This story was first published at Colorado Newsline.
DENVER | President Donald Trump, reversing himself, has endorsed Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd of Grand Junction in his reelection bid, less than a month after blasting Hurd as a “RINO’ and throwing his weight behind a far-right primary challenger.
In a social media post Friday, Trump announced that he had met with Hope Scheppelman, a former vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party challenging Hurd in the 3rd Congressional District, and that Scheppelman and her husband “will be leaving the Campaign trail in order to join my Administration, in a capacity to be determined.”
“Therefore, I will be fully supporting Jeff’s Re-Election to the House of Representatives, giving him my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump wrote.
Trump had endorsed Scheppelman on Feb. 21, calling Hurd “one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down.” The move came after Hurd and five other Republican House members broke with their party to vote in favor of a resolution to repeal Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson had privately lobbied top Trump officials to reverse course, Politico reported Friday. Republicans are hoping to defend a razor-thin majority in the 2026 midterm elections, even as polling and special election results show voters across the country poised to turn sharply against the incumbent party.
The 3rd District encompasses much of Colorado’s Western Slope along with the San Luis Valley and Pueblo, Otero and Las Animas counties. It was formerly represented by Rep. Lauren Boebert of Windsor, who moved across the state and switched to the 4th District after nearly losing her reelection bid in 2022. Hurd won the seat with a 5-percentage-point victory over Democrat Adam Frisch in 2024.
“I’m grateful for President Trump’s support and appreciate his efforts to unify Republicans in Colorado’s 3rd District,” Hurd wrote in a social media post. “The President and I share the same goals: securing the border, American energy dominance, and helping working families.”
Two Democrats, financial executive Alex Kelloff and former state economic development director Dwayne Romero, have announced bids to challenge Hurd in the general election.
Colorado’s primary elections will be held June 30.
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