Dwayne Romero’s primary win capped one of the most surprising turns of Colorado’s election season, as the last-minute candidate toppled a rival who had spent nearly a year building his campaign. Romero, who jumped into the 3rd Congressional District Democratic race with just hours to spare before the filing deadline, will now challenge Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd this November.

The upset unfolded in Grand Junction on Tuesday night, delivering a jolt to a contest few expected to end this way.

A Decisive Margin Despite a Late Start

When the Associated Press called the race at 8:01 p.m., Romero held a comfortable lead with 55.2% of the vote to Alex Kelloff’s 44.8%. The margin was striking given that Romero entered the contest a mere four hours before the deadline, while Kelloff had been crisscrossing the sprawling district for months.

Much of Romero’s strength came from home turf. He posted sizable victories in Pitkin County, where he lives, along with the neighboring counties of Eagle and Garfield.

Confidence Forged in Combat

Romero, a 61-year-old resident of Snowmass Village, said he never doubted his ability to compete, even entering at the eleventh hour. He credited his military background for that self-assurance, noting that his experience in combat gave him the conviction to take the leap. In his words, he would not have entered the race if he had not felt good about his chances.

That confidence quickly translated into a general election message aimed squarely at Hurd.

Setting His Sights on Jeff Hurd

Romero wasted no time framing the November matchup. He accused Hurd of siding with political bosses over Colorado families, pointing to votes he said cut healthcare and prolonged what he called Trump’s reckless wars, all while gas prices climbed.

He pledged to focus on the pocketbook issues weighing on residents, promising to:

• Lower costs at the grocery store and pharmacy
• Bring down housing costs
• Stand up to corporations and special interests driving prices higher

Romero said his conversations with voters convinced him that people across the district are struggling and eager to rally behind strong leadership.

A District Democrats Are Eager to Flip

The Colorado Democratic Party moved fast to celebrate Romero’s victory, congratulating him and signaling that the 3rd District will rank among the state’s most closely watched races this fall. The party framed the district as ready for new leadership rather than lawmakers who simply carry out Washington’s wishes, and it pledged to build a campaign reaching every corner of the state.

The enthusiasm reflects a district that, while still leaning Republican, has grown more competitive in recent cycles.

Two Similar Candidates, One Winner

For voters, the choice between Romero and Kelloff, 53, offered more overlap than contrast. Both are Aspen-area businessmen, and both ran on strikingly similar promises for the roughly 720,000 people spread across the district’s nearly 50,000 square miles.

Each candidate vowed to create jobs, safeguard public lands and water, and strengthen healthcare and education. In the end, Romero’s personal story and local base proved enough to separate him from a rival who shared much of his platform.

A Résumé Built on Service and Business

Romero brings an unusually varied background to the race. A U.S. Army veteran and Bronze Star recipient, he was recruited to play basketball at West Point as an 18-year-old. He went on to graduate from Army Ranger School and served seven years as an officer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His commitment to service runs in the family, with two of his three daughters having served in the military as well.

After his military career, Romero founded the Romero Group, an Aspen real estate management firm where he serves as president and CEO. His public service is equally extensive. He worked as director of economic development under former Gov. John Hickenlooper and held seats on the Aspen City Council, the Aspen-area transit authority, the Aspen Fire Protection District, the Aspen Board of Education, and the Colorado Economic Development Commission.

The Road Ahead in November

On the campaign trail, Romero promised to fight to repeal H.R. 1, the sweeping tax and spending law known as the Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Trump championed. He also vowed to help restore power to a Congress he believes has surrendered its role as a check on the executive branch.

Now he turns to first-term Congressman Jeff Hurd in a district that leans Republican on paper but has been trending more competitive. The history is daunting for Democrats: no Democrat has won the seat since 2008, when John Salazar prevailed only to lose it to a Republican after a single term.

Whether Romero can break that drought remains to be seen, but his improbable primary victory has already positioned the 3rd District as one of Colorado’s defining battlegrounds this fall.