{"id":356720,"date":"2026-07-01T03:30:34","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T03:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/356720\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T03:30:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T03:30:34","slug":"strong-front-runners-emerge-in-el-paso-countys-house-and-senate-primaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/356720\/","title":{"rendered":"Strong front-runners emerge in El Paso County’s House and Senate primaries"},"content":{"rendered":"

The initial results Tuesday night in the five competitive primaries for the legislators representing El Paso County show clear front-runners in all races, with one candidate commanding at least 60% of the early results.<\/p>\n

Republicans Jill Haffley and Jamie Koch faced off in the primary for District 16. Haffley led the initial results with 65.3% of the votes counted. The district represents the center of Colorado Springs, largely between North Nevada Avenue and Academy Boulevard.<\/p>\n

Haffley was elected to the District 11 school board in 2023 after retiring as a teacher. Koch is a school coordinator at Charis Bible College.<\/p>\n

Republican Rep. Rebecca Keltie won the election for the seat two years ago but chose not to run for another term.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we have a good momentum to take back our state with this particular election,\u201d Haffley said Tuesday night during an event for Republican candidates at Phil Long Music Hall<\/p>\n

If Haffley\u2019s early lead holds, she may enter one of the most competitive state legislature races in Colorado. Keltie beat the Democrat Rep. Steph Vigil by just three votes in the 2024 election. The winner of the Republican primary will take on Vigil in the general election, who was unopposed on the Democrat side.<\/p>\n

\"TwoJamie Koch (left) is running against Jill Haffley (right) in the House District 16 Republican primary. (Courtesy of the candidates)<\/p>\n

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Regina English led her opponent Chauncy Johnson in the early primary results for District 17, which represents the southeast section of Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

English had 63.7% of the initial vote total on Tuesday night in the county\u2019s only competitive legislative primary on the Democratic side.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you do right by people, right comes back to you and I\u2019ve done right by the people,\u201d English said Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

English is seeking her third term in the state legislature. Johnson is a former legislative aide who ran for the Colorado Springs City Council in 2025.<\/p>\n

\"HeadshotsChauncy Johnson (left) is running against incumbent Rep. Regina English in the Democratic primary election for House District 17. (Courtesy of the candidates)<\/p>\n

El Paso County\u2019s one competitive primary on the Senate side was between Republicans Lynda Zamora Wilson and Terry Carver. Preliminary results from Tuesday night\u2019s primary election showed Carver leading the initial results with 68.4% of the votes counted.<\/p>\n

Zamora Wilson and Carver are running for State Senate District 9, which covers the northwest corner of El Paso County from Monument down through the Air Force Academy and Garden of the Gods.<\/p>\n

Carver previously served on the House side of the legislature from 2015 to 2022.<\/p>\n

Zamora Wilson is the incumbent senator and was appointed to the seat in July 2025 after Minority Leader Paul Lundeen resigned from the Senate.<\/p>\n

\"TwoFormer State Rep. Terri Carver, left, is running against incumbent Lynda Zamora Wilson in State Senate District 9. (Courtesy of the candidates)<\/p>\n

Ava Flanell, the current representative for District 14, is fending off a challenge from Troy Vanderhule for the second time in less than a year. Flanell led in the initial results with 74.6% of the votes counted.<\/p>\n

Flanell was chosen to represent the district by a vacancy committee last fall after Rep. Rose Pugliese resigned. Vanderhule was one of the two other candidates for the appointment at the time, representing the northern section of Colorado Springs surrounding the Air Force Academy.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonight I am humbled to have earned the support of the voters in this primary,\u201d Flanell said.<\/p>\n

Flanell owns a local firearms training company and held a major fundraising lead heading into the final weeks of the primary election. Vanderhule is the chief fundraising officer for Dobson Philanthropic, a nonprofit that works with ministries on fundraising.<\/p>\n

\"ATroy Vanderhule (left) and Rep. Ava Flanell ran against each other in the Republican primary election for House District 14. (Courtesy of the candidates)<\/p>\n

In the Republican primary for House District 21, Brenda Miller led Alexander Africa in the initial results Tuesday night with 76.3% of the votes counted.<\/p>\n

District 21 represents the Fountain, Fort Carson and Security-Widefield areas at the south end of El Paso County. Incumbent Republican Rep. Mary Bradfield chose not to run for another term.<\/p>\n

Miller is a member of the Fountain Valley Republican Club who previously ran for a Board of County Commissioners nomination in 2023. Africa is a former airman and vice president of the nonprofit National Federation of Filipino American Associations.<\/p>\n

Updated results in all races will be provided by the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder\u2019s Office as ballots are counted.<\/p>\n

\"HeadshotsAlexander Africa (left) and Brenda Miller (right) are running for the Republican nomination in House District 21. (Courtesy of the candidates)<\/p>\n


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