Here are the key November election races for San Luis Valley voters to track following Tuesday’s Colorado Primary Election. Highlighted are the races with a Democrat and Republican candidate. The exception is the 12th Judicial District with incumbent District Attorney Anne Kelly.
For vote tabulations, see the Colorado Secretary of State election page. Find individual county election results here.
Colorado 3rd Congressional District
The race will pit Adam Frisch, Democrat, against Jeff Hurd, Republican. Hurd cleared a field of five other candidates in the Republican primary and now looks to succeed Republican Lauren Boebert in the House of Representatives. Frisch, who lost by 546 votes to Boebert two years ago, is considered the favorite given his name recognition and a sizable campaign war chest. Hurd, as he did in winning the primary, will position himself not as a MAGA candidate but a traditional Republican in the mold of Colorado State Sen. Cleave Simpson. In fact, Hurd sought out Simpson’s advice during the primary round and likely will lean on Simpson to influence voters in November. Funny thing is, Frisch also has had sessions with Simpson in seeking advice and input on the Rio Grande and the water issues of the western United States. Frisch and Hurd both have pledged to oppose efforts by Renewable Water Resources or any other group looking to transfer water from the Upper Rio Grande Basin to Colorado’s Front Range communities. The 3rd Congressional District race has the all the markings of being one of the more expensive congressional races this fall as both the national Democratic Party and Republican Party work to gain control of the Congress in 2025.
Colorado Senate District 6
Republican Cleave Simpson of Alamosa, the current office holder, will face off against Vivian Smotherman, a Democrat from Durango who is running for public office for the first time. Simpson steers away from the MAGA wing of the Republican Party to position himself as a bipartisan lawmaker. He now has four years in the Colorado Senate and buckets of major legislation to his name to back up his claim. Smotherman has an uphill climb to overcome the popular incumbent, but she doesn’t carry the baggage of the MAGA wing of the Republican Party and can attempt to cast Simpson in that light. Simpson’s secret weapon in the race, though, are Democratics who have worked with him in the state legislature and want to see him back in the state Senate. Smotherman will have to overcome the silent majority of Democrats and independent voters who see Simpson as an ally, not the enemy.
Colorado House District 62
This is a repeat contest between Matthew Martinez and Carol Riggenbach, both of Monte Vista. Martinez, the Democrat, won the race two years ago and has bolstered his own credentials with key legislation to his name. Riggenbach works in lock-step with the MAGA wing of the Republican Party. Whether that’s enough in a statehouse district that stretches from the San Luis Valley to parts of Pueblo is the test. Like the 3rd Congressional District race, Simpson will have an influence in this race as well. He’s spoken well of his working relationship with Martinez in the state legislature.
12th Judicial District Attorney
Anne Kelly will remain as district attorney past 2024. She finds herself uncontested after securing a critical court victory a month ago with the conviction of Daniel Brandt. Jr. Kelly also has secured new headquarters for the 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office with the ongoing renovation of the former Alamosa State Bank in Downtown Alamosa. Officials in the six counties of the San Luis Valley which fund 12th Judicial DA operations have been supportive of her requests for a higher annual budget.
Alamosa County Commissioner District 1
Democrat Rick Needham is challenging Republican Lori Laske for the Alamosa County Commissioner District 1 seat. Needham is a retired law enforcement officer who has worked in Alamosa and Monte Vista. Laske is the former director of alumni relations at Adams State who won the commissioner’s seat in her first attempt in running for public office four years ago.
Conejos County Commissioner District 1
Erwin Placido Romero (D), will face Delfino Garcia, (R), in November. Romero defeated Guillermo DeHerrera in the Democratic primary, while Garcia ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
Conejos County Commissioner District 3
Joseph Baroz, the incumbent county commissioner, will face Justin Rogers (R). Rogers won the Republican primary over Lucas Larson.
Costilla County Commissioner District 1
Incumbent County Commissioner Robert Espinoza was facing challenger Francisco Martinez in the Democratic primary contest. Brandy Napier, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, will face the winner in November. Costilla County had not reported any primary results to the Colorado Secretary of State voting tabulations as of Tuesday night.
Costilla County Commissioner District 3
Steven Romero (R) is the sitting county commissioner who will face Augustin Esquibel (D) in November. Both were unopposed in the primary election.
Mineral County Commissioner District 2
Marvin Ward defeated incumbent county commissioner Jesse Albright in the Republican primary. Sarah Wallace, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, will face Ward in November.
Mineral County Commissioner District 3
Ramona Weber, the Republican incumbent, will face Anthony Goodrow in the Mineral County Commissioner District 3 race. Goodrow is an unaffiliated candidate.
Rio Grande
There’s no competition in Rio Grande County this year. Scott Deacon and Gene Glover, both Republicans, will run unopposed this November.
Saguache County Commissioner District 1
Democratic incumbent Tom McCracken fended off challenger James Adam Kinney in Tuesday’s primary, and will face Republican Marcus Weir in the November election. Weir is a U.S. Marine veteran and currently a contractor. McCracken is the owner and operator of Green Earth Farm in Saguache County.
Saguache County Commissioner District 2
Lynne Thompson was unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face Republican opponent Jason Ensz in the November election. Ensz is a farmer and firefighter in Saguache County. Thompson is the incumbent county commissioner who has served on the Saguache County Planning Commission and was the court clerk for the Saguache County combined courts for 14 years.
editors’ note: This story has been edited slightly to clarify that the state Democratic Party leadership has not endorsed any Republican candidate.