A newly competitive state House race in El Paso County was still too tight for the leader to claim victory Thursday. 

The longtime Republican seat, House District 16, was leaning blue two days following the election. Democrat Stephanie Vigil was leading Republican Dave Donelson by about 596 votes or 49.86% to 47.77%.

Vigil, a gig economy worker and community organizer, said she would be at peace with whatever voters decide and she didn’t want to get ahead of the tally. 

“I am letting the process play out. I respect the integrity of our elections department,” she said. 

Donelson said he expected to catch Vigil because so many Republicans held their ballots to the last day. But he expected it to stay too close to call until every vote was counted. 

“It’s like watching an overtime game. You get to watch a little bit each day,” said Donelson, a former Army Green Beret and physician assistant who serves on the Colorado Springs City Council. If elected to the state legislature, the council will appoint his replacement in January. Donelson was elected to the council in April 2021. 

Donelson said unaffiliated voters he spoke with were interested in Republican priorities such as addressing crime and inflation.  

Vigil said people she talked to in the district were ready for a refresh in representation that might shake up the game. She noted she is not coming at the race with lots of formal credentials, but rather lots of relevant lived experience. 

In a Democrat-controlled state legislature, Vigil said she expected affordable housing would be one of her top priorities after seeing the problems in Colorado Springs, including out-of-state investors buying up homes. 

El Paso County had about 40,000 to 44,000 ballots left to tally Thursday afternoon, El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office spokeswoman Kristi Ridlen said.