Eight-term U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn gained reelection Tuesday by defeating Democratic challenger David Torres.
Of the greater than 191,800 ballots counted shortly earlier than 10 p.m., Lamborn had 56% of the vote with greater than 106,900 votes. Torres took 41% of the vote with greater than 78,700 votes. The Related Press referred to as the race for Lamborn.
Since Lamborn’s first election in 2006, the 68-year-old Colorado Springs Republican has by no means acquired lower than 57% of the vote within the conservative fifth Congressional District, state election knowledge reveals. Democratic opponents solely reached greater than 40% of the vote twice (in 2006 and 2014) and solely by a fraction of a p.c.
Regardless of controversies alleging Lamborn abused his energy and flouted pandemic restrictions on the expense of his workers, he simply gained the Republican major.
Lamborn is below investigation by the Home Ethics Committee for allegations his workers ran private errands for his spouse and helped his son apply for federal jobs. A former staffer sued the congressman final 12 months, as effectively, accusing Lamborn of disregarding COVID-19 security protocols early within the pandemic and claiming he let his son dwell within the basement of the U.S. Capitol rent-free.
Lamborn denied the allegations, saying they got here from a disgruntled former worker.
A staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, Lamborn voted — alongside practically 150 others — in opposition to certifying the 2020 presidential election outcomes.
Trump moved U.S. House Command from Lamborn’s district in Colorado Springs to Alabama, a call the congressman and his Democratic and Republican colleagues in Colorado are working to reverse.
Lamborn informed JHB his prime priorities subsequent session can be to deal with inflation, cease President Joe Biden’s “restrictive vitality insurance policies” and regain border management.
“My distinctive expertise is the mix of getting been a state and federal lawmaker, a former enterprise and actual property lawyer, and being intently related to Colorado Springs, a conservative, navy and tourism heart of Colorado,” Lamborn stated.
Challenger Torres stated he wished to unite the fifth Congressional District along with his marketing campaign to unseat Lamborn. The political newcomer stated he moved to Colorado Springs from Puerto Rico as a toddler and, after highschool, joined the Air Pressure Reserves and labored at Peterson Air Pressure Base.
Torres, 42, informed The Submit his prime precedence if elected can be folks’s reproductive justice.
“I imagine basically that Black and brown communities are affected on a a lot larger stage,” Torres stated. “The lack of this fundamental human proper to entry of well being care ought to by no means be a worry of any of my constituents.”