Colorado Treasurer Dave Young drops bid for 8th Congressional District seat

Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post on Jan 8, 2026

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DENVER — Colorado Treasurer Dave Young dropped out of the race for the hotly contested 8th Congressional District on Friday morning, further narrowing the Democratic field ahead of the June primary.

Young, who is in his second term as state treasurer, cited a family member’s “serious health situation” for why he’s leaving the congressional race.

“My family must come first, and stepping back from this race to care for my family, as well as continuing to fulfill my duties as state treasurer, is the responsible choice,” Young said in a statement.

Young’s withdrawal leaves three Democrats seeking the nomination to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans. He had trailed all of them in fundraising.

State Rep. Manny Rutinel holds a distinct fundraising advantage over the remaining Democrats, having raised more than $2 million — double the total of the next-closest candidate. State Rep. Shannon Bird recently announced she would resign her seat in the legislature to fully commit to the race. Marine veteran Evan Munsing is also seeking the Democratic nomination.

The 8th Congressional District, which stretches from the northern Denver suburbs to Greeley, was drawn to be one of the most competitive districts in the country, and it’s potentially the key to which political party controls the House in 2027.

The district was created following the 2020 census. Evans, who unseated Democrat Yadira Caraveo in 2024, is trying to be the first person to be reelected to represent the district.