Kelley Dennison, a 27-year-old massage therapist from Estes Park, won Colorado’s GOP primary on June 30, 2026, securing the Republican nomination to face incumbent Rep. Joe Neguse in the general election this November.
Dennison defeated Fort Collins-based hairdresser Christina Blunt with 57.79% of the vote—21,068 votes compared to Blunt’s 15,386 votes. The Associated Press called the race for Dennison, who will now represent the Republican Party in what analysts consider a challenging matchup in a heavily Democratic district.
Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District spans north-central Colorado, encompassing ski areas, rural ranches, and parts of the Front Range urban corridor that includes the college towns of Boulder and Fort Collins. The district has leaned Democratic for years, with Neguse representing it since 2019.
Neguse, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, made history in 2018 as Colorado’s first Black U.S. congressman. He won reelection in 2024 with 284,994 votes. Political analysts view him as a safe incumbent, and the Cook Political Report rates the seat as solidly Democratic heading into the general election.
Dennison’s platform centers on environmental conservation and immigration, according to Colorado Public Radio. Her campaign website emphasizes fighting for responsible spending, reducing unnecessary regulations, and supporting small business. She presents herself as an outsider to the political establishment, a contrast to the well-established Neguse, who has served three full terms in Congress.
The general election will take place on November 3, 2026. Both candidates have now completed their primary contests and will compete for the seat in the fall campaign.
Sources
- Colorado Public Radio — primary election results, vote counts, candidate background, and platform details
- Colorado Secretary of State historical election data — 2024 general election results for Neguse (284,994 votes)
- Ballotpedia — district analysis, incumbent status, and election timeline
