Manny Rutinel, a Democratic attorney who represented the 32nd district in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2023 to 2026, is challenging Republican incumbent Gabe Evans for Colorado's 8th congressional district in 2026.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
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- Born
- December 20, 1994
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California
- Education
- Pasco-Hernando State College (associate degree)
University of Florida (Bachelor of Arts in economics; Bachelor of Science in microbiology)
Johns Hopkins University (Master of Science in applied economics)
Yale Law School (Juris Doctor)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Manny Rutinel was born on December 20, 1994, in Los Angeles, California, and was raised by a single mother in the Dominican Republic until he was six years old.
They then returned to the United States and lived in California and Florida, where he attended school; he has said that he worked at McDonald's while attending high school.
Rutinel earned an associate degree from Pasco-Hernando State College, a Bachelor of Arts in economics and a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from the University of Florida, a Master of Science in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University, and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
Career
From 2016 to 2018, Manny Rutinel served as an economist for the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Upstate New York, and he worked as a first responder in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
After graduating from law school he was an associate attorney at Earthjustice, and since 2021 he has been CEO of Climate Refarm, a non-profit organization.
In October 2023, Rutinel was selected to fill the Colorado House of Representatives seat of Dafna Michaelson Jenet, who had been selected for a vacant state senate seat. In the legislature he led efforts to conduct oversight of ICE detention centers in Colorado.
On September 4, 2026, he resigned his seat to focus on his congressional campaign.
2026 race
Manny Rutinel announced on January 27, 2025, that he would run for Colorado's 8th congressional district, which includes the northern Front Range cities and surrounding Denver communities, including Thornton, Brighton, Johnstown and Greeley.
Several Democrats withdrew from the primary field, among them former U.S. representative Yadira Caraveo and Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young. Rutinel won the June 30 Democratic primary with 62.8% of the vote, defeating former state representative Shannon Bird, who took 32.5%.
In the general election on November 3, 2026, he faces Republican incumbent Gabe Evans, who flipped the district in 2024 with 49.0% of the vote.