Dwayne Romero, a small business owner and former member of the Aspen City Council and local school board, has been added to the House Democrats' national campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), “Red to Blue” program for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. The DCCC announced on October 5 that the program aims to provide advice, fundraising, and staff assistance to Democratic campaigns that have met specific organizational and financial benchmarks.
Romero is challenging U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, a Grand Junction attorney who is seeking reelection to a second term representing the sprawling district. The 3rd Congressional District covers most of the Western Slope and includes parts of Southern Colorado, such as Pueblo County and the San Luis Valley.
Romero was one of six House candidates nationwide named to the DCCC’s candidate support program this week. His inclusion brings the national total of top-tier challengers in the DCCC's program to 46, with Romero joining two other Colorado Democrats, Jessica Killin and former state Rep. Manny Rutinel. Killin is running in the 5th Congressional District against U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, while Rutinel faces U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in the 8th Congressional District.
U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, the Washington Democrat who chairs the DCCC, issued a statement calling Romero "the leader Coloradans deserve." DelBene added that while she believes Jeff Hurd prioritizes his party bosses, Romero is stepping up to ensure Western Slope residents have a representative who puts them first. Romero responded to the announcement, stating that just as soldiers are trained to leave no one behind, he aims to "leave no community behind" in Congress.
Spokespeople for Hurd’s campaign and the Republican counterpart to the DCCC, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), dismissed the opposition party’s optimism. They point to the district's history of electing Republicans since the Obama administration. Nick Bayer, spokesman for the Hurd campaign, stated that "the people of Western and Southern Colorado will decide this election." Bayer emphasized that Hurd focuses on lowering costs, protecting water resources, supporting American energy, and strengthening rural communities. NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon described Hurd as a "commonsense leader who fights for western and Southern Colorado, delivering real results," and suggested that rural Coloradans would reelect Hurd this November.
The 3rd Congressional District, though having a history of electing House members from both parties, has been represented by Republicans since 2011. Two years ago, former President Donald Trump carried the district by nearly 10 percentage points over Democrat Kamala Harris, and Hurd defeated his Democratic challenger by 5 percentage points. Four years ago, the district hosted the closest congressional race in the country, when incumbent Lauren Boebert won by fewer than 600 votes against Democrat Adam Frisch. Boebert has since moved to the 4th Congressional District, where she is seeking a fourth term against Eileen Laubacher, a retired Navy rear admiral and former member of the National Security Council.
In August, the DCCC had previously placed the districts represented by Hurd and Boebert on its “districts in play” list, signaling them as targeted seats considered vulnerable this election cycle. Ballots for the upcoming election are arriving in Coloradans’ mailboxes this week and must be returned to county clerks by 7 p.m. on November 3.
