Who's In the Race

Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) faces Republican Kelley Dennison and Libertarian Gaylon Kent in the November 3 general election in Colorado's 2nd Congressional District. ​

Neguse has represented the district since 2019, serving as an attorney and former executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies before his election; The Denver Post has reported he serves as assistant Democratic leader in the House. He ran unopposed in the June 30 Democratic primary.

Dennison is a licensed massage therapist based in Estes Park who graduated from the Academy of Natural Therapy in 2023. She won the June 30 Republican primary with about 58 percent of the vote, defeating runner-up Christina Blunt, who received about 42 percent.

Kent is a Navy veteran and writer based in Hayden, according to Colorado Public Radio.

What They Stand For

Neguse has championed efforts to lower the cost of prescription drugs and supports universal health-care coverage, according to his campaign website. He's also supported:

  • Treating climate change as "an existential threat," backing renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions,
  • Protecting public lands, investing in outdoor recreation, and addressing wildfires,
  • Paid leave, affordable child care, and raising the minimum wage to $15; and
  • Voting-rights legislation, including the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

Dennison has called for reducing federal spending, lowering energy costs, and making homeownership more achievable as part of what her campaign website frames as an affordability agenda. She also supports:

  • Domestic oil, natural gas, and clean-energy production to help lower energy costs,
  • Protecting Colorado's forests, rivers, and watersheds while pursuing responsible land use,
  • Parental primacy over children's education, health care, and values decisions; and
  • Timely health care and mental-health resources for veterans, and protecting seniors from rising costs.

Kent has described himself as "the peace candidate" and opposes wars not declared by Congress, according to Colorado Public Radio; his stated priorities also include a flat tax, abolishing the death penalty, decriminalizing drugs, and keeping government out of abortion policy.

The Money Behind the Race

Through June 30, Neguse had raised about $2.7 million and held about $3.1 million in cash on hand, more than his total receipts. Dennison reported no receipts and no cash on hand.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

Every major handicapper rates this race out of reach for Republicans. Cook Political Report rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 19; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Neguse, a 98.87 percent chance of winning the seat as of Oct. 20.

The district's recent history backs that consensus. Neguse won the district with about 70 percent of the vote in 2022 and about 68 percent in 2024, a drop of roughly 1.6 percentage points between cycles. Democrats won five of Colorado's eight U.S. House seats in 2022 and four in 2024.

In the 2024 presidential race, Democrat Kamala Harris carried Colorado with about 54 percent of the vote. Taken together, the state's congressional and presidential results paint Colorado as reliably Democratic territory at the federal level, and the 2nd District has been among its most Democratic seats in recent cycles.

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