Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) conceded to her Republican challenger Gabe Evans in the House race for Colorado‘s 8th Congressional District Sunday, a key flip that helps the GOP’s hopes of keeping its majority in the House of Representatives.
The Republican challenger has yet to be projected as the winner by the Associated Press, but Evans leads Caraveo 49%-48.2%, with an estimated 92% of the vote counted. The current margin shows 2,596 votes separating the two leading candidates.
Caraveo conceded defeat in a statement Sunday, calling her past two years representing the district “the honor of a lifetime.”
“While this isn’t the outcome we hoped for, the work is not over,” Caraveo said. “I look forward to returning to Washington to finish out this term and will continue to be an independent voice for the people of this district.”
Evans celebrated the victory in a statement Sunday, in which he thanked Caraveo for her service and “gracious concession” and stated that he looked “forward to working with her and her team to transition this office over the next few months.”
“I am incredibly humbled to be chosen as the next Congressman for Colorado’s 8th. It is an honor to be entrusted with the job of representing you and your families, and I am ready to fight back for a better direction for all Coloradans,” Evans said.
The seat in the Centennial State was viewed as one of the most vulnerable for Democrats, with the Cook Political Report giving the district an “even” partisan voting index and rating the race as a “toss up.”
Caraveo won the seat in 2022, narrowly defeating Republican Barbara Kirkmeyer 48.4%-47.7%, and in 2020, the district voted for then-candidate Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump by 4.7%.
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The seat was listed as a target for pickup by the National Republican Congressional Committee, and was part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s front-line program. Polls ahead of the election showed a tight race within the margin of error of various surveys.
The district has the largest Hispanic community of any of the state’s congressional districts, a demographic Republicans have gained ground with nationwide in recent elections.
