Shannon Bird

Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ political arm BOLD PAC supported Manny Rutinel, who won a Colorado primary against Shannon Bird by 30 points. The primary was a proxy battle among Democratic-aligned groups, with Rutinel's victory attributed to Latino voter turnout in a district that narrowly voted for Trump in 2024.

Colorado Democrats rejected Michael Bennet’s bid for governor, nominating Phil Weiser. Diana DeGette trailed Melat Kiros in her district, with Kiros backed by Democratic Socialists of America. Manny Rutinel won the 8th District nomination over Shannon Bird, who was supported by Blue Dog Democrats.

Manny Rutinel won the Democratic primary for U.S. House Colorado District 8 with over 60% of the vote, defeating Shannon Bird and Evan Munsing. He will face Republican incumbent Gabe Evans in the 2026 election.

Manny Rutinel defeated Shannon Bird in the primary for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. Rutinel, a state representative, will face Gabe Evans in the November election.

State Rep. Manny Rutinel (D) is projected to defeat former state Rep. Shannon Bird (D) in the Democratic primary for Colorado's 8th Congressional District. The winner will face Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), a vulnerable incumbent.

Progressive state Rep. Manny Rutinel won the Democratic primary for Colorado’s 8th District, defeating former state Rep. Shannon Bird. Rutinel will face GOP Rep. Gabe Evans in the general election, with Republicans viewing him as a stronger opponent than Bird. The district, which is 40 percent Latino, is a key target for Democrats, who have reserved millions for advertising, while Evans has raised $3.4 million for the race.

Silicon Valley donations to Manny Rutinel's House campaign have made Colorado's Democratic primary one of the state's most expensive. Rutinel faces Shannon Bird, with political groups led by Eric Schmidt and Chris Larsen supporting his platform focused on regulating ICE and affordability.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is expanding its efforts to Colorado, targeting Democratic primaries in the 1st and 8th Congressional Districts. Recent DSA-aligned victories in New York congressional primaries have emboldened the group, which is now backing candidates like Melat Kiros against incumbent Diana DeGette and Manny Rutinel over Shannon Bird. The races highlight a growing divide within the Democratic Party between far-left and center-left factions.

Centrist Democrats are alarmed by progressive victories in New York primaries, fearing the left's winning streak could jeopardize the party's electoral prospects and reshape its ideological direction. Progressive candidates have won key House and Senate races, including upsets against establishment-backed incumbents, with upcoming contests in Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin testing the movement's momentum.

The 8th Congressional District in Colorado, a newly drawn district spanning urban and rural areas, features a competitive race between Republican incumbent Gabe Evans and two Democratic candidates, Manny Rutinel and Shannon Bird. The primary election for the Democratic nomination is set for June 30, with Evan Munsing's name still on the ballot despite dropping out of the race in May.