Two Republican and two Democratic candidates for state senate have qualified for the June 30 primary to decide who will be on the November ballot for District 8.
Sen. Bob Rankin, R-Carbondale, currently holds the seat representing Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt and Summit counties in the state Senate.
Rankin has a primary challenger in Debra Irving of Breckenridge, who won the majority of delegate votes at the remote assembly April 11, securing her position as the first name on the Republican primary ballot.
Of 139 voting delegates, 55 percent voted for Irving and 45 preferred Rankin.
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For Democrats, Carbondale attorney Karl Hanlon and former Eagle County Commissioner Arn Menconi both qualified at the assembly April 14 to be on the party’s primary ballot, according to John Krousouloudis, chairman of the Garfield County Democrats.
Rankin, who held the state House of Representatives District 57 seat from 2013 to 2019, was appointed to his current senate seat in January 2019 after Randy Baumgardner retired before his term finished.
Glenwood Springs attorney Colin Wilhelm also qualified for the Democratic primary ballot to challenge Rep. Perry Will for the House District 57 seat.
Will was appointed to the seat, which was vacated by Rankin when he moved to the senate position.
The Republican and Democratic assemblies were conducted electronically due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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