Jessica Killin flips Colorado’s 5th Congressional District for Democrats

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. The Associated Press has called the race in Colorados 5th Congressional District for Democrat Jessica Killin, flipping a longtime Republican stronghold for the first time in its history.

As of 12:38 p.m. Thursday, Killin led Crank 50.56% to 45.98% with 94% of the votes counted.

See the latest election results from this race in the embed below:

Killins victory over incumbent Republican Rep. Jeff Crank earns her a first term representing one of Colorados geographically smaller by more urban congressional districts. The district includes Colorado Springs and its suburbs. It was a Republican stronghold prior to Killins election, and redistricting and growth in the suburbs have shifted it leftward in recent years.

Killin, 53, will be the first Democrat to represent the district since its creation in 1972.

Killin is an Army veteran who served from 1995 to 2003 and attained the rank of captain. She later worked as a congressional staffer and served as chief of staff to Doug Emhoff, then the second gentleman.

Crank, who once worked as a congressional aide, was seeking a second term. He previously oversaw the Colorado chapter of the conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity and ran a real estate investment company.

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