Republican George Lilly, a retired salesman, held a steady lead over his opponent Tuesday night in the primary battle for the 1st Congressional District.
With 235 of 477 precincts reporting, Lilly had 58 percent of the votes, while Charles R. Crain had 42 percent.
The winner of Tuesday’s primary will have a tough time trying to beat the odds come November.
Lilly and Crain are looking to unseat Rep. Diana DeGette, who has served the district since 1997.
The 1st District has been a bastion for Democrats for the past 35 years, and experts say the political landscape won’t change anytime soon. Democrats make up most of the district, which includes Denver, Glendale and Cherry Hills Village.
Lilly challenged DeGette in 2004 as an unaffiliated candidate and received 2.1 percent of the vote.
Crain, whose residency was listed as St. Francis Center, could not be reached for comment.
Christopher Sanchez: 303-954-1698 or csanchez@denverpost.com
