Gabe Evans
Gabe Evans | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 48th district | |
| Assumed office January 9, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Tonya Van Beber |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Patrick Henry College (BA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | |
| Years of service | 2009–2019 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Operation Enduring Freedom |
Timothy Gabriel Joseph Evans[1] is an American politician and former police lieutenant who currently serves as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives representing the 48th District.[2] The district includes parts of Weld and Adams counties including the communities of Brighton, Lochbuie, Fort Lupton, Todd Creek, and Platteville.[3]
A Republican, he faces Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo in the 2024 election for Colorado's 8th congressional district.
Early life and career
[edit]Evans is the grandson of Mexican immigrants.[2] He earned a bachelor's in government from Patrick Henry College.[4]
Evans's military service includes two years in the Virginia Army National Guard from 2007 to 2009. After that, in 2009, he earned a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army, while also joining and serving in the Colorado National Guard from 2009 to 2019. In the army he learned to fly UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. He served in Operation Enduring Freedom from 2012 to 2013 and reached the rank of captain. In the Colorado Guard, he used his piloting skills to help fight wildfires and to carry out search and rescue missions. His work included being stationed at Buckley Air Force Base. He was honorably discharged in 2019.[5]
In 2011, while serving in the Colorado National Guard, Evans joined the Arvada Police Department. He reached the rank of lieutenant, and he retired in January 2022 to run for office.[5]
Colorado House of Representatives
[edit]In the 2022 Colorado House of Representatives election, Evans received 63.31% of the total votes cast.[6]
Evans has focused his tenure on criminal justice issues. He has sponsored bills aimed at "ensuring public employees get time off for National Guard service and studying whether judicial personnel are being properly trained on how to work with crime victims."[7]
2024 U.S. House campaign
[edit]On September 6, 2023, Evans announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination to represent Colorado's 8th congressional district in the 2024 elections.[8] Evans was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. He defeated former Colorado State Representative Janak Joshi in the Republican primary. He will face the Democratic incumbent Yadira Caraveo in the November 2024 general election.[9]
Evans fired his campaign's political director, Jessica Spindle, on September 11, 2024, after The Colorado Times Recorder reported on Spindle's history of promoting political violence, QAnon conspiracy theories, and antisemitism online.[10][11]
Political positions
[edit]Evans said the issue of whether to ban access to abortion should be left up to states, but that he believes abortion should be banned except in cases of rape, incest, or when a mother's life is at risk.[12] He opposes a nationwide abortion ban.[13]
Evans said the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program should remain in place and people who received deportation protections under that initiative should not be deported.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Financial Disclosure Report" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Paul, Jesse (September 6, 2023). "Republican state representative announces bid to unseat Democrat Yadira Caraveo in Colorado's 8th Congressional District". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ^ Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission (March 18, 2022). "Colorado House District 48 (2021)" (PDF). State of Colorado. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ "2022 Colorado primary election guide: State House of Representatives". Colorado Politics. June 28, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ a b Ward, Belen (February 8, 2022). "Rancher running for the state house". Fort Lupton Press. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado election results: November 8, 2022, general election state representative district 48". Colorado Secretary of State. State of Colorado. n.d. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ Kim, Caitlyn (September 6, 2023). "GOP state Rep. Gabe Evans joins contest to challenge Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ^ Luning, Ernest (September 6, 2023). "State lawmaker Gabe Evans joins GOP primary in bid to challenge Yadira Caraveo in Colorado's 8th CD". Colorado Politics. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
- ^ Kenney, Andrew (June 25, 2024). "State Rep. Gabe Evans will take on first-term Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo in Congressional District 8". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ Maulbetsch, Erik (September 11, 2024). "GOP Candidate's Political Director Posts Anti-Semitism, Conspiracies & Calls for Violence". The Colorado Times Recorder. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ Maulbetsch, Erik (September 12, 2024). "CO Congressional Candidate Evans Fires Political Director Following Times Recorder Reporting on Antisemitic & Violent Posts". The Colorado Times Recorder. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ a b "The Unaffiliated | Gabe Evans and Janak Joshi face off ahead of 8th Congressional District Republican primary". June 4, 2024.
- ^ Klamman, Seth (October 20, 2024). "Gabe Evans, a former police officer, seeks moderate path to Congress — while trying to sidestep Trump minefield". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
External links
[edit]
 | This article about a Colorado politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |