Republican state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer announced Wednesday that she will not seek a rematch against Democratic U.S. Rep. Yadira Caraveo in Colorado’s battleground 8th Congressional District in next year’s election.

Instead, Kirkmeyer said she will seek reelection to a second term in the legislature, where the Brighton lawmaker serves on the powerful Joint Budget Committee.

“My passion has always been for Colorado,” Kirkmeyer said in a statement. “In 2024, I believe the best way for me to serve our great state is to run for reelection to the state Senate.”

“I appreciate the many supporters who have encouraged me to run again for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District,” she added. “Being the 2022 Republican nominee for CD 8 was the honor of a lifetime. My decision to instead run for reelection comes after careful consideration and deliberation.”

Last year, Kirkmeyer narrowly lost to Caraveo, a former state representative from Thornton, in the evenly divided district, which covers portions of Adams, Weld and Larimer counties, from the suburbs north of Denver to Greeley.

The district has been targeted by both major parties ahead of next year’s election. It’s considered one of only a handful of toss-up seats nationally that could determine which party wins the majority in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Hours after Kirkmeyer’s announcement, Weld County Commissioner and county GOP chairman Scott James, who has been assembling a campaign team, filed paperwork to run for the seat.

A number of other Republicans have been mulling bids, including first-term state Rep. Gabe Evans, a former police officer and Army veteran from Fort Lupton; and Steve Moreno, a former Weld County commissioner and county clerk.

Other possible candidates include Joe O’Dea, the 2022 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, who owns a Denver-based construction company and lives in Greenwood Village; and former state Rep. Dan Woog, an Erie real estate broker who lost a bid for reelection to the legislature last year.

Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine, who ran for the congressional seat last year but finished third in the GOP primary, told Colorado Politics that she plans to seek reelection to the county commission next year rather than make another run in the 8th CD.

Before her election to the state Senate in 2020, Kirkmeyer served five nonconsecutive terms as a Weld County commissioner and headed the state Department of Local Affairs under Republican Gov. Bill Owens.

Although Kirkmeyer won election to represent Senate District 23 by roughly 10 percentage points, the seat leans more heavily Republican following redistricting in 2021 – by 21.5 percentage points, according to a nonpartisan analysis for the independent redistricting commission.

Noting that she’s helped pass dozens of bills even while Democrats hold an overwhelming majority in the legislature, Kirkmeyer said in a lengthy statement released on Wednesday that she relishes the opportunity to continue fighting for conservative principles.

“Many people ask me, ‘Why would you want to stay in a legislature dominated by liberal Democrats?’ My answer? Politics should be about improving people’s lives, ensuring opportunities for all Coloradans, and I love a good fight,” Kirkmeyer said.

“These past three years, I’ve enjoyed exposing the folly of far-left policies; promoting common-sense, center-right alternative policies so kids can obtain a quality education to set them up for success; working to ensure that everyone gets to participate in the vision of “our Colorado”; and fostering policies that reduce crime and promote safety.”

Alongside her “out-numbered Republican colleagues,” Kirkmeyer said she has been “making a difference for Colorado’s working families and for the conservative cause in the face of tremendous challenge.”

Added Kirkmeyer: “I want to continue that fight and ultimately make sure all of us can pursue our dreams.”

This month, Kirkmeyer has been among Republicans leading demands for Gov. Jared Polis to call a special session of the legislature this summer to address an anticipated jump in next year’s property taxes and to respond to a recent court ruling that allows suspects accused of capital offenses to post bond.

Polis, a Democrat, demurred last week on both counts.

Instead, Polis said he wants voters to weigh in this November on a Democratic-sponsored ballot measure, Proposition HH, which would use TABOR refund money to lower property taxes for 10 years.

The governor’s office also says voters will have to amend the state constitution to fix what officials call an “unintended consequence” of repealing the death penalty three years ago. That created a conflict in the law by abolishing capital offenses, resulting in the court decision making suspects accused of what used to be capital crimes eligible to be released on bail. Under TABOR, voters can’t consider that question until 2024.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include that Weld County Commissioner Scott James, a Republican, filed to run for the congressional seat hours after Kirkmeyer’s announcement.