Democrat Jessica Killin defeats incumbent Republican Congressman Jeff Crank in 5th Congressional District

Democrat Jessica Killin is the winner of Colorado's 5th Congressional District race in Tuesday's midterm election. The Republican stronghold has never elected a Democrat to the seat. 

Democrat Jessica Killin was determined to be the winner of Colorado's 5th Congressional District race in Tuesday's midterm election. At the time the win was determined, the Democrat was leading Republican incumbent Rep. Jeff Crank by 4.6% of the vote.  

The district has been a stronghold for the GOP for decades, and this will be the first time it willbe represented by a Democrat in the U.S. House. 

Republicans still have a double-digit advantage in voter registrations in the district, but unaffiliated voters account for about half the electorate. CBS Colorado Democratic Analyst Mike Dino said the district has become more urbanized and many of the unaffiliated voters are leaning left.

Campaign money that poured into CD-5 during the election cycle was a sign of Democrats' optimism. Dino said the party spent a record amount to boost Killin, who outraised Crank.

Killin is a veteran who has been chief of staff for several members of Congress and worked as an executive at the insurance company USAA.

Crank spent part of the last two years in Congress trying to combat what he calls "soft-on-crime policies" created by Gov. Jared Polis and other Colorado Democrats.