Representative Jeff Hurd, a Republican incumbent from Colorado, has successfully defended his party’s nomination in a closely watched primary election. Hurd, a freshman lawmaker representing a sprawling district that covers much of western and southern Colorado, faced a challenge from the right in former state Representative Ron Hanks. The Associated Press reported that Hurd secured the victory on Tuesday, positioning him to defend his seat against Democratic contenders in the upcoming November elections.
A Tumultuous Endorsement Journey
Hurd’s path to the nomination was marked by a significant endorsement saga involving former President Donald Trump. Initially, Trump had thrown his support behind Hurd. However, this backing was temporarily withdrawn in February after Hurd joined Democrats in voting for a measure, largely symbolic, aimed at terminating Trump’s tariffs on goods from Canada. This move put Hurd at odds with the former president’s trade policies.
The situation took another turn in March when Trump rescinded his initial revocation. He then publicly urged Navy veteran Hope Scheppelman, who had been mounting a primary challenge against Hurd from the right, to abandon her campaign. Trump requested Scheppelman to instead join his administration. Scheppelman, who previously served as vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party and works as an acute care nurse, now holds a position as a senior advisor on substance abuse within the Department of Health and Human Services.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump declared his full support for Hurd’s re-election bid, issuing a “Complete and Total Endorsement.” He rallied Republican and MAGA supporters, emphasizing the need for unity to defeat the “Crazed Radical Left Democrats” in the general election.
The Challenger’s Background
Following Scheppelman’s withdrawal from the race at Trump’s behest, Ron Hanks entered the Republican primary to challenge Hurd. This was not Hanks’ first attempt to unseat the incumbent; he had previously run against Hurd in the 2024 GOP primary, where Hurd ultimately won with just over 40% of the vote. Hanks, an Air Force veteran, has publicly promoted unsubstantiated claims regarding the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, alleging without evidence that Joe Biden was “fraudulently elected.” Hanks was also present in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, though he has stated he did not enter the U.S. Capitol building and faced no criminal charges related to the events of that day.
District Dynamics and Democratic Hopes
The 3rd Congressional District in Colorado is considered competitive, with Democrats actively seeking to flip it. Hurd narrowly won the district by a margin of just five percentage points in the 2024 general election. The district, while generally leaning Republican, includes pockets of Democratic support, notably in several affluent ski towns and the city of Pueblo.
Democrats are fielding businessman Alex Kelloff and Army veteran Dwayne Romero, who are competing for the Democratic nomination. Hanks had characterized Hurd as a “fake conservative” and insufficiently loyal to former President Trump during an interview with The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. He pointed to Hurd’s past votes on issues such as tariff policy and a Russia sanctions package as evidence of his alleged lack of conservative credentials. However, Hurd has generally aligned with Trump on most significant legislative matters and also joined Representative Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., in an unsuccessful effort to override Trump’s veto of a water pipeline project in Colorado’s Arkansas Valley.
Hurd’s Tenure and Committee Assignments
Prior to his congressional service, Jeff Hurd, a lawyer by profession, chaired the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. In the House of Representatives, he holds positions as vice chair of the Western Caucus and is a member of the House Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees. His legislative record shows a mix of bipartisan cooperation and alignment with key Republican priorities, though his vote on the Canada tariffs created a temporary rift with the former president.
The outcome of this primary sets the stage for a challenging general election in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, where Hurd will face the Democratic nominee in his bid for a second term.
