Colorado’s fifth congressional district (CO-05), mainly made up of Colorado Springs, has been held by a Republican since the district was created more than 50 years ago. But Democrats think that could change in this year’s election, which has put a national spotlight on the race.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) hails CO-05 as “the most Democratic-trending congressional district in the nation” and designated it a “district in play” in this year’s election in which the party hopes to retake the majority in the House of Representatives.
Out of a crowded candidate field, two Democratic contenders emerged and are now headed to a June primary – Joe Reagan and Jessica Killin. Colorado Public Radio recently did a piece on this, “Democrats are targeting the Colorado Springs based congressional seat, but who will be their candidate?”
On May 4, the DCCC added Killin to its 2026 Red to Blue program – a “highly competitive and battle-tested DCCC program that arms top-tier candidates with organizational and fundraising support to help them continue to develop strong campaigns,” according to its website. In other words, if Killin is the nominee, the DCCC has pledged to throw its considerable resources into backing her.
The Reagan campaign responded the same day with a statement denouncing the DCCC’s endorsement of Killin.
“The same institutional Democrats who lost us Congress and the Presidency in 2024 are trying their tired strategy again. They are backing a Washington insider who hasn’t lived here in 20 years and bought a vacation home in the Broadmoor to claim residency,” Reagan said in the statement. “This is a losing strategy and the voters in CO-5 are fed up with it. We have an immensely capable team built on local support and fighting for what matters to us. After two years as a candidate on the ground in CO-5, knocking tens of thousands of doors, we’ve built the kind of grassroots energy that no amount of Washington money can manufacture.”
Read the full statement Democratic Candidate Joe Reagan and Voters Reject DCCC Interference in CO-5 Primary
Reagan and his supporters are far from the only ones frustrated by national Dems putting their fingers on the scales of a primary.
On May 4, Axios ran a story “Infighting erupts as Democrats intervene in contested primaries” describing the intraparty tension over five new endorsements of candidates who are in contested primaries – which includes the Reagan/Killin race.
“The blowup is dredging up an intense, long-standing debate about whether Democratic leadership is acting un-democratically to boost the candidates they view as more electable,” the Axios story says.
This tension was felt in the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, when many Bernie Sanders supporters felt the national party rigged the process for Hillary Clinton, who went on to lose the race for president to Donald Trump.
On May 5, Reagan’s senior campaign advisor, Jebullyn Galloway, sent the Pikes Peak Bulletin an email with an attachment titled “JK Findings.”
“Jessica Killin announced her campaign for Colorado’s 5th Congressional District in July 2025, presenting herself as a Colorado Springs resident ready to fight for the district. But a review of publicly available campaign finance records raises serious questions about her residency in Colorado, commitment to the district, and why endorsements from Colorado candidates followed contributions,” the JK Findings document states.
The document details alleged concerns with Killin’s residency, several of which center on her husband and the address he uses on campaign donations, and when he registered to vote in Colorado. It also says, “Endorsements Followed Contributions. Of the six Colorado-recipient campaigns Killin donated to around the time of her launch, four have since endorsed her candidacy: Senator Michael Bennet, Representative Brittany Pettersen, State Representative Amy Paschal and former Colorado Springs City Council member Yolanda Avila.”
The document also contains screenshots from TRACER, Colorado’s campaign finance disclosure website, and an FEC (Federal Election Commission) form.
Read JK Findings
The Bulletin reached out to the elected officials named in the document to ask if Killin’s contribution in any way affected his or her endorsement. The Bulletin did not immediately receive a reply from Bennet, but Paschal, Avila and a spokesperson for Pettersen all replied to adamantly state it did not – all expressed they endorsed Killin because of the belief she was best suited.
Killin’s other endorsements include Colorado City Councilors Kimberly Gold and Nancy Henjum, Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, Congresswoman Dianna DeGette, Congressmen Jason Crow and Joe Neguse, and more.
The Bulletin asked John Jarrell, the chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party, if the party had affirmed Killin’s residency and if there were any concerns.
“We do vet every candidate’s eligibility, and Jessica Killin is, in fact, eligible to run for office,” Jarrell said. “We verify eligibility using a candidate’s voter registration on file with the Colorado Secretary of State.”
Avila called for respectful behavior.
“Let’s not do what the Republicans do … tear each other up instead of coming together,” she said. “I have great respect for all the candidates who are in all the races. I know what it takes.”
Asked for comment, Killin’s campaign responded, “Jessica was raised in Colorado Springs, the daughter of two educators, and proudly graduated from Falcon High School. After serving our country abroad in the military and then fighting for veterans and working people, she lives in Colorado Springs and has for the entirety of this Congressional race as she’s running for Congress to make life more affordable for Coloradans, protect Medicare and Social Security, and defend our fundamental rights.”
2026 Primary Election Day is June 30.
