Colorado’s Republican Party appeared to be poised to maintain its decades-long grip on Congressional District 5 on Tuesday as early unofficial returns showed radio personality Jeff Crank well ahead of his Democratic opponent, educator and researcher River Gassen, in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Doug Lamborn.

As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Crank had garnered nearly 55% of the vote. Gassen had 42% of the vote.

If his lead holds, Crank will become the district’s fifth representative since it was established in the 1970s. The right-leaning district, which encompasses Colorado Springs, Monument, Fountain and Manitou Springs, has been represented by a Republican since its inception.

“It was just an incredible team effort,” Crank said to a packed house at the Boot Barn Hall watch party.

The Colorado Springs Republican has named immigration as chief among his priorities. A visit to the U.S. border strengthened Crank’s belief that the U.S. needs to secure its southern border, including the building of walls in certain areas. He also said the federal government needs to curtail its spending, possibly by getting rid of programs and departments he considers a drain on resources, such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Economic Development Administration.

“I’ve not changed my message one bit since the beginning,” Crank said. “We need to secure the border, we need to fix (President Joe) Biden’s broken economy.”

Gassen, who teaches at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, has said she wanted to help streamline the asylum and work visa processes for immigrants, and strengthen economic relief programs like SNAP and Medicaid. Like her opponent, Gassen also wanted to direct increased resources toward addressing the varied needs of the district’s nearly 80,000 veterans.

Gassen said while she was fully aware that District 5 has never elected a Democrat, she feels the region’s ideological tide shifting away from the Republican Party platform.

“I disagree with the Republican Party,” she told The Gazette via email. “And I believe most people are beginning to feel that way too.”

The mood was celebratory at the Boot Barn Hall watch party on the north end of the city as a packed house cheered raucously when races were called in favor of Republican candidates.

“It’s a good night to be a Republican,” said Jarvis Caldwell, the presumptive winner of the House District 20 race. “I think it’s going to be a good night for Republicans all over the country.”

Crank offered words of encouragement to the Republican candidates who were behind in their races, and a message for his prospective constituents.

“Stay in the fight,” he said. “Liberty and freedom are worth fighting for. Don’t ever give up that fight.

“To those of you who didn’t vote for me … I will be your conservative voice in Washington, and I will earn your vote next time.”