A Keating Research poll of 500 likely voters in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District (CD-3) conducted July 21-23, 2026, shows a gap of just 1% between Dwayne Romero, the Democratic candidate, and Republican incumbent Jeff Hurd.
Keating’s analysis of the poll calls the race “a dead heat” and says it is “winnable” by Romero. It says Romero is currently benefiting from a united Democratic base and an 11% lead among unaffiliated voters and moderates in CD-3, who favor Romero by a gap of 49% to 38%.
Keating says Hurd is “already fully defined and underwater at 42% favorable
to 48% unfavorable” and points out that Romero is “currently unknown to 41% of voters,” but says that where he is known, his image is “strongly favorable” and that he has “room to grow.”
A spokesman for Hurd’s campaign told the Aspen Times in a text message that the Keating survey “isn’t an independent poll — it’s a campaign fundraising memo designed to generate headlines and raise money.”
Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District has been represented by Republicans since 2011, when Scott Tipton pushed out John Salazar.
Keating contacted CD-3 voters using live phone interviews and a “text-to-online” survey. The polling company attempted to accurately represent likely November 2026 voters based on their “party registration, gender, age, ethnicity, region, and education.”
Dwayne Romero’s introductory campaign video:
I was really pulling for Alex Kelloff, but I’ll take what I can get as long as it doesn’t have an R next to the name.