of Joseph O. Gaye
Joseph O. Gaye (Unaffiliated) Candidate Connection
 
1.1
 
4,094
Image of Christopher Mitchell
Christopher Mitchell (American Constitution Party) Candidate Connection
 
1.1
 
4,006
Image of Christopher Sweat
Christopher Sweat (Forward Party) Candidate Connection
 
0.4
 
1,627
Image of Marcus Murphy
Marcus Murphy (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)
 
0.0
 
4

Total votes: 362,085
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5

River Gassen defeated Joe Reagan in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5 on June 25, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of River Gassen
River Gassen Candidate Connection
 
50.6
 
20,802
Image of Joe Reagan
Joe Reagan Candidate Connection
 
49.4
 
20,313

Total votes: 41,115
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5

Jeff Crank defeated Dave Williams in the Republican primary for U.S. House Colorado District 5 on June 25, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jeff Crank
Jeff Crank
 
65.2
 
56,585
Image of Dave Williams
Dave Williams
 
34.8
 
30,257

Total votes: 86,842
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Reagan in this election.

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Joe Reagan has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Joe Reagan asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Joe Reagan, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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You can ask Joe Reagan to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@reaganforcolorado.com.

Twitter
Email

2024

Campaign website

Reagan’s campaign website stated the following:

Healthcare

Successful federal healthcare policy builds on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and blends public and private approaches to address accessibility, quality, transparency, and costs.

We must both introduce measures to stabilize private insurance markets, such as offering subsidies to middle-income earners to make coverage more affordable, and incentivize insurers to participate in underserved communities. The latter is particularly important for rural Coloradans, who know too well the difficulty of receiving adequate care. We must look to sustainable paths forward that increase overall access to care and especially support rural and independent providers.

At the same time, we must work to control costs and improve efficiency. This means incorporating elements of value-based care and encouraging healthcare providers to focus on patient outcomes rather than the volume of services rendered. In parallel, the government should be able to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies for medications covered by federal programs like Medicare.

By combining elements of public assistance with market-based mechanisms and prioritizing cost containment and quality improvement, we can make meaningful strides toward a more accessible, affordable, and effective healthcare system for all Americans.

Veterans

As a Veteran, I will use my time in Congress to build on my work as a non-profit leader to provide a holistic support system that recognizes and honors the sacrifices made by those who have served their country, their families, and caregivers while ensuring their well-being and successful integration into civilian life.

I believe a successful federal policy would emphasize a “no wrong door” philosophy that prioritizes comprehensive support across the many facets of a Veteran’s life. This includes healthcare, education, employment, and social services. A “no wrong door approach” emphasizes meeting the Veteran where they are instead of forcing the Veteran and their family to navigate the complicated web of benefits that exist at the state and federal level.

First and foremost, we need to emphasize strengthening the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system to ensure timely access to high-quality medical services for Veterans. We need to focus on reducing wait times, expanding mental health services, and addressing the specific healthcare needs especially impacting Veterans, such as traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Moreover, private and/or community care plays an important role, but it is inherently a government function to fulfill President Lincoln’s Promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.

Education: We need to enhance access to vocational training, higher education, and career counseling services. We must consider expanding the GI Bill to cover a broader range of educational programs and providing additional support for Veterans transitioning to civilian careers while also holding predatory academic institutions accountable when they overpromise, underdeliver, and over charge for their services.

Employment: It is paramount that we incentivize businesses to hire Veterans and create programs to assist Veterans in translating their military skills to civilian job opportunities. Veterans are problem solvers and make ideal entrepreneurs. As such, a key avenue for this is supporting entrepreneurship among Veterans whether through small business loans, mentorship programs, or access to resources for starting and growing businesses.

Homelessness: I have worked on initiatives to combat Veteran homelessness; we need to build on the successes of over 80 communities nationwide who have effectively ended Veterans homelessness. Ultimately, homelessness is a symptom of a larger problem and only when we help the Veteran address the underlying cause of homelessness can we set them on a pathway to long-term success.

Housing

Housing is an issue that transcends any one of local, state, and national government and thus requires action at all levels. Solutions therefore begin at a local level, starting with responsible and sustainable zoning practices. At the federal level, housing affordability policy must balance the needs of both renters and homeowners while promoting sustainable solutions to the housing crisis.

To address the immediate challenges faced by renters, we need to expand rental assistance programs and increase funding for the construction of affordable housing units. Local tax incentives for developers to build affordable housing, as well as grants to local governments to revitalize distressed neighborhoods and create mixed-income communities, are all areas that will help maintain the character of the community we love while ensuring our children and grandchildren can afford to stay here.

For homeowners, we need to tackle the rising cost of property insurance, while creating programs supporting first time home buyers. The GI bill made home ownership a reality for many Veterans—including myself—and at the federal level I would consider similar programs for first time homebuyers who participated in federal service programs, such as city year.

By combining targeted support for renters and homeowners with efforts to increase housing supply and address regulatory hurdles, a new federal housing policy could make meaningful strides toward addressing the affordability crisis and promoting equitable access to safe, stable housing for all Americans.

Environment

Climate change is real and requires immediate action. I believe the economic incentive to address climate change is as strong as the moral one. By taking action, we will support American jobs, reduce energy costs, and increase our energy sovereignty… it is a no brainer.

In Colorado, such a policy could have significant impacts due to our state's reliance on outdoor recreation and natural resources. Measures to protect and preserve the state's iconic landscapes, such as Rocky Mountain National Park and the Colorado River, could bolster tourism and recreational opportunities while safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity.

We need a roadmap as we transition toward clean energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, that includes incentives for clean energy investment, research, and development. Tax credits for renewable energy production and funding for infrastructure improvements to support a more sustainable energy grid provide a clear starting point.

As part of this roadmap, we must include measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sectors such as transportation and wider industry. These can entail renewed focus on fuel efficiency standards for vehicles and incentives for companies to invest in clean technologies and practices. Investment in natural infrastructure, such as wetlands and forests to mitigate wildfires and erosion, further enhance resilience and adaptation efforts.

Transitioning towards cleaner energy sources could benefit Colorado's burgeoning renewable energy industry, creating jobs and economic growth while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. I believe a common sense-based federal policy on climate change and the environment could have positive implications for Colorado by fostering environmental stewardship, economic prosperity, and resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Labor

Federal labor policy should establish labor standards and balance the needs of workers and employers while fostering a competitive environment that supports the growth of labor unions.

As a community we should emphasize the role of unions in workforce development and upskilling by promoting partnerships between unions, employers, and educational institutions. Unions can play a vital role in providing training programs, apprenticeships, and career pathways that equip workers with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing economy. Investing in workforce development initiatives led by unions would enhance the quality of the labor force and promote economic growth and innovation.

Too often, qualified union workers are underbid by sub-standard contractors resulting in costly overruns of both time and tax dollars. Federal contractors need to be held accountable and need to get the job done on time and on budget. Creating fair labor standards will help unions AND reduce costs.

To increase the competitiveness of labor unions, we need to protect collective bargaining rights and prevent employer interference in union activities. In Congress, I would consider revising labor laws to make it easier for workers to organize and negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. [2]

—Joe Reagan’s campaign website (2024)[3]

Candidate Connection

Joe Reagan completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Reagan's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Joe Reagan has spent his career in service to others. After the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Joe felt called to serve and accepted a commission in the U.S. Army upon graduating from Norwich University, the oldest private military school in the country. Joe served two combat tours of duty in Afghanistan. During his first tour, Joe was injured by a suicide bomber and likely would have been killed had an Afghan guard not shielded Joe from the shrapnel. And while Joe lost Soldiers overseas in combat, he lost more on American soil to suicide.

After serving as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, Joe transitioned to intelligence where he developed a deep understanding of the threats facing our nation including China’s growing influence on the world stage and Russia’s aggression towards former Soviet states.

After leaving active duty in the United States Army, Joe earned an MBA from the University of Virginia. His experience spans multiple industries ranging from healthcare to technology, national security and nonprofit work. His work as a nonprofit executive has been his most rewarding as a civilian and has allowed him to support Veterans and working families.
  • Lower the cost of living for working families
  • Ensure VA hospitals and clinics receive adequate funding to assist returning service members in their transition home.
  • Protect our democracy
Healthcare, Veterans Affairs, and Affordable Housing. For the last 20 years, I’ve served our nation and our community in the Army, as business leader, and running non-profits to advance policies that support our veterans and working families. I'll bring my experience as a non-profit leader to work with folks on both sides of the aisle to implement policies that support working families of Colorado, that address homelessness and housing instability. I'll focus on defending, expanding, and improving the ACA to expand healthcare coverage and bring down costs because that is the representation we deserve in Congress.
Civility, moderation, and compromise in the service of finding solutions for the people of Colorado. Growing up, my dad (a life-long Democrat) was best friends with our town’s GOP chairman. They taught me that politics isn’t about party – it’s about creating policy that serves the community and meets their needs. I believe in the moderate middle, and I understand, respect and value the diversity in thought, identity, and experiences of the American people. I am a changemaker who can execute and maneuver in a rapidly evolving landscape, and when it comes to policy, I seek the practical over the perfect. I am focused on what matters most: solving problems for the people of Colorado. This effort takes collaboration, and if we want to go far, we have to go together.
Growing up my mother had Multiple Sclerosis. It was a challenge growing up and watching my mom's health decline, and it was a challenge to see how people treated her because of her disability. She was such a smart woman, and taught me so much about service. The lasting effect on me is to understand that everyone should be valued, respected, and accepted for who they are; mom taught me to never underestimate someone and that all of us have the potential to create value when we invest in them.

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Campaign finance summary


Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.


Joe Reagan campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2026* U.S. House Colorado District 5Candidacy Declared primary$53,430 $11,715
2024* U.S. House Colorado District 5Lost primary$60,884 $54,082
Grand total$114,314 $65,797
Sources: OpenSecretsFederal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on March 21, 2024
  2. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. Joe Reagan’s campaign website, “Issues,” accessed June 20, 2024


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