Colorado House District 57 candidate Elizabeth Velasco won Tuesday’s Democratic primary election with nearly 65% of the vote.

“Tonight, Western Colorado sent a message that our communities want a representative focused on the pressing issues people care about, like cutting the cost of living and helping working people get ahead,” Velasco said Tuesday evening.

Unofficial results show Valsasco nabbed 3,500 votes (64.32% of the vote) over challenger Cole Buerger’s 1,387 (35.68%) for a margin of 1,034 votes. Voter turnout was 26.26% out of 15,358 registered Democratic voters in Garfield County.

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“I look forward to being the first Latina and immigrant representing this district,” Velasco said.

Buerger said on Tuesday evening he was proud of his campaign and is now going to solely focus on running his communications firm.

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“I am completely focused on my small business and focused on increasing advocacy and fighting for the rights of all Coloradans,” he said. “Our democracy is in trouble.” 

Velsasco now faces HD57 incumbent Rep. Perry Will, R-New Castle, in the Nov. 8 General Election. Will, originally appointed in 2019 after Bob Rankin’s appointment to the Colorado Senate, was elected to his first full term in 2020. He won the Republican nomination unopposed Tuesday.

“We’re definitely going to convene with the Democrats in Pitkin, Garfield and Eagle counties in making sure we work together,” Velasco said. “We are the majority. This is a Democratic district.”