Former state Rep. Bob Gardner placed a detour in the political path of pastor and state Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt in Senate District 12.
Gardner beat Klingenschmitt, an often controversial figure in the state House the last two years, with 61.7 percent to 38.2 percent in Colorado Springs on Tuesday night.
In another closely watched race, Rep. Rhonda Fields defeated another state representative looking to move to the state Senate, Su Ryden. Fields led 74.1 percent to 25.8 percent in the District 29 race in Aurora. Fields will face Republican Sebastian Chunn in November.
The seven primaries in five districts Tuesday fielded 16 candidates, none of them Senate incumbents.
With the balance of power in the Colorado state Senate divided by just one vote, a majority Republicans seized in 2014, Tuesday was the first step toward keeping that majority or seeing power shift to Democrats in November.
One of the most competitive races came in District 4 in Douglas County, Jim Smallwood had 39 percent of the vote to Benjamin Lyng’s 38.5 percent and Jess Loban’s 22.3 percent. The winner will face Democrat Christina Riegel, who defeated James Huff 65.9 percent to 34 percent.
District 31 in Denver also had five candidates. In the Democratic primary Rep. Lois Court had 44.1 percent to 33.5 percent for Steve Sherick and 22.3 percent for Erin Bennett.
Republican Bob Lane had 67.8 percent of the vote in the District 31 primary against Jeffery Washington’s 32.1.
Eighteen seats are up for election in November. Two senators have no primary or general election opposition this year, beyond write-ins: Republican Owen Hill of Colorado Springs and Matt Jones of Louisville.
