NORTHGLENN, Colo. — One of the most closely watched races in the country is Colorado’s 8th Congressional District.
The winner — either incumbent Democrat Yadira Caraveo or Republican Gabe Evans — could determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives in January. Right now, Republicans have a narrow majority.
Denver7 recently spoke with the congresswoman about her priorities and her record.
Caraveo won her seat by just 1,600 votes in 2022. She now finds herself in another tough election.
“There’s a lot of similarities,” Caraveo said. “It's all going to be about getting out and speaking to the same communities, people who aren't always asked for their vote.”
Hear the full interview with Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo in the video player below:
Colorado’s 8th Congressional District is also its newest and includes most of Adams County as well as portions of Weld and Larimer counties.
“I've introduced or co-sponsored a number of legislative pieces surrounding the cost of living,” Caraveo said when asked how she would address the issue of affordability.
But she admits most of those bills have gone nowhere.
“Sadly, in a Republican-controlled House, those have not advanced,” Caraveo said. “We are on track to be the least productive Congress since the Civil War.”
Lawmakers only passed 34 bills that became law last year, according to the Library of Congress, which tracks legislation. In two years, only four of the 600 bills Caraveo sponsored have become law.
Before coming to Congress, Caraveo was a state lawmaker.
“It's a whole different ball game,” said Caraveo.
As a state lawmaker, Caraveo’s batting average was much better. Many of her bills were signed into law by the governor. But a couple of the bills she championed in the state legislature have become issues in this campaign.
Evans has criticized a 2019 bill Caraveo voted for and co-sponsored that lowered penalties for people caught with four grams or less of fentanyl. The Evans campaign has been airing misleading ads blaming Caraveo for drugs flowing into Colorado communities.
Denver7 asked Caraveo, who’s also a pediatrician, why she voted for the bill.
“As a doctor, I’ve seen every single week the effect that the opioid crisis has had on families in Adams County,” said Caraveo. “The characterizations that Gabe Evans is making are not true. I have tried to balance what people need in terms of substance abuse treatment with penalties for drug distributors and cartels.”
Caraveo said the U.S. should secure the southern border. In July, she was one of only six Democrats who voted in favor of a Republican resolution condemning the Biden administration for its handling of the border. The resolution also singled out Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I voted for resolutions and sent letters to the administration saying that many of the changes that they ended up making needed to have been done much, much earlier in their administration,” Caraveo said.
Voter Guide 2024
Colorado voter guide: What you need to know for the 2024 November election
Unlike with immigration and the border, Caraveo is firmly in line with her party on abortion rights.
“Abortion care is health care, and health care decisions should be left to patients and doctors,” said Caraveo.
When it comes to healthcare in general, Caraveo said patients need more power.
“We really need to take the focus of health care away from health insurance companies, away from pharmaceutical companies who are making all of the money, and put it back in the hands of patients,” said Caraveo.
Whether Caraveo will be around to work on that and other issues for another term in Congress is for voters to decide.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
