Republican Cory Gardner of Yuma has won his bid to to retain his seat in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, the Denver Post is projecting.
At press time, Gardner had amassed 59.7 percent of the vote, to Shaffer’s 36.1 percent.
Gardner, who squared off against his University of Colorado law school classmate, Democrat Brandon Shaffer, said Tuesday that he is excited to go back to Washington to promote the district’s agriculture, energy and business.
“The Fourth Congressional District presents a tremendous opportunity for our state and our nation. … It really can lead Colorado out of this recession,” Gardner said.
Gardner said that after redistricting, 48 percent of the population he will now represent is new to the district.
“We spent a lot of time … listening to voters and learning what issues they care about,” he said.
Gardner, 38, served in the State House of Representatives for five years before regaining the traditionally Republican U.S. House seat in 2010 from one-term congresswoman Betsy Markey, D-Ft. Collins.
Colorado’s 4th district geographically dominates the Eastern Plains and is predominately rural. Its largest population centers are Fort Collins and Greeley.
Weston Gentry: 720-295-4387; wgentry@denverpost.com or twitter.com/westongentry
