U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd, a Republican from Colorado, successfully clinched the GOP nomination on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from the right wing of his party. The freshman legislator is now set to defend a highly contested House district in November's general election, a seat Democrats are actively targeting to flip.
Hurd emerged victorious over former state Representative Ron Hanks in the Republican primary for a vast congressional district that encompasses much of western and southern Colorado, according to the Associated Press.
Navigating Endorsement Shifts
Hurd's campaign received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, though this support was not unwavering. Initially, Trump withdrew his backing after Hurd joined Democrats in February to support a largely symbolic measure to terminate tariffs on Canadian goods that Trump had imposed.
However, Trump subsequently reinstated his endorsement in March. At that time, he also urged Navy veteran Hope Scheppelman, who had been challenging Hurd from a more conservative stance, to suspend her campaign and join his administration. Scheppelman, who previously served as a vice chair of the state's Republican Party and is an acute care nurse, now holds a position as a senior advisor on substance abuse within the Department of Health and Human Services.
"I will be fully supporting Jeff’s Re-Election to the House of Representatives, giving him my Complete and Total Endorsement!" Trump declared on Truth Social. "Every true MAGA supporter and Republican, if they truly care about saving our Country, will do everything in their power to unify together, and defeat the Crazed Radical Left Democrats this November."
Following Scheppelman's withdrawal from the race, Ron Hanks entered the Republican primary to challenge Hurd. Hanks had previously run against Hurd in the 2024 GOP primary, where Hurd, now the incumbent, secured victory with just over 40% of the vote.
Challenger's Allegations and Past
Hanks, an Air Force veteran, has made unsubstantiated claims alleging that former President Joe Biden was "fraudulently elected." He was also present in Washington D.C. during the events of January 6, though he has stated he did not enter the U.S. Capitol complex and was not subjected to criminal charges.
The Contested Colorado 3rd District
The 3rd Congressional District was previously represented by Representative Lauren Boebert, a Republican. However, Boebert relocated across the state in 2024 to run for a different, more reliably Republican seat in eastern Colorado, leaving the 3rd District open for Hurd.
Democrats are hopeful they can unseat Hurd, especially considering he won Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District by a margin of only five points in 2024. While the district generally leans Republican, it contains pockets of strong Democratic support, particularly in several affluent ski towns and the city of Pueblo.
In an interview with The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Hanks characterized Hurd as a "fake conservative" and criticized him for insufficient loyalty to the former president.
Hurd's Legislative Record and Background
Hurd has demonstrated some independence from Trump, notably on tariff policy and a package of sanctions against Russia. However, he has largely aligned with the former president on most significant legislative measures. He also joined Representative Boebert in a failed attempt to override Trump’s veto on a water pipeline project situated in Colorado’s Arkansas Valley.
Professionally, Hurd is an attorney who formerly chaired the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves as a vice chair of the Western Caucus and is a member of the House Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
