COLORADO, USA — Democrat Adam Frisch is locked in a tight race with Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert, something that was not expected heading into the 2022 midterm elections.
Unlike fellow Trump loyalist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia and Rep. Matt Gaetz in Florida, who easily won reelection in firmly Republican districts, Boebert trails Frisch in a district that hasn't been represented by a Democrat since Rep. John Salazar from 2005 to 2011.
As of 7:59 p.m. Wednesday, The Associated Press reported 156,746 votes (50%) for Frisch, just slightly more than the 156,682 votes for Boebert, (50%), with an estimated 98% of votes counted in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District.
Frisch served as chairman of the Pitkin County Financial Advisory Board from 2005 to 2011 before being elected to the Aspen City Council, which he served on from 2011 to 2019. He and his wife Katy have two children, a 16-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter.
During his campaign, Frisch described himself as a "patriotic mainstream businessman who has the experience to work with both parties to cut inflation, create local economic growth and jobs, and make our communities safer and stronger."
He hoped to lure Republican voters in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District – which covers the Western Slope and southern Colorado, including Grand Junction and Pueblo – disillusioned by Boebert’s brash style and ardent support of former President Donald Trump.
Frisch campaigned on rebuilding the middle class by fighting for higher wages and lowering inflation, encouraging local production of energy including oil and natural gas and protecting natural resources with a focus on water and forest health.
In the Democratic primary Frisch beat Sol Sandoval, an activist from Pueblo, and Alex Walker, a first-time candidate from Eagle County.
In a statement Wednesday, Frisch thanked his supporters for the narrow lead he held.
"It took a village, lots of hours, and lots of organizing, but we believe all of the hard work will pay off," he said." None of this would have happened without you. Hopefully soon Coloradans and Americans alike can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there is one less extremist in office."
Even Boebert's challenger in the 2022 Republican primary, state Sen. Don Coram, endorsed Frisch over his fellow GOP member. The Republican wrote a column in the Montrose Press after his primary loss that President George Washington warned of excessive partisanship and individuals putting their own interests ahead of the nation.
"Sadly, we are at a time when it seems neither party nor their loudest voices have the highest interests of our nation at heart," Coram said. "The proof lies in candidates like AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) and Colorado’s own Lauren Boebert, who are the poster children for what President Washington feared."
Coram went on to call Frisch a good man in his endorsement for the Democrat.
"In my opinion, when it comes to the two choices on the ballot for CD3, the better choice is Adam Frisch," Coram said. "Let’s elect someone who cares about representing the majority of people in the middle that are fed up with extreme partisanship and juvenile antics. Join me in voting for Adam Frisch for Congress."
Frisch called Coram an upstanding leader and public servant in a statement shared with Colorado Politics thanking the Republican for his support.
“Coram recognizes that extremists like Boebert make it impossible to get things done for the people of CO-3. I am building a strong bipartisan coalition to ensure that the people of Southern and Western Colorado have an effective representative in Washington who will focus on the issues facing their families, their communities, and their businesses.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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