Incumbent U.S. Congressman Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, held a 10-point lead over former state Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush, D-Steamboat Springs, with the majority of precincts reporting in his bid for a fifth term representing Colorado’s sprawling 3rd Congressional District, and that was enough for the Associated Press to call the race.

As of 9 p.m. election night, Tipton was ahead of his challenger with 52 percent of the vote, out-polling Mitsch Bush by more than 25,000 votes — 135,801 to 109,733 with 79 percent of precincts reporting.

Tipton first wrested the 3rd District seat from incumbent Democrat John Salazar in 2012.

During the 2018 campaign Tipton emphasized his support for the tax reforms passed by the U.S. House of Representatives during his most recent term.

“To further grow the economy and create opportunities for families to prosper, we passed into law the most significant tax reform legislation in a generation,” Tipton wrote on his website. “This legislation eliminates loopholes and creates a fairer and simpler tax code, as well as amounts to about a $2,000 annual tax cut for the average family of four in the 3rd District.”

Reached at her Election Night headquarters in Grand Junction, Mitsch Bush said her campaign emphasized economic growth through public works projects.

“I have been focusing a lot on the economy – with investments in transportation and broadband infrastructure, water supply and the electric grid, there will be lots of good paying jobs.”