COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Early election results in Colorado's fifth congressional district point to a historic outcome: the first Democrat and the first woman ever elected to the district.
As of 6 p.m. Wednesday night, the Associated Press has not called the race, with Democratic Candidate Jessica Killin leading with 51 percent of the vote compared to incumbent Congressman Jeff Crank trailing with 45%.
The fifth congressional district, which encompasses most of El Paso County, has never been represented by a Democrat since its creation in 1972. With the district heading to a historic shift, Killin will be representing a district that's generally been made up of Republican voters and unaffiliated voters leaning republican.
"This is something I've talked a lot about on the campaign trail that I may not always vote in a way that everyone agrees with, but I will always listen. And I think this is where, honestly, Jeff Crank has really failed this community, he hasn’t been, hasn’t done any town halls, hasn’t really been engaged," Killin told News5 in an interview Wednesday. She has committed to holding a town hall prior to leaving for Washington if she's elected.
Killin previously worked for Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff as his Chief of Staff, she also worked for other Democratic representatives, and was a lobbyist for the United Services Automobile Association (USAA).
When asked whether she believes the early returns tilting in her favor is a result of voters rejecting Republicans or Trump or embracing Democrats, she sees it as something else.
"I've heard this throughout the entire time I've been running is people that are struggling, they are honestly angry, and they are sick and tired of having a representative here who's not focused on delivering for them,"Killin said. "So I don't know if it's, I don't think it's necessarily about anything partisan, it is about wanting someone who's gonna show up, be accountable, listen, and actually focus on delivering results, and that's what I have said I am going to do, and that is what I do plan to do."
The fifth congressional district isn't the only race Democrats are seeing gains in across the state, the fourth congressional district, which includes eastern parts of El Paso County, Douglas County, and the state's eastern plains appears heading into Democrats favor as well. Democratic challenger Eileen Laubacher is ahead by a about 3,000 votes as of Wednesday evening.
While the district may be heading to electing its first Democrat, the party is third when it comes to the number of affiliated registered voters in the county, with unaffiliated voters making up the largest share. One question is where Killin is willing to break with her party in Washington.
"We'll see what happens in terms of what their [House Democrats] agenda is, but what I've been clear about with other people in my party is that the American people and the people of El Paso County, they voted, and they voted because they're upset, but that's, they are demanding results," Killin said.
She added that she believes the border should be secure and doesn't feel that she's always been in line with her party in that regard, she also believes student loan forgiveness was not a policy working for American people.
A fourth generation Coloradan, she grew up in El Paso County and graduated from Falcon High School, went to college in Florida on an ROTC scholarship and served as a paratrooper and Military Police Officer in the U.S. Army. Killin recently moved to Colorado Springs ahead of the election, something she faced criticism for on the campaign trail.
"This is a community that raised me, I grew up here," Killin said, "I felt I had a unique opportunity to give back to the community that has given so much to me. You know, I tell people, I'm running because I'm a patriot, and I love my country, and I love El Paso County."
She said that she'll spend her time in Congress showing voters how invested she is in the community.
"I'm gonna be out every day that I can talking to the community, listening to people whether they voted for me or not, answering their questions, being accountable to them, being accountable to the constituents here. That is the job, and I'm going to do it. No one will work harder. I worked hard to win this, but no one will work harder to be a good steward of this community as well."
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