Killin Leads Crank in Colorado 5th District as Votes Tally

Jessica Killin led Republican incumbent Jeff Crank in early returns for Colorado's 5th Congressional District late Tuesday night.

At 11:12 p.m., tallies showed Killin with 51.6% of the votes counted and Crank with 45.3%. Election officials will resume counting on Wednesday, though a final winner may require several more days to declare.

The district has not sent a Democrat to Washington, D.C., in 54 years. In 2024, Crank defeated his Democratic opponent by 14 points. President Donald Trump won El Paso County by approximately 10 points in that same election. However, recent polling suggested the race had become competitive due to voter concerns over gas prices and national politics.

Killin’s campaign released data showing her tied with Crank in the weeks leading up to the election. About a week before Election Day, she warned supporters at a rally in Colorado Springs that the outcome would be tight. She stated, "This is going to be a tight race," and added that the result might not be known on November 3.

The contest became the second most expensive in Colorado, trailing only the 8th District north of Denver. Super PACs spent more than $7 million on the race, with the majority benefiting Crank. Individual fundraising figures also diverged sharply. Crank raised about $3 million through October 14 and spent approximately $2.5 million. Killin raised about $5.6 million during the same period, which included more than $1 million in personal funds. She spent roughly $5 million of that total.

On election night, the two campaigns held separate events in Colorado Springs. Killin told reporters just before 11 p.m. that she felt "cautiously optimistic." She noted, "The people have spoken. They want someone who’s actually going to deliver for them." At Crank’s event, the crowd thinned around 9 p.m. before attendees were asked to depart. Crank did not address the crowd.

Killin grew up in Colorado Springs before serving in the Army. She later worked as a lawyer and a lobbyist for United Services Automobile Association. She served as chief of staff to two Democratic members of Congress and most recently worked for Doug Emhoff, husband of then-Vice President Kamala Harris. She registered to vote in Colorado in July 2025 and launched her campaign around the same time. Crank, who was born and raised in Pueblo, previously worked for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and held leadership roles at Americans for Prosperity. He won the 5th District seat in 2024 after former representative Doug Lamborn decided not to seek reelection.