The city of Colorado Springs has been the heart of Colorado’s fifth congressional district ever since its creation in 1973. The district has had four conservative representatives in its history, but this all could change following the November 2022 midterm election if Democratic nominee David Torres is elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
David Torres moved to Colorado Springs from Puerto Rico at the age of four and spent most of his young life there. At the age of 39, he decided to go back to school to finish his bachelor’s degree with aspirations to attend law school. It was during this process that he realized that he has a passion for public service and decided that his calling was to run for public office. At this time, Torres was temporarily living in Lakewood, Colorado, and had a choice to make. He could have run for a position in that area, and probably would’ve had an advantage running in a more progressive community, but that wasn’t where his heart was.
He didn’t merely want to win an election and have the title and fancy office. Torres wanted to fulfill his calling to serve Colorado Springs and the rest of Colorado’s fifth congressional district.
“It was my hometown, an opportunity to serve people, and what better way to give back to a community that basically raised me than to run for office there. It was an easy decision for me,” stated Torres in a one-on-one phone interview.
He began his campaign, outlining top priorities that include veteran healthcare benefits, economic prosperity for all, and improving healthcare access. In June 2022, Torres beat Michael C. Colombe in the primary election to secure the Democratic nomination. Now, with the midterm election just over a month away, he is facing another major challenge. The district’s incumbent, Doug Lamborn, has been in office for the last 16 years. Defeating an incumbent is no easy task in politics, but David Torres and his team are eager to take on this challenge. While immersing himself in the Colorado Springs area and talking to voters, Torres noticed a lack of presence from the incumbent. He mentioned that many Coloradans he talked to didn’t know who Lamborn is or what platform he is running on. This is why Torres has made it an effort to speak to as many members of the community as possible, listening to their concerns, and portraying himself authentically.
Torres explains, “This is why my confidence level continues to rise and rise because people, regardless of what their views are, are tired of being ignored.”
Some voters in the Colorado Springs area, however, have other perspectives. Zach Lau is a registered voter in the area and is unsure of the outcome of the upcoming election.
“I’m not sure if Torres can beat Lamborn. Lamborn has been around for a while and has a history of being one of Colorado’s representatives. I don’t think Torres has the popularity that Lamborn has,” Lau said.
In the Colorado primary, Doug Lamborn won the Republican nomination with 46,033 votes and David Torres won the Democratic nomination with 24,245 votes. If this trend continues, it is projected that Lamborn will win this November.
David Torres, though, continues to keep his head high and stay optimistic. He is noticing a change in the demographic and personal values of Coloradans, and although he isn’t in the business to change anyone’s beliefs, Torres’ goal is to reunify the district and encourage others to be able to speak and listen to one another as neighbors, not as political rivals.
Torres expressed, “When you understand something better, you accept it. And acceptance, my dear, I think is the most powerful thing you can have in a community that wants to work together to thrive.”