2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado
The 2006 congressional elections in Colorado were elections for Colorado's delegation to the United States [House of Representatives], which occurred along with 2006 [United States House of Representatives elections|congressional elections nationwide] on November 7, 2006.
Overview
By district
Results of the 2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado by district:District 1
Incumbent Democrat Diana DeGette, who had represented the district since 1997, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 73.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+18.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Diana DeGette, incumbent U.S. Representative
Republican primary
No Republicans filed.Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Thomas Kelly, professional engineer
General election
Finances
Campaigns
Outside Spending
District 2
Incumbent Democrat Mark Udall, who had represented the district since 1999, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 60.1% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+8.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Mark Udall, incumbent U.S. Representative
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rich Mancuso, history teacher
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Norm Olsen, software developer, nominee for state representative in 2000 Colorado [House of Representatives election|2000] and for this seat in 2002 [United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado|2002] and 2004 [United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado|2004]
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- J. A. Calhoun
General election
Finances
Campaigns
Outside Spending
District 3
Incumbent Democrat John Salazar, who had represented the conservative, west Colorado district since 2005, ran for re-election. He was elected with 50.6% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+6.Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- John Salazar, incumbent U.S. Representative
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Scott Tipton, businessman
Declined
- Matt Smith, House of Representatives|state representative] and candidate for this seat in 2004 [United States House of Representatives elections in Colorado|2004]
- Greg Walcher, former Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources and nominee for this seat in 2004
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Bert Sargent, engineer
General election
Finances
Campaigns
Outside Spending
District 4
Incumbent Republican Marilyn Musgrave, who had represented this conservative east Colorado-based district since 2003, ran for re-election. She was re-elected with 51.0% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+9.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Marilyn Musgrave, incumbent U.S. Representative
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Angie Paccione, state representative
Declined
- Stan Matsunaka, former President of the Colorado Senate and nominee for this seat in 2002 and 2004
- Wes McKinley, state representative
- Peggy Reeves, former state senator
Reform primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Eric Eidsness, former EPA Assistant Administrator for Water
General election
Finances
Campaigns
Outside Spending
District 5
Incumbent Republican Joel Hefley, who had represented this conservative district based in Colorado Springs and its suburbs district since 1987, retired rather than run for re-election. He was re-elected with 70.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+16.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Doug Lamborn, state senator
Eliminated in primary
- John Anderson, former El Paso County Sheriff
- Duncan Bremer, former El Paso County Commissioner
- Jeff Crank, Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce vice president and former Hefley aide
- Bentley Rayburn, United States Air Force Major General
- Lionel Rivera, Mayor of Colorado Springs
Declined
- Jack Gloriod, realtor and activist
- Ted Haggard, Presidents of the National Association of Evangelicals
- Joel Hefley, incumbent U.S. Representative
- Keith King, state house Majority Leader
- Jeff Wells, former state senate Majority Leader
- Wayne W. Williams, El Paso County Commissioner
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jay Fawcett, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel
General election
On August 29, 2006, Hefley expressed anger that his successor was not his top aide, Jeff Crank. Commenting on the primary campaign, Hefley said, "I spent eight years trying to get rid of the sleaze factor in Congress. It's not something I can do to help put more sleaze factor in Congress." Hefley was incensed at tactics such as a mailed brochure from the Christian Coalition of Colorado associating Crank with "public support for members and efforts of the homosexual agenda." Hefley said that he "suspected, but couldn't prove, collusion between Lamborn's campaign, which is managed by Jon Hotaling, and the Christian Coalition of Colorado, which is run by Hotaling's brother, Mark." Hefley called it "one of the sleaziest, most dishonest campaigns I've seen in a long time," and refused to endorse Lamborn.Finances
Campaigns
Outside Spending
District 6
Incumbent Republican Tom Tancredo, who had represented this solidly conservative district based in the Denver suburbs since 1999, ran for re-election. He was re-elected with 59.5% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of R+10.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Tom Tancredo, incumbent U.S. Representative
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Bill Winter, lawyer and former legislative aide to Senator John McCain
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Jack Woehr, computer programmer, Democratic candidate for this seat in 1994 and nominee in 2004
General election
Finances
Campaigns
Outside Spending
District 7
Incumbent Republican Bob Beauprez, who had represented the district since 2003, decided to run for Governor rather than for re-election. He was re–elected with 55.7% of the vote in 2004 and the district had a PVI of D+2.Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Rick O'Donnell, executive director of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and candidate for this seat in 2002
Declined
- Bob Beauprez, incumbent U.S. Representative
- Mike Coffman, State Treasurer
- Mark Paschall, Jefferson County Treasurer
Democratic primary
With Beauprez declining to seek a third term this district emerged as a top pick-up opportunity for House Democrats.Candidates
Nominee
- Ed Perlmutter, former state senator
Eliminated in primary
- Peggy Lamm, former state representative
- Herb Rubenstein, attorney and business leadership consultant
Withdrawn
- Joanna Conti, businesswoman and nominee for the 6th district in 2004
Green primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Dave Chandler
Constitution primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Roger McCarville