Pueblo Democrats Aim for Swing Vote

Aaron Gutierrez told a group of volunteers in Pueblo on Sunday that the city is ready to swing back to the Democrats. The state Senate candidate faced a small crowd inside the Pueblo County Democratic Party headquarters. He said many people have given up on the area because Donald Trump won it in two previous presidential cycles. Gutierrez argued that if enough residents vote, the party can take the district back.

The central contest in the region is for the 3rd Congressional District. Incumbent Republican Jeff Hurd faces Democrat Dwayne Romero. Hurd, who represents Grand Junction, has tried to distinguish himself from Trump. He cited his vote against some tariffs in February as proof of his independence. Trump briefly pulled his endorsement over that vote but later gave it back. Hurd is running advertisements in the final days of the campaign. The ads tell voters that doing the right thing in Washington is difficult.

Democrats are focusing on Hurd’s voting record in 2025. They point to his support for the tax and spending law that cut Medicaid and food assistance. Nick Voss, chair of the Pueblo County Democrats, said voters are not dumb. He noted that Hurd campaigned on expanding rural healthcare access but voted against it in Congress. Voss said the county needs to show up to ensure every vote counts for Romero.

Spending in the race has been uneven. Republican super PACs have spent heavily on Hurd. Romero raised and spent $1.1 million since launching his campaign in March. He lacked support from major Democratic super PACs until the House Majority Project began buying ads in the final week of October. Organizers face challenges because the district covers three different media markets. This makes buying television ads and organizing field teams more difficult than in denser urban areas.

Pueblo has a population that is more than 40 percent Latino. The city has shifted politically in recent years. Trump won the county in 2016 and again in 2024. Joe Biden won it narrowly in 2020. Michelle Gray, the Republican chair, said her party is feeling good about the election. She declined a full interview until after the vote. She told volunteers on Monday that people want change.

State Rep. Tisha Mauro is running for a third term in Pueblo. She told the crowd that Democrats are gaining ground. U.S. Rep. Jason Crow spoke to the group and compared Pueblo to his hometown in Wisconsin. He said Democrats should appeal to voters who want a level playing field. Romero said he wants to tap into the diverse economies and cultures of the community. He believes the area has always had this potential.

The 3rd District extends from Pueblo across the San Luis Valley and much of the Western Slope. It is one of the largest geographical congressional districts in the United States. Organizers say this size makes it hard to reach voters efficiently. The campaign is relying on canvassing neighborhoods in the final days before the election. Early ballot return data suggests the race is close. One statistical model showed Romero could lose by as few as 68 votes.