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Eight-term U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn was leading Democratic challenger David Torres in early election returns Tuesday night.
Of the more than 186,000 ballots counted as of 8:13 p.m., Lamborn had 56% of the vote with more than 103,000 of the votes.
Since Lamborn’s first election in 2006, the 68-year-old Colorado Springs Republican has never received less than 57% of the vote in the conservative 5th Congressional District, state election data shows. Democratic opponents only reached more than 40% of the vote twice (in 2006 and 2014) and only by a fraction of a percent.
Despite controversies alleging Lamborn abused his power and flouted pandemic restrictions at the expense of his staff, he easily won the Republican primary.
Lamborn is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations his staff ran personal errands for his wife and helped his son apply for federal jobs. A former staffer sued the congressman last year, as well, accusing Lamborn of disregarding COVID-19 safety protocols early in the pandemic and claiming he let his son live in the basement of the U.S. Capitol rent-free.
Lamborn denied the allegations, saying they came from a disgruntled former employee.
A staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, Lamborn voted — alongside nearly 150 others — against certifying the 2020 presidential election results.
Trump moved U.S. Space Command from Lamborn’s district in Colorado Springs to Alabama, a decision the congressman and his Democratic and Republican colleagues in Colorado are working to reverse.
Lamborn told The Denver Post his top priorities next session would be to address inflation, stop President Joe Biden’s “restrictive energy policies” and regain border control.
“My unique experience is the combination of having been a state and federal lawmaker, a former business and real estate lawyer, and being closely connected to Colorado Springs, a conservative, military and tourism center of Colorado,” Lamborn said.
Challenger Torres said he wanted to unite the 5th Congressional District with his campaign to unseat Lamborn. The political newcomer said he moved to Colorado Springs from Puerto Rico as a child and, after high school, joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves and worked at Peterson Air Force Base.
Torres, 42, told The Post his top priority if elected would be people’s reproductive justice.
“I believe fundamentally that Black and brown communities are affected on a much higher level,” Torres said. “The loss of this basic human right to access of health care should never be a fear of any of my constituents.”
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