Sabato’s Crystal Ball Moves Colorado’s 5th Congressional District In Democrats' Favor

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Yesterday, Crystal Ball, a nonpartisan election analysis, moved Colorado’s 5th Congressional District from Likely Republican to Lean Republican. This follows MAGA Inc.’s decision to spend $700,000 to protect Jeff Crank in a seat that was once considered a Republican stronghold but is now clearly in play.

The latest poll shows the CO-05 initial ballot is statistically tied, with Killin at 44% and Crank at 45%. Killin outperforms the generic ballot (R+4) by three points. After balanced candidate profiles are provided, Killin moves into the lead, 47% to 44%. 

Kyle Kondik wrote for the Center for Politics: 

“CO-5, based in Colorado Springs, is a traditionally bedrock Republican district that has nonetheless been getting more competitive in the Trump era. The district delivered roughly 20-point margins to Republican presidential nominees in the 2008-2016 range, although it also featured a high third party vote in Trump’s first election, presaging Trump’s margin dipping to 10 points in 2020 and 9 points in 2024 (putting it among the handful of districts where Trump did worse in 2024 than he did in 2020). Rep. Jeff Crank (R, CO-5) easily held this then-open seat in 2024 but faces a stronger challenge this time from veteran Jessica Killin (D), a former chief of staff to former First Gentleman Doug Emhoff. Republican outside groups, including No Going Back PAC (effectively a rebranded arm of MAGA Inc., the president’s Super PAC) are spending to defend Crank. This one merits a more competitive rating even as Crank is still favored, so it moves from Likely Republican to Leans Republican.”

Army Veteran Jessica Killin said, “Jeff Crank has put his loyalty to Trump over our community every time – protecting the tariffs, continuing the war in Iran, slashing healthcare, selling off our public lands, and covering up the Epstein files. El Paso County is fed up and ready for a leader that actually represents them, and I will stand up and fight for this community.” 

About Jessica Killin

A proud fourth-generation Coloradan, Jessica Killin’s life has been shaped by a commitment to service and a deep love for her state and country. Raised in Colorado Springs by public school educators, she learned early the values of hard work and community. After graduating from Falcon High School, Jessica earned an ROTC scholarship and served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, leading soldiers as a Military Police Officer overseas. She has since dedicated her career to improving the livelihoods of all Americans, including over a decade at USAA where she worked to protect military families during the 2008 financial crisis, streamline VA home loans, and help servicemembers avoid predatory lenders. Jessica is an Army veteran, public servant, and a devoted mother in a blended family with her husband, Raj, and three children.

To learn more about Jessica Killin and her campaign, please visit killinforcolorado.com and follow her on Instagram, X, and Facebook.

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