Unofficial election results show Republicans will fight to at least a draw, and appear on course to do better, in the four University of Colorado’s Board of Regents races up for grabs on Tuesday night. But the Democratic majority on the board is poised to remain the same.

The Associated Press has declared GOP candidates victorious in two out out of the four races, while the only uncalled contest features a Republican candidate with an electoral lead.

Still, the Board of Regents – which gained a Democratic majority in 2020 for the first time in more than four decades – will likely retain the same partisan split, with the victorious or leading candidates set to replace fellow party members.

Here are the results so far in the other districts. The results are based on the early, unofficial tally.   

Congressional District 1 

Democrat Wanda James won that race in landslide, with the margin of victory standing at over 50 points as of Thursday.

James headed Gov. Jared Polis’ first campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives and was a member of the task force that put in place rules for recreational marijuana. 

“I’m proud of the trail I have blazed not only as a Naval ROTC graduate at CU but especially as a cannabis business owner in Colorado,” she said in a statement Tuesday night. “But I am especially honored to follow in the footsteps of Rachel B. Noel, the first and only Black woman to serve on the CU Regent Board and even more proud that my victory comes on a day that women voters united around the country to make their voices heard.”

Naes ran on a platform of accessibility and affordability of higher education, and mental health support for students. She’s a children’s rights lawyer who worked as a law clerk in Denver Juvenile Court and dependency and neglect family court facilitator in the 1st Judicial District. 

Congressional District 4 

Voters favored Republican Frank McNulty, a former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives in returns shortly over Democrat Jack Barrington. The Associated Press named McNulty the victor shortly after 10 p.m. on election night, and his margin of victory as of Thursday was nearly 30 percentage points.

McNulty’s platform for the largely rural district in Colorado’s Eastern Plains included a focus on diversity of backgrounds, geography and upbringings. A former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, McNulty left elected office in 2015 and currently works in political consulting.  

Barrington ran on a platform of “people, not politics.” He’s a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has worked as a public high school teacher, mechanic and truck driver.

Congressional District 5 

The Associated Press declared Republican Ken Montera, who captured over 60% of the vote, victorious against Democrat Ron Casados by 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Polis appointed Montera to the board in 2021 to fill a vacancy, and currently serves as the vice chair. He said he wants to advocate for teaching students “how to think, not what to think.” His campaign advocated for diversity of viewpoints, affordability of higher education and accessibility through increasing availability of earning degrees online. 

Casados also ran on a platform of diversity, accessibility and affordability. He said support from the state and federal budgets is key for keeping the CU university system “competitive.” Casados is from Colorado Springs and worked in special education for 25 years.  

Congressional District 8 

The at-large regent seat held by Republican gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl has been reassigned to the 8th District. She did not seek another term to pursue the governorship. Republican Mark VanDriel appears to have nabbed the seat assigned to the state’s new 8th Congressional District by a narrow margin, though the race remains uncalled by the Associated Press.

Opponent Yolanda Ortega worked at Metropolitan State University of Denver for much of her career in education. Published reports cited her saying she believes her understanding of the differences between the student makeups at MSU and in CU’s system – many non-traditional, commuting college students versus traditional students right out of high school – make her a fit for the board. 

VanDriel, a resident from Greeley with a background in education, advocated for resisting “political assimilation” – a call for free speech on campus. He believes policies should focus on student needs rather than faculty interests. VanDriel’s issues include accessibility, affordability and accountability.