The boundaries of Colorado’s newest congressional district were drawn to make it competitive — and that’s just how it turned out. The 8th Congressional District’s debut in November 2022 involved a hotly contested face-off, and once again, this fall’s race is likely to be too close to call only weeks out from Election Day. Meanwhile, control of the entire U.S. House is up for grabs and hinges on a handful of congressional districts nationwide, including Colorado’s 8th.

In other words, a lot rests on the fate of CD-8 — and voters there have a real choice in Gabe Evans.

The Fort Lupton farmer is a combat veteran, former law officer and currently an elected lawmaker at the State Capitol. Evans has proven his mettle and knows the terrain. He has political savvy and loads of real-world experience. The Gazette editorial board has been impressed with him all along and endorsed him in last spring’s Republican primary for CD-8.

We again urge a vote for Gabe Evans on this fall’s ballot.

His back story is in fact a perfect fit for the district and make him ideally qualified to take on the top issues facing Congress. We are convinced of his ability to provide exceptional service to all the constituents of Colorado’s arguably most diverse district.

The 8th stretches north from metro Denver along I-25 and encompasses parts of Adams, Larimer and Weld counties. Its population centers include Greeley in the heart of Weld County as well as north-suburban Northglenn and Thornton. As a candidate on that political terrain, Evans more than covers the bases with his background, skill set and life experiences.

The Colorado native and grandson of Mexican immigrants served 12 years in the U.S. Army and Colorado Army National Guard as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot and company commander. His service included a combat deployment to the Middle East — as well as responding to wildfires and participating in search-and-rescue operations across Colorado.

Evans also spent over 10 years as an Arvada police officer. That’s where he experienced firsthand the hard truths resulting from soft-on-crime policies imposed in recent years by Colorado’s Legislature.

Evans and his wife now operate a family farm in Weld County, where they live with their two young sons.

The district is significantly agricultural and yet has key urban components. Its demographics mirror Colorado’s, with a substantial Hispanic community. And its challenges, especially in its urban areas, include battling the crime wave that has engulfed the Front Range in recent years.

Evans’ background speaks to all of that and more.

On the issues, he is a Republican with a heart for the broad spectrum of voters. His stands resonate with much of the district. He’s a classic fiscal conservative who wants to rein in deficit spending. He seeks to put doctors and patients back in charge of health care — taking “bureaucrats out of the doctor-patient relationship.” He stands for a military “focused on war-fighting and not politically correct agendas.” As a longtime law officer, he supports policies to make the streets safe again. And he is a passionate advocate of educational choice and school safety. All are views that draw public support across party lines.

Evans’ opponent, incumbent first-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo, narrowly won the seat two years ago. She deservedly has gained respect for bucking her own party on the perils of marijuana and other drugs.

But she is too far off the mark on a host of other bread-and-butter issues important to Coloradans. She also must toe the line of an ever-more-radicalized Democratic caucus in Washington.

Gabe Evans, by contrast, embraces the mainstream values and priorities of his district — and will hold fast to them in Congress. Evans is the smart choice for CD-8.