Cory Gardner credits his message for his win

Cory Gardner ran a focused less-government, less-taxes campaign that resonated with an angry electorate, vaulting the Yuma Republican past incumbent Betsy Markey in the 4th Congressional District.

In reclaiming the largely rural Colorado district, which Markey, a Fort Collins Democrat, took easily from Republican Marilyn Musgrave two years ago, Gardner emphasized his rural roots and conservative philosophies, and won handily. With 73 percent of precincts reporting at 1:45 a.m. today, Gardner had collected .

53 percent of the vote, while Markey had 41 percent.

Just before 9:30 p.m., Gardner walked into a jubilant room at the Embassy Suites in Loveland, where more than 300 supporters chanted his name.

Gardner thanked his wife and daughter for their support, then fired up his supporters with a brief speech in which he thanked Markey for her service to the district and vowed to be “the hardest-working member of Congress you have ever seen.”

That comment drew loud cheers as did his closing comment: “Our nation demands that we find the real solutions to get it back on track,” Gardner said. “We will send a strong message to the entire world that America — we're back!”     - More -