Gabe Evans
Gabe Evans | |
---|---|
Member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 8th district | |
Assuming office January 3, 2025 | |
Succeeding | Yadira Caraveo |
Member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 48th district | |
Assumed office January 9, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Tonya Van Beber |
Personal details | |
Born | Timothy Gabriel Joseph Evans July 28, 1986 Aurora, Colorado |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Anne Evans |
Children | 2 |
Education | Patrick Henry College (BA) |
Website | Campaign website |
Military service | |
Branch/service | |
Years of service | 2007–2019 |
Rank | Captain |
Battles/wars | |
Police career | |
Department | Arvada Police Department |
Service years | 2011–2022 |
Rank | Lieutenant |
Timothy Gabriel Joseph Evans (born July 28, 1986)[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] He is the U.S. Representative-elect for Colorado's 8th Congressional District. 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 defeated 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 defeated 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 that people who received deportation protections under that initiative should not be deported.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Evans and his wife, Anne Evans, have two sons and live in Fort Lupton, Colorado.[14]
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.
- ^ Brady, Lucas (November 11, 2024). "Gabe Evans flips Colorado's 8th Congressional District for Republicans". KUNC. Retrieved November 11, 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.
- ^ "Gabe Evans, a former police officer, seeks moderate path to Congress — while trying to sidestep Trump minefield". The Denver Post. October 20, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
External links
[edit]
- 1986 births
- 21st-century American legislators
- American police officers
- American ranchers
- Colorado National Guard personnel
- Living people
- Patrick Henry College alumni
- People from Weld County, Colorado
- Republican Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives
- United States Army aviators
- American politicians of Mexican descent
- Colorado politician stubs
- Latino conservatism in the United States