Decision Desk HQ has projected that Jeff Hurd, the establishment-supported Republican candidate, has emerged victorious in the GOP primary race for the 3rd Congressional District seat previously held by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).
In the Republican primary, Hurd, a lawyer based in Grand Junction, emerged as the winner, beating out other contenders, including former state Rep. Ron Hanks (R). Interestingly, the Democrats had supported Hanks, believing he would be a weaker opponent in the general election.
Related posts
Last August, Hurd began his campaign with the support of notable Republicans in the state and Americans for Prosperity Action, which is backed by the Koch network. At the time, Boebert was still considering running for reelection in her current position in the 3rd District.
Instead, Boebert made the decision to run for the 4th Congressional District in eastern Colorado, which is known to be a reliably Republican House seat. This move was made to avoid the possibility of another costly and tight race in the 3rd district.
It’s worth noting that Hurd’s victory is quite remarkable, especially considering the fact that a super PAC aligned with the Democratic party and Adam Frisch’s campaign, a Democratic candidate, interfered in the Republican primary. They aired ads either to promote Hanks, who denies the election results, or to attack Hurd, who has been accused of avoiding debates and questions about his views.
Democrats’ strategy aimed to present Hanks as a more likable conservative candidate to attract GOP voters in the primary. The rationale behind this approach was that Hanks’ polarizing opinions on issues like the 2020 election may alienate moderate Republicans and independent voters in the general elections, creating an opportunity for a Democrat to secure the seat in November.
In the 2022 Senate cycle, the Democrats employed a strategy to promote Hanks as a superior candidate compared to the mainstream GOP nominee, Joe O’Dea. While O’Dea emerged victorious in the GOP primary, he eventually lost to Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in the November election. Nevertheless, Hanks managed to secure a win in the 3rd Congressional District during the same election.
Republicans in the state can breathe a sigh of relief as Hurd’s victory positions him as the more competitive candidate to win the seat in the upcoming elections. The Cook Political Report had earlier rated the seat as “lean Republican” and Hurd’s win has strengthened their chances.
