2006 Colorado's 4th congressional district election

2006 Colorado's 4th congressional district election

November 7, 2006

Nominee Marilyn Musgrave Angie Paccione Eric Eidsness Party Republican Democratic Reform Popular vote 109,732 103,748 27,133 Percentage 45.6% 43.1% 11.3%

U.S. Representative before election Marilyn Musgrave Republican Elected U.S. Representative Marilyn Musgrave Republican

Colorado's 4th congressional district— Incumbent Marilyn Musgrave (R), a Republican who was the chief sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment won a surprisingly close 45.6% to 43.1% reelection in 2006 despite the Republican-leaning nature of her eastern Colorado district. Her district consists of all of Eastern Colorado well east of Denver, and northeastern Colorado around Fort Collins and Loveland.

Musgrave's opponents were Democratic state representative Angie Paccione and former Ronald Reagan United States Environmental Protection Agency appointee Eric Eidsness, a former Republican who entered the race as a Reform Party candidate. When Paccione entered the race in September 2005 the race was not widely regarded as competitive outside the Fourth District, but the Paccione campaign successfully raised nearly $2 million, and the results were relatively close. The Cook Report called it a toss-up late in the campaign.

Musgrave's close margin of victory gives her the distinction of receiving the lowest percentage of the vote of any member of Congress.

Result

US House election, 2006: Colorado District 4

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Marilyn Musgrave	109,732	45.61
	Democratic	Angie Paccione	103,748	43.12
	Reform	Eric Eidsness	27,133	11.28
Turnout			240,613