State Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer on Friday became the third Republican to qualify for the June primary ballot in Colorado’s newly created 8th Congressional District by submitting enough valid signatures on nominating petitions, the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office said.

Kirkmeyer, a former Weld County commissioner, is one of five GOP candidates running in the evenly divided district, which covers portions of Adams, Weld and Larimer counties north of the Denver metro area. Two Democrats are also seeking the nomination for the seat, which is on both national parties’ lists of contests that swing control of the House in this year’s election.

Election officials said Kirkmeyer submitted 2,425 signatures on her petitions, and 1,721 of them were ruled valid — surpassing the 1,500 required for Colorado congressional candidates to make the ballot.

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“Colorado voters want a conservative fighter who wins, and that’s why we were able to collect thousands of signatures to get on the ballot without using a paid signature gathering firm like other campaigns,” Kirkmeyer said in a statement.

Kirkmeyer’s campaign said Monday that she doesn’t plan to go through the assembly process, which offers another path to the ballot.

Candidates can qualify for the June 28 primary by submitting a sufficient number of petition signatures from fellow party members or by winning support from more than 30% of delegates to their party’s assembly. Candidates who opt to take both routes need only get votes from 10% of the assembly delegates.

The Republicans who have already qualified for the 8th CD primary are Thornton Mayor Jan Kulmann and first-time candidate Tyler Allcorn, an Army Special Forces veteran.

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Candidates seeking the ballot at the April 2 assembly are Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine, a former state lawmaker, and political newcomer Giulianna “Jewels” Gray. Gray has also turned in petitions, which are under review by state election officials.

Saine threw some shade at Kirkmeyer in a statement to Colorado Politics.

“I believe Colorado Republicans can take back our state and nation, and that’s going to happen because of the grassroots conservative activists who have caucused for me and will be supporting me next Saturday,” Saine said in a text message. She added she is skeptical that Kirkmeyer could compete at the assembly due to her “generally moderate record.”

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Allcorn took aim at state Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the Thornton pediatrician competing with Adams County Commissioner Charles “Chaz” Tedesco for the Democratic nomination in the district, in a text message applauding Kirkmeyer’s achievement.

“Competition is good in primaries, and I’m glad that so far everyone who has chosen to go through the petition process has made it without any issues,” Allcorn said. “Increasingly, it looks like the Democrats will be stuck with radical Yadira Caraveo, and I can’t wait to hold her accountable in the general election for her radical policies that hurt law enforcement, crush our energy industry and rubber stamp Joe Biden’s out-of-control agenda.”

Gray offered her congratulations to Kirkmeyer and added that she’s looking forward to the assembly.

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