Gonzalez Loses Colorado House Seat After Election Night
Republican Colorado State Representative Ryan Gonzalez is voted out of office in the 50th District following the midterm elections.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Colorado State Representative Ryan Gonzalez, who won the 50th District seat in 2024 by unseating a Democratic incumbent, lost his reelection bid on Election Night. Democrat Tommy Butler, a former Greeley city councilman, secured around 60 percent of the vote in the district.
Why it matters
Gonzalez's loss shifts the composition of the Colorado State House after a race he had won two years earlier. Gonzalez publicly argued the race would tighten as more votes were counted and that it would not be called for a few days.
Butler captured around 60 percent of the vote in HD50, while Gonzalez's post said only 59 percent of ballots had been counted at the time of his message. The margin and final result remained subject to the remaining count.
The players
Ryan Gonzalez
Ryan Gonzalez is a Republican Colorado State Representative for the state's 50th District who was defeated for reelection after the midterm elections.
Tommy Butler
Tommy Butler is a Democrat and former Greeley city councilman who won around 60 percent of the vote in the 50th District.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, whose remarks Gonzalez criticized in a post on X.
The details
Gonzalez, who unseated a Democratic incumbent in 2024, was defeated on Election Night. He posted on his official X account that President Trump would be more effective if he shut up, and that Republicans who campaign like libertarians and govern like liberals fail to pass anything. Trump later criticized the FoxNews Poll on Truth Social, claiming FoxNews ratings were down 27 percent.
Timeline
2024: Gonzalez wins the HD50 seat by unseating a Democrat.
November 4, 2026: Midterm Election Night, when Gonzalez loses his race.
Political Context
Gonzalez's loss reverses his 2024 victory in HD50, when he unseated a Democratic incumbent. Gonzalez himself argued that Republicans who campaign like libertarians and govern like liberals fail to pass legislation, a critique aimed at his own party's approach.
Colorado's House District 50 now shifts toward Democratic representation, changing who represents Greeley-area constituents in the state legislature. Residents should watch the certified final count, since Gonzalez argued the margin would narrow.
The takeaway
Close margins in state legislative races can shift as late ballots are counted, so final certified results matter more than early unofficial figures. Readers tracking Colorado politics should follow official county and state canvass announcements before drawing conclusions.
Further reading
For more on how state legislative races are decided, explore Elections coverage on Colorado's House contests.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Alternet.
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