Manny Rutinel has won the Democratic primary for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, setting up a November race against Republican incumbent Gabe Evans.
Summary
- Manny Rutinel won Colorado’s 8th District Democratic primary and will face Republican Gabe Evans in November.
- A PAC funded by Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen spent about $1 million supporting Rutinel’s campaign.
- The race adds to broadser scrutiny of crypto political spending before the 2026 U.S. midterms.
The state representative defeated former state Rep. Shannon Bird in a closely watched contest for one of the most competitive House seats in the U.S.
The race drew attention from the crypto sector after a political action committee funded by Ripple Labs co-founder Chris Larsen spent heavily to support Rutinel. The spending placed the Colorado primary inside a broader national debate over how crypto-linked donors are shaping congressional races.
Rutinel’s win also comes as digital asset policy remains active in Washington. Lawmakers continue to debate market structure, stablecoin rules, and the role of crypto companies in political financing.
Ripple-linked PAC backed Rutinel
Rutinel won the Democratic nomination in Colorado’s 8th District, a seat that includes parts of Adams, Larimer, and Weld counties. The district includes Commerce City and Greeley, and Axios described it as Colorado’s most Latino congressional district.
Larsen’s You Can Push Back PAC provided nearly $1 million in support for Rutinel. The report said the primary became one of Colorado’s most expensive Democratic contests, with tech-linked donors also backing the progressive candidate.
Rutinel now moves to a general election against Evans. Democrats see the seat as a pickup target after Evans unseated Democrat Yadira Caraveo in 2024 by less than one percentage point.
Crypto money becomes a campaign factor
The race adds another example of crypto-linked political spending entering competitive primaries. The PiQ Markets report said Rutinel received a “strongly supports crypto” rating from Stand With Crypto, based on positions tied to stablecoins, market structure, and regulatory clarity.
As reported by crypto.news, Ripple-backed PACs helped fuel record crypto election spending during the 2026 cycle. The report cited Public Citizen data showing crypto firms had contributed about $189 million so far, already topping the previous cycle months before Election Day.
Moreover, Fairshake and allied PACs entered 2026 with large reserves from donors including Ripple, Coinbase, a16z, Gemini, Crypto.com, and Kraken. Those groups have backed candidates from both parties who support clearer digital asset rules.
Colorado race remains a general election test
Rutinel ran as the more progressive candidate in the primary. Axios reported that Bird conceded shortly after polls closed and called for Democrats to unite behind Rutinel against Evans.
The seat remains a major test for both parties. Republicans are expected to frame Rutinel as too progressive for a swing district, while Democrats will likely focus on affordability, immigration, and working-class issues.
The crypto angle may also stay in focus. Voters in the district will decide the race, but outside spending has already shaped how the contest is viewed nationally.
Crypto PAC activity keeps expanding
The Colorado result follows other races where crypto-aligned groups spent heavily. Previously, crypto-aligned candidates gained ground in key Texas elections after PACs spent millions in runoff contests.
In addition, crypto.news also reported that Barry Moore won Alabama’s GOP Senate runoff after more than $12 million in support from pro-crypto PACs. Those races showed that industry spending is not limited to one party or one region.
Rutinel’s victory gives crypto donors another win in a competitive race, but the general election remains unresolved. The November contest will test whether PAC-backed primary strength can carry into a swing district where both parties plan to spend heavily.
