With only days of voting left, the two Republicans vying for the nomination in Colorado’s sprawling 3rd Congressional District are making their final case to the public. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd faces former Colorado House member Ron Hanks — again. Hurd defeated Hanks in 2022 in a crowded primary, but they are the only ones in the race this time around.
Hurd, a lawyer from Grand Junction, originally entered the 2022 race as a more moderate alternative to Lauren Boebert, who ended up moving to the more conservative 4th Congressional District on the other side of the state. Since taking office, Hurd has voted along party lines the majority of the time but broke with the party in several notable instances, including Trump’s tariffs and support of Ukraine. He also signed a letter to Trump urging him to “preserve” Medicaid but eventually voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which greatly reduced the healthcare program’s funding.
Hanks, an U.S. Air Force veteran, has been vocal in his belief that Joe Biden was fraudulently elected president. Hanks was also present at the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol but said he never entered the building. While serving in the Colorado House, he was involved in several controversies, including allegedly threatening violence against a fellow lawmaker. While in office, Hanks supported bills that would expand gun rights, revamp the voting process, and create tax credits for private education. However, none became law.
The candidates are running in a district that includes much of the Western Slope and Southern Colorado. A Democrat hasn’t held the seat in 15 years, but Aspen Democrat Adam Frisch came within less than 600 votes of winning against Boebert in 2022.
Both Hurd and Hanks spoke with CPR News on June 25.
How are you feeling as primary day nears?
Hurd called himself “cautiously optimistic.”
“I've been working hard for several years now, not only campaigning across the district but also now representing it as the congressman,” he said. “And at the end of the day, I trust the will of the voters, and I hope that they will see me as an effective and hardworking legislator.”
Hanks said this is “a very interesting race” and spoke about the possible effect unaffiliated voters could have. In Colorado, they receive both Democrat and Republican ballots. In this cycle, far more Democratic ballots have been turned in. He called Colorado’s current semi-open primary system a "fundamental unfairness,” which he believes makes this race hard to predict.
“So we do our best number crunching,” he said. “Shake the Magic 8-Ball and try to get an answer. But Tuesday will tell.”
What do you see as the main differences between you and your opponent?
Hanks believes constituents are “frustrated” with Hurd.
“What I would say is the people that we talked to are angry at Hurd, and they have come up to me and said, ‘We will not vote for him again. We're glad you're in the race,’” Hanks said.
He pointed to a 59% score given to Hurd by the conservative lobbying group Heritage Action. The score reflects how conservative his voting record is. By comparison, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who previously held the seat, received 98%.
Hanks attacked Hurd’s support of Ukraine in particular when the first-term congressman recently joined 18 Republicans who broke with the party and voted to give Ukraine $8 billion in loans. Hanks called Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky “a corrupt little tyrant.”
“I worry that Zelensky, as the money launderer and corrupt politician that he is in Ukraine, is going to push NATO and the United States into a war,” Hanks said.
Hurd, meanwhile, described his voting record as an asset, explaining he worked hard to represent the district, which leans conservative but is also home to many Democrats and unaffiliated voters. Hurd said he’s not the best choice for a voter who wants a candidate “who just votes along every single time with the party and with what leadership tells them to do.”
Instead, he described himself as someone who’s “conservative and principled but also pragmatic and who doesn't make the perfect the enemy the good, and who stands up when needed for the people that he represents.”
Hurd pointed out his votes against President Trump’s unpopular tariffs, which caused him to briefly lose the president’s endorsement. Hurd also voted to override Trump’s veto on a bipartisan water project in Colorado’s Arkansas Valley, though the override didn’t get enough votes.
“I've shown independence and a willingness to stand up and fight for the Constitution and the people that I represent in southern Colorado and western Colorado,” Hurd said.
What is your fear for the district if your opponent becomes the nominee?
Hanks talked about “offering an alternative” to Hurd’s leadership.
“We need to focus on energy and manufacturing, agriculture and keeping water in Colorado. And I think Hurd is poorly prepped to do that,” Hanks said.
Hurd said he’s guided by his principles, and he thinks that speaks to the people of his district.
“Probably most voters don't agree with me on every single vote I've taken, but I trust that they see me as somebody that works hard, who's sincere, who's focused on getting results,” Hurd said. “And at the end of the day, I trust the voters that they will see that.”