The battle to represent Senate District 9 is shaping up to be among the most contentious primary contests this year. 

Political newcomer and retired Air Force Lt. Col. Lynda Zamora Wilson is taking on the district’s incumbent and a GOP leader, Minority Whip Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-Monument. 

This is the first time Lundeen – who is a favorite to become Senate president if Republicans flip the chamber – has faced a primary challenge during his nearly eight-year career in the Colorado legislature. Lundeen ran unopposed in the Republican primaries for the 2014 and 2016 House elections, as well as in his most recent 2018 Senate election.

Even more surprisingly, Wilson won more votes than Lundeen during the Colorado Republican Party’s state assembly on April 9. Though both candidates received more than 30% of the votes and, therefore, made it to the ballot, Wilson secured 52% compared to Lundeen’s 48%, the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle reported.

This victory came less than two weeks after Wilson entered the race, while standing at a significant fundraising disadvantage. As of Friday, her campaign raised just over $870 in contributions, while Lundeen’s campaign hauled in more than $73,000, according to data from the Secretary of State’s Office.

The winner of this Republican primary will likely go on to win the general election, given the dominance of Republican voters in the district – though the GOP victor will still need to defeat Democratic candidate Arik Dougherty, who is running uncontested in his party’s primary, in November. 

Wilson’s success at the GOP assembly is part of a trend of candidates who insist former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election getting a significant boost from their party’s base. Rep. Ron Hanks, R-Cañon City, and Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who both questioned President Joe Biden’s victory, also won spots on the ballot during the Colorado Republican assembly.

Claims of widespread election fraud have failed to withstand court scrutiny. The Associated Press also reported in December that out of more than 25 million votes cast in six battle ground states in 2020 – not including Colorado – there were fewer than 500 cases of voter fraud, far too few to influence the outcome of the election. 

Wilson told Colorado Politics that election integrity is one of her top three priorities if elected, in addition to protecting the U.S. Constitution and promoting traditional education. 

Wilson said she began investigating Colorado’s election system after the 2020 election and claimed to have identified “critical issues.” She denounced Senate Bill 153, which the legislature passed this year in response to alleged security breaches by Peters, which Peters denies. Wilson said she wants to end mail-in voting and drop-boxes, count all ballots by hand and require photo ID and proof of residence to vote, among other changes. 

Lundeen has also spoken strongly against SB-153 and tried to limit mail-in voting. However, Lundeen said his top priorities are lowering the cost of living, improving public safety and giving parents greater authority over their children’s education.

Senate District 9 is contained in El Paso County, covering the northwest corner including Monument, Palmer Lake and part of Colorado Springs. Among the district’s active registered voters, 38.9% are Republican, 15.3% are Democrat and 44.2% are unaffiliated, according to data from the Secretary of State’s Office.