Socialist Dems deepening party's divide amid 2026 primaries
Tiffany Smiley and Richard Fowler discuss the rise of socialism in the Democratic Party, focusing on Colorado primaries and candidates aligned with Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). They address how candidates aligned with DSA impact the party's unity and whether their policies contribute to crime spikes in blue cities.
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Manny Rutinel, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, won a primary race on Tuesday evening, securing his party’s bid to challenge incumbent Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo.
Rutinel, a member of the state’s House of Representatives, faces one of the country’s most competitive races that could help decide the balance of power in Washington, D.C., where Republicans hold a governing trifecta across the House, Senate and Oval Office.
Democrats see seats like this district as a prime opportunity to pry away the GOP’s narrow grip on the House, where they have a slim majority.
Evans, the current seat holder, won the election in 2024 by just 0.8%.
REPUBLICAN GABE EVANS WINS COLORADO'S 8TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, BEATING INCUMBENT YADIRA CARAVEO
Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., speaks during the Congressional Hispanic Conference press conference at the U.S. Capitol on March 25, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)
Rutinel, a former state legislator, has pitched himself as a Democrat ready to protect government programs against GOP cuts and protect minorities against government overreach.
On his website, he lists protecting Social Security and Medicaid, expanding tax credits, ending Trump’s immigration crackdown, and lowering housing costs among his top priorities.
"I was raised on Medicaid. It's deeply personal for me and now Donald Trump and Gabe Evans are trying to destroy it to give tax breaks to their billionaire buddies," Rutinel said in a campaign video posted to Instagram.
"I’m afraid of Donald Trump continuing to destroy our democracy and our economy and making life impossible for working people and Latino immigrants across the country."
REPUBLICANS TARGET 2 KEY DEMOCRATIC RACES WITH MAMDANI CONNECTION STRATEGY
Rep. Manny Rutinel, democratic candidate for the 8th Congressional District, poses for a portrait at the house Chamber of Colorado State Capitol building in Denver, Colorado on Friday, February 20, 2026. (Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)
Because his platform includes elements like expanding taxes on the rich and universal healthcare, Republicans have made efforts to paint Rutinel as in the same vein as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
"Those policies may sell in New York, but Coloradans aren’t buying it," a spokesperson for Gabe Evans told Fox News Digital when asked about the similarities back in November.
Moreover, the Congressional Leadership Fund, an arm of the House Republican fundraising apparatus, highlighted a video posted to Instagram of a Mamdani campaign rally, offering it as proof that Rutinel belongs in the same bucket as Mamdani.
The video briefly shows someone who appears to be Rutinel standing behind Mamdani.
SCOOP: HOUSE REPUBLICANS LINK MAYOR-ELECT MAMDANI TO VULNERABLE CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a primary-night watch party for NYC Congressional candidate Claire Valdez at 99 Scott Studio on June 23, 2026 in the East Williamsburg neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
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"What does the CO-08 race have in common with the NYC Mayoral Race? Democrat Manny Rutinel is campaigning in both," CLF pointed out in one of its ads.
Having secured his party’s nomination, Rutinel will face off against Evans in the general election on Nov. 3.
Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional team at Fox News Digital. He was previously a reporter with World Magazine.
