The Associated Press called the race for Crow at 9:54 p.m. He faced Levi Tillemann, an author and green energy expert who worked in the Department of Energy during the Obama administration.
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Crow, an Army veteran and lawyer with the backing of major players in the party, had been the heavy favorite in his primary. He’s been long touted as one of the party’s top recruits for this upcoming cycle, a candidate who Democrats believe can finally take down Coffman.
But the race drew outsized attention for the Democratic establishment’s apparent favoritism toward Crow. Tillemann turned over an audio recording to a news outlet that showed Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.), the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the House, telling Tillemann the party wanted Crow to move forward.
Despite the unwanted media attention garnered by the video, Crow soldiered on, ultimately winning the primary Tuesday night. Now he’ll face off against Coffman, a five-term congressman whom Democrats have unsuccessfully targeted for years.
President Trump lost Coffman’s district by 9 points in 2016, a fact that has boosted Democratic enthusiasm. But Coffman has sought to highlight his independent streak throughout his career, including this cycle, and he’s broken with the president on numerous high-profile issues.