Colorado Springs-area pastor and Republican candidate Scott Bottoms is looking to retain the decades-long GOP stronghold in Colorado’s House District 15 in next month’s election.

But Democrats say their candidate Alvin Sexton’s chances of winning the seat this year are more promising than in recent memory thanks to redistricting and changing demographics.

El Paso County Republicans set up alternative campaign headquarters amid intense infighting

Colorado’s House District 15 in El Paso County includes portions of eastern Colorado Springs: the entirety of the Banning Lewis Ranch Villages, Ridgeview, Springs Ranch and Stetson Hills neighborhoods and portions of the Banning Lewis Ranch, Cottonwood Creek and Woodmen Heights/Dublin North Colorado Springs neighborhoods.

The district is currently represented by Republican state Rep. Dave Williams, who unsuccessfully campaigned in June against Congressman Doug Lamborn for the GOP nomination to the 5th congressional district.

“This is a seat that Republicans have traditionally won, but there are a couple of things that are really working in our favor,” El Paso County Democratic Party Chairman John Mikos said.

Click here to read The Gazette’s 2022 Colorado General Election Voter Guide

There is now an increased number of unaffiliated voters in the district “who are really looking at the candidates directly,” Mikos said. There are 9,931 active Democratic voters compared to 17,811 Republicans and 27,427 unaffiliated voters, data from the Secretary of State’s Office as of Oct. 1 show.

“Second, this is a part of the county that has been demographically changing – rapidly. Lorson Ranch, Cimarron Hills and Banning Lewis Ranch are rapidly becoming more diverse, with new families moving in. We think this district is ripe for change,” Mikos said.

Sexton, a mechanic who has said he wants “to be a voice for working families and people,” is the change District 15 residents want to see, Mikos said.

“He’s running against a guy who, quite frankly, is running on manufactured outrage,” Mikos said.

Navy veteran Bottoms, pastor of the Church at Briargate, is a “strict constitutionalist and a believer in individual rights granted by God,” according to his campaign website. 

He promises to “stand for the life of the unborn, the rights of conscience, religious freedom, the Second Amendment, school choice and parental rights, and veterans” while opposing “election corruption, unconstitutional mandates, government overreach, (critical race theory) and new taxes.” 

‘Change is going to come’: El Paso County Democrats hope to win countywide

Bottoms was among several preferred El Paso County GOP candidates who ran in the June primary election and billed themselves as anti-establishment Republicans. Most of those candidates lost their primary elections.

Bottoms did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Gazette.

El Paso County Republican Party Chairwoman Vickie Tonkins called Bottoms “a man of virtue” who “carries the values of the district,” in contrast to Sexton, whom she called a “radical Democrat who will carry the water for Jared Polis. He will increase taxes and defund the police” and will push critical race theory, she said.

“Critical race theory is not being taught in our schools,” Sexton said.

Sexton’s priority is focusing “on issues that everyday people are facing,” such as affordable housing, universal health care, higher pay for teachers, addressing climate change, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, fiscal responsibility and supporting small businesses and labor unions, he said.

“We need to fix the housing crisis we’re facing,” Sexton said. “When people bring their paychecks home, they’re trying to make that rent or mortgage payment and it’s a significant amount of their income, way more than the 30% that’s recommended. If we fix that we can free up people’s wallets.”

Once a GOP gimme, race for Colorado Springs’ HD 16 has Dems feeling hopeful

Sexton also said he doesn’t want to implement new taxes but wants to “build up the middle class” by supporting small businesses.

He believes women have the right to safe abortions but worries a Republican majority in the legislature could outlaw abortion, he said. He supports codifying the right to an abortion in state law.

Sexton said he also worries the line separating church and state could blur if Bottoms is elected.

“I have nothing against being a pastor or being a Christian, at all. I do, however, have a strong belief that we need separation of church and state,” he said.

Bottoms’ campaign spent $220.17 between Sept. 29 and Oct. 12 and had $4,799.14 on hand as of Oct. 12, according to the latest campaign finance filings with the Secretary of State’s Office.

Sexton’s campaign spent $262.49 in that same period and had $863.17 remaining as of Oct. 12.

Colorado’s general election is Nov. 8.

Republican candidate in Colorado Springs House District 22 shares priorities