DENVER – Republican incumbent Scott Tipton of Cortez was re-elected Tuesday night to the 3rd Congressional District, over a spirited challenge by Democrat Gail Schwartz.
What was supposed to be a sleepy race in the sprawling district turned into a battle, with Democrats and their allies targeting the race with a flood of mailers and advertising.
While the efforts breathed life into Schwartz’s campaign – at a time when Republicans were hoping for a lackluster race – it was still an uphill battle in the Republican-leaning district.
Tipton won 54.6 percent to 40.5 percent in the district-wide vote. In Montezuma County, Tipton garnered 7,436 votes, compared with Schwartz’s 4,524 and captured 59.5 percent of the local vote.
Schwartz declined to concede the race on Tuesday night, noting that several key counties, including Pueblo, still needed to be counted. On Wednesday morning, she stated in a news release, “I congratulate Scott Tipton, and hope that this campaign season has helped him appreciate the importance of bridging the political divide and bringing the residents of the 3rd Congressional District together on the many issues and values that unite us.”
The Tipton campaign said Tuesday night it was hitting its goals, and that it felt “very good” about its position in winning the race.
“In my next term, my number one priority will be creating economic opportunities for all Coloradans,” Tipton said in a news release late Tuesday. “Our economic recovery has largely been concentrated to the Front Range and I will continue to fight for solutions to create equitable growth that spreads into Southern and Western Colorado.”
It will be Tipton’s fourth term.
Schwartz, a former state senator from Crested Butte, announced her candidacy in April, meaning she had an uphill battle. But she posted impressive fundraising numbers, outpacing Tipton, despite her late entry into the race.
Schwartz took in about $1.5 million through Oct. 19, with $319,119 coming from political action committees.
Tipton – who has been fundraising since January 2015 – received about $1.6 million in contributions, with $715,405 coming from political action committees.
The House Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC, contributed about $2.2 million to advertising in support of Schwartz, and the League of Conservation Voters, an environmental organization, contributed about $127,000 to her advertising.
On the other side, the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, invested about $1.6 million to defend Tipton.
Final financial disclosures are expected in the coming weeks.
With an onslaught of help from environmental groups, Schwartz focused heavily on Tipton’s record, especially as it comes to public lands. She alleged throughout the campaign that he worked to sell public lands to private interests, which Tipton vehemently denied.
Schwartz also painted Tipton as someone adding to gridlock in Washington.
Tipton’s camp hit Schwartz for her support of the Affordable Care Act, which is blamed for insurance rate increases in rural Colorado.
They also pointed out that Schwartz supported state legislation that took aim at the coal industry.
A spokesman for Schwartz said she would not comment on the race until the morning.
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
Montezuma County election
Here’s how Montezuma County voted on local, state and federal elections, according to unofficial results. For races between more than one candidate, the person who won the overall race is listed first.
Turnout
Local
Montezuma County 1A SB 152 opt-out
Yes: 8,469 (70 percent)
No: 3,628 (30 percent)
Dolores 2-A SB 152 opt-out
Yes: 371 (85.7 percent)
No: 62 (14.3 percent)
Re-1 School District 3-A Old M-CHS demolition
Yes: 5,358 (63.5 percent)
No: 3,078 (36.5 percent)
Mancos Library 4-A Mill levy increase
Yes: 1,207 (65.7 percent)
No: 630 (34.3 percent)
Montezuma County Commission, District 2
Keenan Ertel: 7,943 (100 percent)
Montezuma County Commission, District 3
Larry Don Suckla: 7,764 (100 percent)
District Attorney 22nd Judicial District
Will Furse (R): 8,713 (100 percent)
22nd District Judge Doug Walker retention
Yes: 6,278 (61.2 percent)
No: 4,003 (39 percent)
State
State Board of Education, District 3
Joyce Rankin (R): 7,978 (67.4 percent)
Christine Pacheco- Koveleski (D): 3,864 (32.6 percent)
Univ. of Colo. Regent, at large
Heidi Ganahl (R): 7,258 (63.7 percent)
Alice Madden (D): 4,132 (36.3 percent)
State Representative District 58
Don Coram (R): 8,678 (100 percent)
Amendment T Constitution language
Yes: 4,854 (41.1 percent)
No: 6,950 (58.9 percent)
Amendment U Property tax
Yes: 4,838 (41.8 percent)
No: 6,731 (58.2 percent)
Amendment 69 Colorado Care
Yes: 2,600 (21.1 percent)
No: 9,751 (79 percent)
Amendment 70 Raising minimum wage
Yes: 6,340 (51.1 percent)
No: 6,064 (48.9 percent)
Amendment 71 Raise the bar
Yes: 7,736 (63.8 percent)
No: 4,388 (36.2 percent)
Amendment 72 Tobacco tax
Yes: 5,424 (43.3 percent)
No: 7,097 (56.7 percent)
Proposition 106 Medical aid-in-dying
Yes: 7,334 (59.3 percent)
No: 5,045 (40.8 percent)
Proposition 107 Primary election
Yes: 7,735 (63.2 percent)
No: 4,506 (36.8 percent)
Proposition 108 Primary election
Yes: 5,986 (49.7 percent)
No: 6,066 (50.3 percent)
Federal
U.S. President
Donald Trump (R): 7,771 (60.5 percent)
Hillary Clinton (D): 3,930 (30.5 percent)
U.S. Senate Colorado
Michael Bennet (D): 4,249 (34.1 percent)
Darryl Glenn (R): 7,407 (59.5 percent)
U.S. House Colorado District 3
Scott Tipton (R): 7,436 (59.5 percent)
Gail Schwartz (D): 4524 (36.2 percent)
