WHAT COLORADANS ARE READING: Rutinel Focused on Cutting Costs While Evans “Stood By His Record of Supporting Trump’s MAGA Agenda”

BERTHOUD, CO– Reporting on last night’s debate in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District underscored the stark contrast in this race: while Manny Rutinel focused on plans to lower costs - from reversing Medicaid cuts to ending tariffs, Gabe Evans “stood by his record of supporting Trump’s MAGA agenda on the major issues, like the Iran War and health care.”

Reporting from last night highlighted the most notable exchange of the night, where Rutinel directly called out Evans’ record of raising costs on Coloradans and his broken promises on the economy.

As the Denver Post noted, “After citing sky-high diesel and gas prices brought on by Trump’s war on Iran and the president’s ‘chaotic, corrupt tariff policies,’ Rutinel looked straight at his opponent: ‘Are you sure you want to run on the economy right now? If you want to run on the economy — fine, but I don’t think that’s a good look for you.’”

Read the highlights below:

Colorado Times-Recorder: “Running on the Economy Is ‘Not a Good Look’ for Evans, Says Rutinel During Debate”

Toward the end of his debate tonight with Gabe Evans, Democrat Manny Rutinel turned to the Republican incumbent, who’d been discussing Colorado’s economy, and said, “Now, I just got to say, he keeps bringing up the economy. Are you sure you want to run on the economy right now? Gas is at $4.20. Diesel is at $6.20 because of this forever war in Iran that put American lives at risk and raised gas and diesel prices at home. Grocery prices are going through the roof because of the corrupt, chaotic tariff policies that you are pushing, and healthcare insurance premiums are going through the roof because you’ve gutted the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.

“If you want to run on the economy, fine, but I don’t think that’s a good look for you.”

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Evans essentially stood by his record of supporting Trump’s MAGA agenda on the major issues, like the Iran War and health care.

“Iran is the leading sponsor of terrorism in the world, and they get a bump when Democrats project weakness abroad,” he said, doubling down on his response when asked this week by CBS4 political specialist Shaun Boyd yesterday if the war in Iran is working “at this point.” Evans nodded and said, “Yes.”

Evans said that Democratic policies in Colorado on oil-and-gas issues have caused fuel prices to increase — an argument he’s made before and has been fact-checked as false.

“You’re not fooling anyone in this crowd,” Rutinel told Evans at the debate, which took place at the sold-out Grace Place Auditorium. “Everyone here knows you’re the one raising gas and diesel prices. Gas and diesel prices have gone up 50% since this war in Iran.

“Look, Iran is the leading sponsor of terror, and they should never have a nuclear weapon. But there’s the saying that when you make diplomacy impossible, you make war inevitable. And Donald Trump and Gabe Evans have time and time again torn apart the agreements and put the entire world against us.”

On Medicaid, Evans again stood behind Trump, this time for the Medicaid changes in the Big Beautiful Bill, insisting that the number of Medicaid recipients has increased in Colorado since the bill was passed. But he didn’t say that the cuts aren’t expected to kick in until next year or that they’re already putting hospitals at risk. Experts predict that 80,000 people will lose Medicaid in Colorado due to the Big Beautiful Bill.

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After the debate, Rutinel greeted supporters in the auditorium and later in the lobby, but there was no sign of Evans, who departed out the back door of the building without making an appearance.

Axios: “Evans, Rutinel clash in high-stakes congressional debate”

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State of play: The on-stage standoff underscores the intensity of the race for one of Colorado's most competitive congressional seats.

Zoom in: The debate, hosted by the Surveyor in Berthoud, also exposed differences over health care, immigration and public safety.

• Rutinel called for reversing Medicaid cuts under Trump's law, creating a pathway to citizenship for longtime undocumented immigrants who work and pay taxes, and rolling back Trump's tariffs.

• Rutinel also pushed to ban congressional stock trading, prohibit corporate donations to politicians, impose congressional term limits and end the war with Iran.

CPR: “Gabe Evans and Manny Rutinel hold fiery debate in Colorado congressional swing seat race”

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Rutinel in turn called Evans radical for supporting the massive Republican tax and spending package.

“You’re kicking hundreds of thousands of Coloradans off of healthcare, answer the question, ‘Do you regret backing the big beautiful bill?’” Rutinel said.

He also went after Evans for initially opposing a proposal in Congress to release the Epstein files and said Evans sides with Trump time and again.

“He only responds to one man, he only seeks the approval of one man, and that’s Donald Trump,” Rutinel said.

“We need leaders that will hold accountable to anyone who breaks the law.”

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Denver Post: “Barbed comments, and sharper rejoinders, dominate debate in Colorado’s 8th District”

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“Gabe Evans is literally taking healthcare from families and seniors,” Rutinel said, referring to Medicaid cuts that were part of the Republican president’s giant tax and spending bill, legislation that was passed last year by congressional Republicans.

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After citing sky-high diesel and gas prices brought on by Trump’s war on Iran and the president’s “chaotic, corrupt tariff policies,” Rutinel looked straight at his opponent: “Are you sure you want to run on the economy right now? If you want to run on the economy — fine, but I don’t think that’s a good look for you.”

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Colorado Newsline: Candidates in crucial Colorado congressional district trade barbs over voting records

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Rutinel said he wants to restore Affordable Care Act tax credits and expand Medicaid so health insurance will be more affordable. He also blamed the war in Iran and Trump’s tariffs for increasing the cost of living. Evans, who voted against a war powers resolution to direct Trump to remove U.S. troops from Iran, did not mention the conflict in Iran. He flagged past comments Rutinel has made against the oil and gas industry as well as anti-factory farming stances.

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The economy would be “in a much better spot” if Trump and Evans focused on the economy instead of targeting immigrants, Rutinel said.

“Right now, Donald Trump and Gabe Evans are trying to find new ways to torment our immigrant neighbors,” Rutinel said. “They’re using masked ICE agents without judicial warrants. They are raiding schools and hospitals to rip families apart.”